Ways to tone belly... HELP

Like some of the above posters said, you have to not only build muscle there but also lose fat (which unfortunately can't be lost in any specific spot since it happens overall) in order for the underlying muscle to become apparent.

But I may have a bit more to add in terms of goals. In one of my last issues of Women's Health, a similar question was sent in. The answer was that, for abs to show, women should aim for a 20-22% fat composition; for a more lean, defined look, 18-20% should be the goal.

Do yourself a favor, though, and get your body fat composition actually tested by a machine at a gym or medical fitness center. Don't go by "online body fat calculators," and skin fold tests can also have a relatively large margin of error. This way you can get a more accurate picture of where you are and where you need to be.

As for how to get there, keep doing what your'e doing! If you find you're already within those percentage ranges for body fat, focus more on building muscle and eating enough protein to supply it (I'd suggest 100g + a day). It takes 2200 calories to build one pound of muscle, but a woman is lucky if she can add .25 pounds per week. And if you are not yet at those body fat percentages, aim for lowering body fat and gaining muscle, like your'e doing now.

The best cardio for burning fat while maintaining/gaining muscle is HIIT, or "High Intensity Interval Training." It can be done with almost any type of cardio. Just interchange short bursts (think 20-30 seconds to 1-1.5 minutes) of very intense exercise with longer bursts of low intensity exercise (think 40-60 seconds to 2-3 min). The best part about HIIT is that you don't have to exercise as long. A 10-20 minute bout can be as and more effective than a much longer, lower intensity cardio session.

Also, as other posters have mentioned, you should analyze your diet if you find you need to lower your body fat percentage significantly. Don't eliminate fat, as it helps you reach satiety when you eat meals. Good fats are good for you! Think nut butters, avocado, olive oil... The more you weight train, the more protein you need. And carbs are good for providing short term energy for intense cardio.

Always remember to have a recovery shake or meal/snack after a workout, because not doing so can cause muscle catabolism, where your body consumes your muscle (instead of fat!) for immediate refueling. If you did mostly strength training, have something with more protein; more cardio, and you need more carbs; both, and you need a mix. I often do strength right after cardio and have a recovery shake with 1/2-1 banana, almond milk, and vanilla protein powder.

Wow, this is a long post. But I hope it helps!