[tkdgal]

Right now, I'm in pretty good shape (I'm 15), but I feel like I want a schedule to exersise with. I want to tone my whole body, but specifically my stomach, butt, and thighs. How long, how often, and what should I do during exersise? I've been doing four ten minute workouts during the day. I listen to the radio while I do some knee raises, kicking, and jumping. Is this the kind of thing that will get me a flat tummy? Also, I do 25 situps three times a day (a total of 75 situps a day). I've noticed that my stomach looks a little better, yet still kind of flabby. My BMI is exactly 18.5, and I want to keep it that way because it means I'm slender, but still pretty normal weight wise. I eat a cream cheese muffin every morning for breakfast, then a lean cuisine frozen food thing for lunch, and for dinner, I usually have cereal, another frozen dish, or go out to eat every Friday night, which is when I get way too full :), but that's only once a week! I also have an afternoon snack, which is usually some kind of fruit, mostly strawberries, peaches, or an apple. Then I have a bedtime snack before I go to bed, usually some chips and juice (I eat exactly the serving size for all my snacks by the way). If I continue my workouts, situps, and current eating habits like this, will my tummy eventually get flat? Should I add or delete something, or am I just doing everything completely wrong :) ? I know I'm not fat, by the way, although one of my previous posts said that, but I just want to be fit, and in shape, with as perfect a body as I can get. Thanks for any answers!

[GlindaofOz]

To burn fat you need to do cardio exercise. What you are doing right now is okay for toning but if you want to see the hard work of crunches and all that you need to add some cardio. Try taking a brisk walk everyday for 30 minutes and keep doing the exercises you are already doing

I would try to add some fruits and veggies into your diet. You are eating a lot of processed food which isn't that great for your body. Its always best to eat foods in their natural state. Those diet frozen entrées are also awful full you they are full of preservatives and sodium. Read the side panel its scary!!

[Bocasean]

I agree with Glinda about natural foods over processed foods. Jack La Lanne was saying that he wouldn't eat anything man-made 40 years ago, and just recently did people start to realize that he is a genius about this matter.

Best thing you could do is continue to feed your body a full spectrum of nutrients, be mindful of the glycemic index (learn about it... it's pretty interesting), and remember that being "tone" simply means that your muscles are in a constant state of readiness as an effect of training them.