By Therese Iknoian

Among body parts, the biggest bugaboo of most people is probably their stomach.

No matter what you do, it seems, the belly hangs there, either turning into a little pouch fit for a kangaroo, or a cushy ring resembling a spare tire. You may call it a love handle, but you sure the heck don't love it.

The bad news is, there are a lot of fat layers there because Mama Nature figured the organs needed some extra protection. Worse news, you can't spot reduce that area.

The good news, do your crunches correctly and you will see progress.

First, arm yourself with some knowledge about the mechanics and physiology of abdominal exercise to empty your fat warehouse.

Review your diet. The more fat you eat, the more there is circulating in your body that will find a home-sweet-home in all those fat cells in your belly.

Do aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise -- the stuff that makes you breath a little harder and sweat a little -- demands energy (a.k.a. calories), which will eventually come from the belly.

Challenge those muscles. A lot. Unlike other muscle groups that you need to rest (for example, lifting weights only every other day), you can crunch those abs daily 50-100 times. For example, you can flop yourself on the ground during TV commercials for a quick set. What a great use of time.

Do your abdominal exercises correctly. That means slow and controlled, rather than relying on momentum to toss yourself upward or on gravity as you collapse back on the floor.
Remember doing as many sit-ups as you could in school by flinging your entire body upward, touching your elbows to your knees then dropping to the ground? Sorry Mr. President. Wrong.

Exercise science shows small "crunches," where you lift up your torso no more than a quarter or half the way, do the most good. If you lift any farther than that, the movement relies on hip muscles, not the abs, and may actually strain the low back.

Here's how: Avoid yanking on your head or neck. Either cross your arms over your chest or rest your head back in your hands, using them only as support. Lift your torso and imagine shortening the distance between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hips. Keep your head back, eyes on the ceiling and elbows open. Think about pulling in your stomach to the floor, and exhale as you lift. Try not to let your stomach pouch outward by emphasizing the contraction during the entire lift.

Now, here's the trick: lower slowly.

Oh, and don't get frustrated.