Do crunches flatten your stomach after 40?

If you've done hundreds of crunches and your stomach hasn't changed, that's the plan failing you, not you. Nikkiey explains that crunches train one tiny movement pattern that doesn't carry over to real life. On Ep. 34 she adds a nuance: crunches may build up the ab muscles, but they won't create the visible look you're after, because you cannot target fat loss in one area. And done by the hundreds with poor form, she says they put unnecessary stress on your lower back and neck.

Training is only half of it. On Ep. 34 Nikkiey says abs are made in the kitchen: visible definition comes from strength training your whole body and lowering your body fat percentage. Crunching every day while free-balling your nutrition won't get you there. In her menopause belly video she says workouts alone won't fix it, and that the combination is strength training, proper protein intake and recovery, paired with smart eating. You also don't need daily ab workouts or more cardio; she suggests these moves two to four times a week with progressive strength and recovery.