Flat Belly on a Budget

A whittled middle is one of the most sought after status symbols of the day. A great majority of people would trade much of what they have to be in incredible shape, but fortunately, you don't have to.

Earning a killer body with a flat belly doesn't need to be expensive. My favorite part of my recently published book, "The Everything Flat Belly Cookbook" is that it doesn't require readers spend a ton of money to achieve tremendous results. In fact, a lifestyle geared towards becoming leaner should save you tons instead.

Produce is often less expensive than processed foods. Compare bananas at $.59 a pound verus Cheez-It crackers at $4.19 for a 11.5 ounce box. The caloric and nutritional benefits of fruits and veggies also far outweigh that of snack crackers. Annual savings for buying one pound of bananas instead of Cheez-It crackers per week: $187.20.

Alcohol is ridiculously expensive and horrible on your belly. A Margarita can cost you nine bucks and 800 calories per glass. What a rip! Annual savings for ditching one margarita per week: $468.

Lean cuts of meat have less fat and fewer calories and much less of a price tag.

• Prime Rib, 10 oz: Calories, 830 and Fat Grams, 55 -- Price: $19.99
• Choice Sirloin, 10 oz: Calories, 509 and Fat Grams, 28 -- Price: $15.99

Annual savings for buying sirloin instead of prime rib: $208.

Gym Memberships are superb, but they can be a pricey expense. The road is always free, and nothing is cooler than training with your own body weight. Walking, jogging, push-ups, squat-jumps and crunches require little more than a supportive pair of sneakers. Annual savings for training without a gym membership: Between $200 and $1,500.

Desserts are often more responsible for back fat that anything else. You can consume 800 calories worth of cake at a restaurant in five minutes. A 150-pound woman would have to run at least 5.5 miles to burn off that piece of cake. Save the money, and save all of that effort! Annual savings for skipping one $6 piece of cake each week: $312.

Caloric beverages like soda, fancy coffees and juices can account for hundreds of extra calories each day. Instead of downing the sugary stuff, buy a $5 earth-friendly water bottle and refill it daily with free water from your faucet. Annual savings for skipping one $3 cup of coffee each day for a year: $1,090.

Cooking with lean meats, produce, legumes and whole grains is a lot less expensive than purchasing processed or packaged foods. The only extra money you'll have to spend is on the new clothes you'll be buying when you shrink out of your old ones!

Annual savings for making all of these changes: $3,065.20 +.

Making healthy changes in your life will leave you leaner, with the flat belly you've been wishing for. It will also fatten up your bank account -- and if there is any place in your life for bulk, it's in the bank.

Click on the gallery below to see some at-home moves for a tight midsection.