Nicki’s top tips for fab abs

Worried about piling on those pounds over Easter? Here are Nicki Waterman’s top four workouts for getting your belly back in shape:

SWIMMING: Both front crawl and backstroke work your abdominal muscles, especially if you can keep them pulled in throughout your session.
BOXING: Any sequence that involves hooks or upper cuts will engage your oblique muscles, and reaching forward to jab or cross will get you pulling your tummy in, too (look out for May/June issue of Healthy out in Holland & Barrett stores on May 15 to find out more about getting into boxing).
RIDING: Getting in the saddle forces you to sit up straight and engage those abs.
RUNNING OR WALKING: If you focus on pulling in your abdominal muscles when you’re out running or walking, it will keep you posture-perfect and help you build muscle tone, too.

Or try Nicki’s straight arm ab crunches as shown in the picture above…

• See Healthy magazine every issue for fabulous weight loss tips from TV health gurus Amanda Ursell and Nicki Waterman.