"Lose 1 percent belly fat a week". "One rule to a flat stomach". "How to get six-pack abs in 6 minutes--on your couch!"
We're obsessed with having those cover boy/girl bodies. And because two-thirds of America says the belly is the body part that they most want to change, we buy into books, ads, tips, etc., that promise to flatten our mid-sections.

True, bulging stomachs are unsightly, indicating obesity and a lack of will power to do something about it. More importantly, we know that belly fat is the most dangerous fat you can have on your body.

More so than other types of body fat, experts concur, belly fat has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

When I gain weight, guess where it goes and shows? I've gained about 5 lbs recently because, of course, more eats, less exercise. And , despite doing 1000 crunches each day (among other exercises), my belly swells up like a balloon.

The article which inspired this post says it's not crunches or some fancy machine that will flatten your stomach. It's as simple as losing weight--period. Of course, one has to eat less (or better), and exercise. I plan to continue my crunches as a form of exercise and to strengthen my abdominal muscles. Now, on to lose those 5 pounds and my bulging belly.