One of the largest myths surrounding the search for a slimmer waistline is the proclaimed benefits of abdominal exercises. We are surrounded by infomercials touting drastic weight loss due to ab-rollers, sit-up benches, and ab chairs. The quick fixes and testimonials surrounding such machines are almost completely false. The benefits of a rigorous abdominal exercise routine are almost nonexistent in the battle to slim down and lose fat. Simply put: Sit-ups and ab-crunches will not make you skinny. This myth ranks as one of the most overlooked and misunderstood in the fitness world, yet the market for abdominal machines continues to grow. Here is why.

Sit-ups, crunches, and targeted ab routines build muscle but simply do not burn fat.

The common sit-up or crunch is a contraction of your abdominal muscles which in turn will enlarge and define your stomach muscles. The surrounding fat around the waistline can only be substantially reduced with proper cardiovascular work and healthy eating. An abdominal contraction does almost nothing to battle the unwanted stomach due to the fact that a resistance exercise, such as the sit-up does almost nothing as a means of losing fat. Doing sit-ups as a means of slimming your waistline is as silly and comparable to doing bicep curls in hopes to create skinner arms. It just isn't the case so use common sense.

There is no such thing as "targeted" weight loss.

Working a particular bodily "area" in order to "target" fat stores is another myth. The body and its means of storing fat, does so in a uniform fashion. That is, a pound of fat, when gained is spread uniformly around all parts of the body. A bit in the face, some on the stomach, some on the ankles and so-on. When we lose weight it comes off in an identical fashion. That is, we have no control over where the fat is lost on our bodies.

I am commonly asked a question by some of my female clients and that is "how do I lose the fat form behind my arms?". They usually look at me with frustration as they pinch the fat on their triceps. I give them all the same answer: "run, bike, stair climb, or do anything that raises your cardiovascular rate". They look at me with befuddlement as most of these activities have nothing to do with working the back side of their arms. Again, the only way to lose weight in a certain area is to lose weight in all areas of the body. The best way to do this is to pair a consistent cardiovascular routine with an eating pattern outlined in the rest of this book.

Don't Abandon the Sit-ups Quite Yet.

As I have stated before, by working your abdominals you are only building and refining the muscles in the stomach area. And to most, building and toning ones muscles is a good thing. However, most people who are 10 or more pounds overweight will never get to see those precious stomach muscles that they worked so hard to get. This is because the layer of fat around the stomach is covering up the abdominal muscles. Most don't care about building muscles that wont be seen for months….they want to lose fat. The biggest problem most trainers have in regards to sit-ups and weight loss is that they know that people who are trying to slim down should better allocate their time and their exercises if they want to see slimming results. Nobody who is 10 pounds overweight or more should be over-working their abdominals as it is not an effective weight-loss tool in the battle against fat.. Case in point, if you want to lose weight, shelf the sit ups and take to cardiovascular exercise and healthy dieting.. Once you have come within 10 pounds of your optimal weight, then hit the abdominal exercises to achieve that rock-hard stomach.