The younger members of society won't remember, but there was a time when working-out for women was almost taboo- a time where aerobics classes and female fitness buffs were virtually unheard of.

Times have changed now. Gone are the days of the busty blonde bombshell with pouting lips as the ultimate sex symbol. Nowadays, the icon of sexiness is a toned and tanned tomboy with six-pack abs.

Women that are fit with good muscle tone are the epitome of sexiness now. Everywhere you look- on the silver screen, in the fitness infomercials on the boob tube and on beaches everywhere. Swimsuits and six-packs: the perfect combination.

Girls with washboard abs weren't born with them of course- it's not inherited through the genes like a sexy butt or an ample bosom. Women with six pack abs get them through a combination of healthy eating habits and workouts that are optimized for burning body fat.

To burn belly fat, one has to actually concentrate on burning body fat. It's anatomically impossible to focus on losing fat on one part of the body. The only way to get a six-pack then is to eat smart and do fat busting exercises until the curves of the abdominal muscles emerge.

When it comes to burning body fat and getting six-pack abs, what goes for men is the same for women. Increasing the body's metabolism through an effective fat-burning exercise program and eating wisely is the way for guys and girls.

The quickest path to flat, washboard abs is by doing exercises that burn fat effectively and including fat-busting food in your diet. There are citrus fruits that actually render fat easier to break down and thus shorten your time in the gym.

However, not many people are aware that building muscle (aside from looking good) also increases the metabolism. Muscle tissue actually expends caloric energy even while at rest. Developing the abdominal and other muscles then can have a dual purpose for girls and significantly shortening the time it takes to reveal that sexy six pack on the beach.