There are a number of exercises and varieties of equipment that can be used to tone your stomach. One of the most important things to do in order to tone your stomach is to first lose any extra weight that you are carrying around your midsection. Fat that lies on top of the abdominal muscles makes it difficult if not impossible to see the muscle tone underneath. Therefore, you could have very strong abdominal muscles but be unable to see them because they are hidden by a layer of fat.
Losing any extra weight around your midsection means completing regular cardiovascular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet. Once any extra fat covering the abdominal muscles has been lost, any muscle tone that you already have will become visible and results of additional exercise will begin to show as you continue to tone your muscle. Some of the best exercises to tone your stomach include crunches and sit ups. Sports that are great to help tone your stomach are swimming and surfing, two sports that rely on the core and on balance a great deal.
![](http://images.wisegeek.com/slideshow-mobile-small/woman-with-tight-stomach.jpg)
The stomach area, particularly the abdominal muscles, is an important region of the body to fitness. This is because the muscles in the abdomen help with balance. Having a strong core and a great ability to balance allows for more effective exercises for the rest of the body, especially the muscles in the limbs. By completing exercises or taking part in sports that target the stomach, it will become easier to do other kinds of exercises and continue to improve your overall fitness.
![](http://images.wisegeek.com/slideshow-mobile-small/man-swimming.jpg)
Some gyms offer classes that are specifically targeting at helping to tone your stomach. The classes may be anywhere from 30 minutes to 60 minutes in length. These classes focus on exercises and movements that help to blast away belly fat while also working and toning the muscles in the abdominal region. There are also workout videos and DVDs that offer workouts to help tone your stomach. These are convenient because they can be done from home at your convenience.
![](http://images.wisegeek.com/slideshow-mobile-small/woman-doing-sit-ups.jpg)
Another way to tone your stomach is to use an ab toning belt. An ab toning belt is a device that is worn around the midsection. It fits snugly, similar to the way that a back brace fits. The belt causes the muscles in the abdominal region to contract just as they do during abdominal exercises.