Before you choose one of the many exercises and tips to help reduce a bulging tummy, you might want to think twice.

In a world where a flat tummy defines beauty, different exercises have sprung out of nowhere and it’s difficult to know which one will give you the flat and trim waistline that you want. Here are some of the myths and truths about exercises to help you achieve that flat tummy.

Myth: Tons of crunches can give you a toned tummy

Truth: Abdominal exercises such as crunches can only tone your tummy. Toning the tummy does not mean you’re burning the unwanted fat on top of the abdominal muscles. It is also impossible to lose fat on a specific area of the body, such as the tummy, only. You will have to reduce your total body fat at the same time, and the way to lose the body fat is to do a combination of different cardiovascular and aerobic exercises such as jogging, cycling and weight training exercises.   These exercises help increase the metabolic rate causing your body to burn all stored energy in the form of fat.

Of course, don’t stop doing your regular crunches. Doing so will help your abs be much leaner.  But don’t forget to incorporate other exercises with your crunches and change your moves every few weeks.  Sticking with a program for a long time makes your body immune to its effects so you end up using less energy and burning less fat, thus you won’t achieve the results you want.

Myth: Yoga will give you the flat tummy you want

Truth: As stated earlier, it is impossible to burn fat on target area when losing weight. In line with this reason, yoga is not the exercise to reduce your tummy, particularly.  However, yoga is a hardcore workout which helps in burning tons of calories for even an hour which can be part of your exercise plan for weight loss. Other than burning calories, yoga is also helpful in strengthening the body which helps you make it easier to perform your desired workout. Just like crunches, yoga can help tone the muscles in the stomach.

Myth: Exercising without diet is the best way to lose unwanted belly fat

Truth: Exercise is already proven to help flatten the stomach but will be useless if diet is not incorporated with it. Dieting is very important and can really help you lose weight. If a sensible diet is incorporated to your lifestyle which includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fiber, low-fat dairy products, and healthy (unsaturated) fats while limiting sugar, high-calorie foods, and saturated fat, you reduce the amount of your fat intake. This reduces the calories that you should burn in your exercises. But it should always be noted that exercise and diet go hand-in-hand for a flat tummy.

Myth: The more the number and the higher the frequency, the faster the result

Truth: The saying ‘the more the merrier’ does not apply when it comes to exercising. Our body has certain limitations and needs rest after a hardcore workout. It the body is overworked, it tends to want and hold on to much more stomach fat as possible. This is one of the most common myths in achieving a flat tummy, that if you do abdominal exercises everyday for a flat tummy, you’re sure to have a six pack. This is half-baked. Just like every muscle in the body, the abdominal muscles cannot be strengthened and will not be developed without the proper rest and recovery time it needs.

Quality is still best over quantity. Most people do numerous fast crunches as possible just so they could finish the required number of crunches. However, the best results could be obtained even if you do even a few but are quality crunches. More so, if you only do abdominal crunches, research says that this may lead to back problems.

Myth: Cardio equals full tummy reduction

Truth: Like crunches and Yoga, cardio exercises, including running, does not reduce your bulging tummy. It does, however, contribute to weight loss but the weight you lose does not come solely from body fat. If you walk into any gym, you’ll see most people crowding the aerobics equipment and using the treadmill or elliptical machine for an hour or so, thinking they’re getting an excellent workout. You simply cannot just focus on one form of exercise; it should be a variation of cardiovascular, weight training exercises and, of course, a healthy lifestyle.

So if you’re looking for a good exercise to reduce that tummy, be sure to mix up total body abdominal exercises, cardio and take on a diet suitable for you. If one of those three gets lost in the process, you might never get that flat and trim tummy you always wanted.