Originally Posted by TheBig3

The "middle" is a bitch to tackle for a few reasons. Like calves and forearms, these are muscles we use constantly, so in order to work them to fatigue you're going to need to do double what you would for a bicep. You're also going to feel that. Getting started expect to roll out of bed, and not sit up. Its also highly unresponsive so people get discouraged easily.

The good news is that theres about a million ways to hit your core so with this region, you can really find something thats more interesting to you. As an example, I hate crunches because I always feel like I can do more, no matter how much I do. Because of this, I stick with the machines. 5 sets of 10 and move on. I just can't do the "go till your sore" avenue.

Diets huge, and the gut is a huge indicator of long-term diseases. I've been told by more than one nutritionist that your gut is often a better gauge of overall health than your BMI is. The only other thing I'd say is, if you're looking to get the shape to change, you have to work the obliques as well.