Although there is no magic potion that you can drink to have a flat, tight stomach, here are a few sure-fire tips that you can follow to help you achieve great abs.

There are two main factors involved when it comes to a tighter midsection; diet and exercise. No big surprise, right? The diet piece of the equation is about dropping extra fat. Many of us carry fat around our midsection and although there is no such thing as spot reduction, your body will give up the weight from the area where the fat deposits are the easiest for you your body to use.

For some people that will be the stomach, for others the weight will reduce in other areas first but inevitably weight loss will occur over the entire body. So, to reduce the layer of fat to expose those amazing abdominal muscles you must increase your energy output and decrease the amount of calories you consume. If you burn off more calories than you take in, your body fat will reduce.

Let’s talk anatomy… There are three main sections of your abdominal to target; the obliques (on your sides), your upper abdominals, and your lower abdominals. With that being said, you should think whole-body exercise first. The goal here is to develop strength and flexibility around the core. All of the core muscles work together to supply strength and coordinate movement.

Doing exercises that require core strength means that these exercises require multiple body parts working together in a slow controlled manner that focuses on balance and maintaining good posture. Examples of such exercises are planks, bridges, and exercise performed with an exercise ball. There are hundreds of exercises that are specifically designed for your core. I believe that it is important to make every exercise a core exercise by keeping your abdominal tight and maintain perfect posture while performing any exercise.

Improved posture is the single most important thing you can do on your journey to flat abdominals. By improving your posture, the size of your stomach reduces immediately. By standing up straight, keeping your shoulders back, your chest up, your weight even on the balls and heels of your feet, and drawing in your belly button slightly, your appearance will improve dramatically.

Improved posture increases your energy by increasing you lung capacity, helps to increase your core strength by using isometric contractions of the muscles to maintain good posture, and improves how you present yourself to the world.

Exercises that are specific to your abdominals should be done every other day or three days per week. These exercises should be preformed slowly and in a progression that is appropriate for your own fitness level. By following these rules you should be able to prevent injury and see progress in your strength and in your appearance.

Oblique exercises consist of any exercise that involves a twisting motion. Examples are performing a crunch by bringing your opposite knee toward your opposite elbow and a seated rotation which is done sitting up with bent knees and arms crossed at chest then rotating the spine from side to side.

Upper abdominal exercises require that you do some kind of crunch or sit up. I would recommend that most people do crunches to prevent strain on your neck and back. Crunches are done by lying on your back and lifting your shoulders a few inches off the ground. Your mid back should never leave the ground and make sure you get a nice, tight contraction of your abdominal muscles before you release back to the starting position. Crunches can be performed with bent knees, feet up with a 90 degree bend at the knees, or feet up with knees straight.

Lower abdominal exercises are performed by raising your legs in the air as opposed to lifting your upper body off the ground. One way to accomplish this is to lie on your back with your knees bent, keep your abdominals tight so that your back does not arch, and lift your feet off the ground so that your knees travel toward your chest. This exercise can be made more intense by adding a weighted ball between your knees or doing the exercise with straight legs.

There are hundreds of abdominal exercises to choose from. Just remember that using slow, controlled movements with perfect form is a must. Have realistic expectations; quick fixes are temporary and often dangerous. Change to your body requires hard work, dedication, and time. Your effort will pay off and you will feel amazing!