All of us want that flat tummy, that adds to the confidence level and accentuates all the curves. After months and months of going to the gym when your body is toned up, except the last flab on your abdomen, you would do anything to lose it. Getting the perfect washboard flat abs is a dream for every person. But what does it really take? For some it just takes a little effort, whereas for a few it takes more than the perfect combination of exercise and diet. Many even resort to abdominal exercise belts to lose those few extra pounds stuck at the waist. But are they really effective? Let's find out! Effectiveness of Exercise Belts Origin Abdominal exercise belts are the latest craze that promise flat abs in a few days. But no one really questions the truth behind these claims. A little research will tell you that, these belts are derived from medical rehab equipment. In fact, they are still used by doctors to prevent muscle wastage. For instance, when a broken leg is immobilized, its movement gets limited. Over a period of time, it begins to lose muscle and gets limp, loses strength and gets out of shape. To prevent these consequences, the machines were used for providing minimum stimulation to keep the muscle active. What Do Ads Say The ads say, 'Tone, Tighten, Firm and Strengthen your Abs...Satisfaction Guaranteed!' However, do they even explain the scientific reason behind this simple formula? They definitely don't. The reason being, there is no formula! These abs belts provide your abdominal muscles with a high level of stimulation, which makes your muscles contract. The calories you burn by this are only as much as you would burn to take out the belt from the box, put in the cells and attach it to yourself. Thus, effectively, the belt is of no good use. It provides momentary vibrations, which provide a placebo effect of an abdominal workout. If you go through the fine print of the manual, the belts come with a nutrition and an exercise plan, which is the main reason for the weight loss. Thus, the ads only scream the marketing gimmicks and nothing else. Truth About Muscle Building The truth is, there is no alternative to following strict regime of exercise and diet. For building the abdominal muscle, one needs to exercise them daily. Decline abs, bicycle crunches, sit ups, abs, leg raises, chair crunches are some of the exercises to build the abdominal muscles. Cardiovascular exercises such as swimming, cycling, running or playing any sport will also help you a lot to lose that unwanted fat. Understanding your body type is also important while trying to lose abdominal fat. If it is genetic in nature, it takes a really long time to lose it and in most cases it cannot be lost. However, for women trying to lose the paunch after pregnancy or for working men with desk job, losing the tummy is very much possible with dedicated efforts. Diet is also an important factor for getting the flat abs or building muscles. Exercise does increase appetite, but regulating your intake of food is also important. Break down your meals in smaller portions and spread them over four to six smaller meals in a day. This allows the food to get digested faster and prevents saturation of fats. Never skip breakfast, as it provides your body with the fuel to work all through the day. It also sets your metabolism right and gives you energy to be active. Strictly avoid carbs and sugary foods to prevent any chance of adding to fat content in the body. Gaining the coveted abdominal muscle, isn't a task accomplished by the abdominal exercise belt. It is a challenge that only your body and mind can take up.