Make Your Waist Look Smaller

One of the best ways to avoid looking fat around the middle is to hold your stomach in. The act of doing this is actually as isometric exercise and its a good way to tone a variety of muscles. One of the problems in doing this is feeling bloated. The last thing you will want to do when you feel bloated is to suck in your gut. One of the best ways to eliminate this feeling is to eliminate salty foods. This includes but is not limited to olives, salted nuts/pretzels, soups, pickles and even many dairy products.
Also eating many white flour foods, large meals and simple carbs tends to increase the production of insulin. This in turn reduces the body's ability to excrete sodium. Exercise can help reduce sodium levels which is way you may of noticed that sweat is salty. This is accomplished by helping the lymphatic system reduce fluid from the tissues. Dehydration on the other hand, is caused by lack of fluids or excess alcohol. This will make the body preserve extra fluid. You can actually get rid of excess water (or bloating ) by drinking extra water. Potassium and magnesium also help regulate body fluids. You may want to help yourself to some cantaloupe and bananas or try a vitamin supplement.

Six Pack Abs ?

Most people just want a flat stomach. Some more advanced want what is called a six pack( or the definition that separates the abdominal muscles.) Both are achieved the same way and it isn't sit ups. The first thing is diet. You need to burn more than you eat. This is usually the biggest problem. All the common sense choices apply . Avoid desserts, stick to lean protein, avoid starch (rice, bread, pasta and even corn), and eat several small meals not one big and two small.
The second is more cardio. If you don't do any walking or stationary machines...start. You need to get you heart rate up for 30 mins. at a time and you need to do this several times a week. This will not only help you burn more calories but it will also rev up your metabolism.
The third is crunches not sit ups. Sit ups work the hip flexors more than the abs. Crunches are done with less range of motion and more concentration. Lay on your back with your knees bent. Reach over you knees until your shoulder blades come off the ground. You should feel this in the upper stomach not the back. When you have this down, try the same thing with your feet up in an L position. This works the lower abs more than the upper.

Eating Too Little Can Make You Gain Weight

What most people find in conventional diets are quick weight loss followed by an eventual plateau. What also unfortunate may follow is weight gain. The reason for this is something called starvation mode efficiency. The body reacts to a sudden calorie deficit by slowing its metabolism down. This has been done over the centuries as a survival mechanism. The body begins to conserve energy and store fat as it sees that calories have become scarce. If you were used to 2500 calories and then go down to 1500 you will initially lose weight. The body in time will learn make that 1500 a set point to maintain body weight. For additional weight loss you will need to cut the 1500 down to 1200 or even 1000 calories a day.
For most people, after a few weeks of starving yourself, the willpower will wane. After you went to 1500 calories you may start to inch up to 1700 or 2000 calories a day. The upshot is, what used to make you maintain weight will now make you gain weight.
The simple answer is never cut your calories by more than 500 at a time. Slow weight loss can be permanent weight loss. Quick weight loss is usually followed by quick weight gain.