5 must-do exercises for a flat, sexy tummy

Danielle Collins lists out 5 exercises to tone your tummy which can be done at home.

We Indians have this problem of a protruding tummy even if we are slim otherwise. It has to do with the way we eat and our lack of exercise. Most people think they need to join expensive gyms and do 100 crunches everyday (read why just crunches don't work) to get those celeb-like flat abs. But the truth is it is just about eating the right food, doing some belly-busting yoga posesand trying these simple exercises. Calculate how much weight you can lose in a month here.

Lift and Twist Crunch

This is a Pilates exercise and is excellent for trimming the waist and toning the tummy.

Lie on your back on a yoga mat. Bring the hands behind the back of the neck, lift and twist the upper body to one side and bring your elbow towards the opposite knee.
Inhale, lower back down.
Exhale, lift and twist towards the other side, inhale return to starting position.
Keep this movement going and you can start to speed it up a little bit once you get comfortable with the exercise.
Then, start to extend one leg out as you go.
Keep pulling the lower tummy muscles up and breathe deeply.
To advance it further, you can start to tap the heel of the extended leg on to the floor.

This will work the lower tummy muscles even more therefore giving support and strength to the lower back. Aim for doing it for 30 seconds in one go.

The Plank

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Lie down on your tummy and then come on your palms and toes.
Lift the knees off the floor.
Draw your tummy muscles up and breathe deeply into the side and back of the rib cage. Aim to hold the pose for 30 seconds.

TheHundred Exercise

This classic Pilates exercise defines the tummy muscles and promotes a strong and healthy back.

Bring the legs in to a table top position, hip-width apart.
Lift the arms up off the floor and lift the head, neck and chest upwards, being careful not to strain the neck but taking the strain to the tummy. Start to pulse the arms up and down.
If you would like to advance the pose, extend the legs up towards the sky.
Keep the tummy muscles taught and aim to continue for 50 seconds.

Static Tiger Pose

Place your hands and knees on the floor. This is the starting position.
Now lift up one leg and extend the opposite arm. Hold this Static Tiger Pose for 3 deep breaths.
Come back to the starting position and swap sides, extending arm and opposite leg.
You can look down towards the mat to keep the spine in line. This exercise will build core strength.

Sitting Spinal Twist

Sit on the floor and cross your legs.
Place one hand next to your hip and the other on the knee.
Rotate the spine and look over one shoulder into a Sitting Spinal Twist.
Inhale. Exhale back to centre.
Swap sides, rotating and looking over the shoulder. Inhale. Exhale back to centre.

This pose will trim and define the waist. Also read getting a flat stomach with scissor kicks .

These exercises are from Danielle Collins' latest DVD '10 Minute Natural Body Lift' which has Yoga and Pilates Workouts for a slim, strong body.

Danielle Collins is a world leading Face Yoga expert and a renowned authority in yoga, Pilates and wellbeing. She is the founder of The Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method and offers teacher training courses around the world. The Method has been featured in leading UK publications and is taught at top health shows. She is the spokesperson for Nintendo Face Training and a sought after presenter, writer and yoga model. She has appeared on shows such as The David Dickinson Show and on Beauty Expert Edition of The Weakest Link. Danielle teaches at the prestigious Six Senses Luxury Resorts around the world and is based in the UK, offering group classes and personal sessions in her private studio. Visit www.faceyogaexpert.com