From a purely mathematical perspective, if you consume more calories than you expend through your regular metabolism and exercise, you'll gain weight. Alternately, if you use up more calories than you drink or eat, you'll lose weight.

So many of the members in our community are focused on losing weight (it's one of the most commonly listed items in our "declare" section), but I encourage you to think about the process from a "gaining" perspective. By focusing on a more fit, healthier you, you gain peace of mind. You gain an active, lithe, flexible, wellness-focused lifestyle. You gain the ability to have lots of energy. You gain years of enjoyment, vitality, and positive living.

That said, if there are easy ways out there to strengthen muscles, I'm all ears. Endless amounts of sit-ups and cardio, ongoing extreme dieting, and even more intense procedures like laser fat removal, liposuction, and gastric bypass can't be the only answers.

I recently heard about the first Ab Belt Toning system cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for "toning, firming, and strengthening" the stomach muscles. With this abs belt, you're supposed to be able to train your abdominal muscles easily - just by putting on the contraption.

Of course, my first question was if it really works. According to their literature, "the technology used in the Flex Belt Belts has been clinically demonstrated" and "100% of subjects reported firmer and flatter abdomens." You can learn more at http://www.theflexbelt.com

I think in conjunction with a sound and nutritious diet, daily activity, meditation and stress reduction, something like the Flex Belt would be very helpful in creating fast results. Always remember to treat any new product as an add-on, not something that takes the place of something else. Medical devices may contribute to your health, but use them along with the regular, ongoing work of maintaining your body through diet, exercise and healthy eating.

Trainer Garrett Bell of Kahala Fitness in Honolulu, explains "The Flex Belt would be a great product to use in between your regular workouts. The best results would be if you keep up with a regular core workout routine. I don't believe that the Flex Belt should replace a standard ab workout, but it can help achieve faster results when used in between workouts and during daily activities."

Here's to your best health!