AB SENSE

Dear Jellybean,

Normally I would never call myself fat or overweight, but looking at my tummy in the mirror lately, is satisfying. I used to have a thin flat torso, but now it just looks like a big rectangle.. no shape, no tone, nothing! I'm afraid if i workout and do crunches and pedalling that i will get big abs and my tummy will look like a MALE body builder, when I really want a long, lean, thing and flat tummy, Is that true? And How can I can the shape that I'm looking for? I'm getting mixed signals here. Help?
-Abby abs

Dear Abby abs,

I'm trying to picture what someone with "big abs" would look like... nope, can't do it. Tummy crunches, pedalling, etc. will only lead to tighter, leaner abs if done correctly. If done wrong, they might not work at all, but they won't make your tummy any bigger. So there's no danger of that.

To get the shape you crave, you'll probably have to do more than crunches though. Aim to work your entire body aerobically, about 3 to 4 times a week, for at least 30 minutes per exercise session. Some great overall aerobic workouts include swimming, treadmill and stair climbing (pump your arms), or just old-fashioned walking at a fast pace. Keep your tummy tightened when you're exercising, and you'll get extra ab-toning benefits. Then do the crunches/pedalling/etc. at the end of your aerobic workout. And remember to eat well too - skip the fast foods and sugary stuff, and aim to eat yummy whole foods from all of the major food groups. (Not sure what those are? Check out Canada's Food Guide for details).