Whether you're attending a wedding in a fabulous outfit, or just wearing more revealing clothes, the tummy is definitely more on display in the summer months.
And, despite some tricks, nothing is as fast and effective as those stomach exercises we all know and hate. Sorry! Following an intense programme should show startling results in as little as four weeks. But you'll start noticing the difference within two!
The basics
Everything from over-eating to bad posture damages our abdominal muscles, giving them that un-toned appearance. Maintaining a good posture will work wonders on its own.
Stand against a wall with your feet slightly apart. If you can feel a large gap between the small of your back and the wall, tip your pelvis up to make that gap smaller and you should automatically feel your abdominal muscles contract, holding your tummy in.
This is how you should be standing all the time – helping your muscles re-learn how to work effectively.
The boring bit
Okay, sit-ups and crunches can be soul-destroyingly boring, not to mention difficult. But there's no real way around it. Rather than moan and think up fabulously creative excuses to get you out of them, schedule them into your day as much as you would cleaning your teeth.
You could do them all at once first thing in the morning – and feel smug as you cross them off your calendar for that day, or use events in the day as triggers to remind you – a session every time you enter the front door for instance!
Sit-ups Lie on your back and with legs bent, feet flat on the floor, lift your head and shoulders up in small but effective movements as many times as possible, increasing each time. Keep your chin away from your chest, your eyes looking straight up at the sky, and use your stomach not your hands, to get that pull.
Crunches Do a sit-up and stay there, head off the floor. With very slight movements move backwards and forwards.
Stomach and back It's important to think about the back at the same time as they work together. Lie on your stomach, hands at either side of your chest (as if you are going to do a press up). With your back flat, push your upper body off the floor, with your hands and knees acting as support. Pull your tummy button as close to the spine as possible and hold for 10 - 60 seconds. Repeat.
And now the fun starts...
If you're serious about getting that tummy flat long-term but also want an all-round workout you might like to try…
Belly dancing - fun and very sexy!
Yoga and Pilates contain moves movements designed for the tummy and are a great way to de-stress. Running and martial arts are high impact but very effective
And those tricks
They may look like something your granny would wear but don't knock them. Tummy toning knickers can really provide the 'wow' factor. Just don't wear them with hipsters!
There are hundreds of skin toning products on the market and, to be frank, nobody knows if any of them are really any good (and certainly won't produce the same effects as exercise) but they will help you focus on your tum as well as feel pampered and that can't bad!
