TONING SIDES

Dear Jellybean,

I've been working on getting a flatter stomach lately. It's been working doing all the crunches and stuff lately. The only problem is, my stomach is getting flatter, but the sides of my stomach aren't changing at all. So it looks like I'm wide from the front, but the I turn and it looks like I'm skinny. Is there a way to flatten the sides too so I look like I'm in proportion? Cuz I want to have my whole stomach get in better shape, not just the front. Have any tips?

Dear Writer,

Nice work on the ab crunches, that's good news that they are working. It sounds like what you need are a few extra exercises, to tone your oblique muscles. These are the muscles that run up and down along the sides of your abdominals. When your obliques are toned, your waist can look slimmer and more cinched-in.

I can give you a couple of exercises that you can do to work your obliques. Do them when you do your ab crunches, and you should start seeing results pretty quickly. Please remember that your body is unique, and not everyone can have a teensy waist, even with all the exercise in the world. But you can get into the best shape for your body. Here are the exercises:

Oblique crunch

Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, fingers resting behind ears. Cross the left foot over the right knee. This is your starting position. Keeping your lower back pressed into the floor, use your tummy muscles to lift your shoulder blades off the floor and then curl your upper body diagonally across your body towards your left knee. Contract your abs and waist as hard as you can at the top of the movement. Then slowly lower back down to starting position. Repeat 15 times (or as many times as possible) before switching sides (with your right foot crossed over your left knee) and doing 15 more.

Side Bridge

Lie on one side with your knees bent 90 degrees. Prop up your upper body on your elbow, keeping the elbow directly beneath the shoulder. Being careful not to let the top hip rotate forward, use your ab muscles to lift your hips up as high as they will go. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds, then slowly lower back to start. Repeat 10 times. If this exercise becomes too easy, make it harder by doing it with your legs stretched straight out, instead of bent at the knees.