How to Tone Your Stomach

Even once you've burned off any fat in your midsection, you may not have the definition you've always craved. It's an unavoidable truth that, while getting your heart rate up is essential to losing fat, it doesn't necessarily equate a six-pack. If you want to tone your tummy, you'll need to do strength exercises that target every group of muscles in the abdomen, cinching your waist better than cardio or crunches ever could. To start, try this five-move workout from Kendall Wood, MS, CSCS, coauthor of Core Fitness Solution.

Flat-Belly Workout

Equipment needed: resistance band

Directions: Warm up with five minutes of light cardio and 10 side bends and woodchops on each side (don't use weights). Complete one round of the workout below, resting for 30 to 45 seconds between each set. Perform the same cardio, side bends, and woodchops as a cooldown.

Exercises:

• Seated Russian twist: four sets of 12 reps
• V-sits: four sets of 12 reps
• Bicycle crunches: four sets of 12 reps
• Resistance band flutter kicks: four sets of 12 reps
• Double crunch: four sets of 12 reps