Having a flat stomach or more commonly, "washboard abs" is not just accomplished by working out daily, it has to become an all-encompassing lifestyle. The key components are healthy diet, cardiovascular training, and abdominal exercises. If a movie star stomach is your goal, you must realize that to achieve your goal you have to first concentrate on what you eat, not how many sit-ups you do in a day. Of course, as with any fitness and health goal - nutrition and exercise are always the main ingredient.

1) Healthy Diet

The most important factor in acquiring washboard abs is eating a healthy diet. Here is a list of recommended healthy ways to help you lose a few inches:

- Drink at least three liters of water per day (100 oz)

- Eat five servings of vegetables and fruits per day

- Eliminate fried foods and cheese

- Eliminate processed sugar (for example: sodas, cookies, candy)

- Eliminate fatty red meat - only lean red meats (1-2 times weekly)

Diets like the Atkins and other high protein diets may help at first but to get rid of that last 10-15 pounds, it is recommended to lower calories to a range of 1500-2000 calories a day BUT you must exercise rigorously - both with abdominal exercises and cardio work.

2) Cardiovascular Exercise

Washboard abs, getting lean, and losing weight are all tied into a consistent cardiovascular workout program. You should do 30-45 minutes of activities like walking, running, biking, or swimming daily 4-5 times per week. It takes about four weeks before you start to see the physical benefits or your diet and exercise program. You will see almost immediate results in your energy level, overall mental alertness when exercising daily. Start off slowly if you have not trained with much intensity in the past several years. A good way to get started is to walk or run with the following six weeks program:

Week #1 - Walk/run - 1 mile a day for 5 days a week

Week #2 - Walk/run - 2 miles a day for 5 days a week

Week #3 - Non-impact week - bike or swim for 20-30 minutes a day

Week #4 - Walk/run - 2 miles a day for 5 days a week

Week #5 - Walk/run - 3 miles a day for 4-5 days a week

Week #6 - Walk/run - 4 miles a day for 4-5 days a week

Note: week #3 is non-impact due to high number of injuries that occur to legs (knees, shins, feet, hips) during the third week of beginning a walking or running program.

3) The One Simple Exercise

The Ten-second Crunch is probably one of the best beginning exercises for firming up the belly. Simply lie on your back and lift your shoulder blades off the floor and hold for ten seconds. Repeat this at least for ten repetitions. Try repeating the 10 seconds crunch for 10 repetitions morning and night for starters. Also, stretch and flex your lower back for a few minutes after each set in order to balance the muscles that support your torso.

However, a variety of abdominal exercises will help build the muscles under the fat. Now - lose the fat by watching your diet and cardio vascular exercise and you will soon see the muscles!

Below are some beginning, intermediate and advanced abdominal exercises taken form every eBook sold on the Military.com Fitness ebook Store. Sample ab exercises are the following:

Hanging Knee-ups

Bring your knees as high as you can as shown.

Advanced Crunch - (Legs up)

Lie on your back with your feet straight in the air. Keep your legs straight up in the air for the advanced crunches. Cross your hands over your chest and bring your elbows to your knees by flexing your stomach. (Do not do if you have previous lower back injury - place feet on the floor)

Reverse Crunch

In the same position as the regular crunch, lift your knees and butt toward your elbows. Leave your head and upper body flat on the ground. Only move your legs and butt. (Do not do if you have previous lower back injury)

Double Crunch

Add the regular and reverse crunch together in one motion...You will feel this one twice as fast...

Right Elbow to Left Knee

Cross your left leg over your right leg. Flex your stomach and twist to bring your right elbow to your left knee.

Left Elbow to Right Knee

Same as above just switch sides. Cross your right leg over your leg. Flex your stomach and twist to bring your left elbow to your right knee.

Hip Rollers

This exercise will help you build your abs, back and hips to help with long ocean swims and balance out the hip flexors exercises. Twist to both sides keeping your shoulders on the floor and stay in the bent knee position when rotating left and right.

Note: Anytime you work your abs, you should also exercise your lower back to build balance in your torso.

Lower Back Exercise

Lie on your stomach with your arms extended over your head. Lift your right arm and your left leg off the ground at the same time and repeat for specified number of repetitions. Switch arms/legs and repeat.

Lower Back Exercise - Swimmers

Lie on your stomach and lift your feet and knees off the floor by flutter kicking repeatedly as if you were swimming freestyle.

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Advanced Abdominal Exercises: Do not do if you are a beginner! These exercises are not healthy for weak or injured backs. If you cannot do the above swimmer exercises for 1:00 - do not attempt these exercises.

Sit-ups

Lie on your back with your arms crossed over your chest, keeping your knees slightly bent. Raise your upper body off the floor by contracting your abdominal muscles. Touch your elbows to your thighs and repeat.

Half Sit-ups

With your hands on your hips, lift your torso off the ground higher than a crunch but not as high as a full sit-up. Your middle/lower back will be on the floor still at the up position.

Flutterkicks

Place your hands under your hips. Lift your legs 6 inches off the floor and begin walking, raising each leg approximately 36 inches off the ground. Keep your legs straight and moving. This is a four count exercise.

Leg Levers

Lift your feet 6 inches off the floor. Raising both legs approximately 36 inches off the ground, keep your legs straight and off the floor until specified number of repetitions are complete.

Scissors

Lay on your back. Lift your feet 6 inches off the floor. Open and close both legs approximately 36 inches apart, keep your legs straight and off the floor until specified number of repetitions are complete.

Atomic Sit-ups

Lift your feet 6 inches off the floor as if you were doing a leg lever. Pull your knees toward your chest while simultaneously lifting your upper body off the floor. This is a mix between the sit-up and the leg lever.

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