Often wish you had more time to spend on exercise? Trust me, you are not the only one. The number one reason people say they don't exercise is due to lack of time. With people working longer hours during the workweek, commitments with family, longer drives to and from work, we often put ourselves last.

But can you really see fitness results in "five minutes a day," the way home exercise equipment infomercials promise? Remember this: if it sounds too good to be true, it is. These products give hopeful consumers promises for "fast weight loss" and "million dollar abs." Consumers abandon their fitness efforts completely when products are harder to use than they expected, or if they don't see the results they thought they would see.

Ab Exercisers Worst of the Bunch The worst culprits when it comes to the "slimmer-in-only-five-minutes-a-day" scams are the ones that call themselves "ab exercisers." The problem? Spot reduction does not work. The exercises may help you tone and build your muscles, but if your beautifully strong abs are hidden beneath layers of fat, no one will see the results!

We're not saying ab exercises themselves are bad. We're saying that these exercises alone will not get you those six-pack abs. Not even crunches will give you those results—but at least crunches are free and don't take up room in your closet!

In a study conducted by the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University and funded by ACE (the American Council on Exercise), many ab exercisers advertised on infomercials were found to be no more effective or only slightly more effective than traditional crunches. Other ab equipment doesn't require a study to support the fact that it won't live up to its claims. All you need for that is common sense. A NASA scientist doesn't need to sit on a tin can to know it won't fly his butt to the moon.

Here are just a few of the ab exercisers that don't live up to their hype and false promises.

Ab Lounge XL - The Ab Lounge XL claims to "tighten and tone upper abs, lower abs and obliques faster than you ever thought possible." The product looks like a fold-up lounge chair, and the infomercials show people effortlessly rocking back and forth in the chair. Momentum is doing most of the work. Manufacturers claim the AB Lounge XL works because it provides a wider range of motion, keeping ab muscles working longer. But longer than what? And does it matter? Research shows that crunches are most effective when completed over a range of no more than 30 degrees. By putting this in your living room, it will more than likely be used as a chaise lounge instead of as an exerciser. Save your money, do crunches on a mat, and buy a La-Z-Boy if you want an extra chair. Torso Track - Once again, this product promises results in five minutes a day; don't always believe these claims. The user kneels on the attached kneepad and glides back and forth, exercising the abs, arms, shoulders, and back all in one motion. According to the ACE study, the Torso Track seemed to be marginally more effective than traditional crunches. However, the study reports, "This training benefit is likely offset by the lower-back discomfort reported by a significant number of subjects while using the Torso Track." If it hurts, you're doing it wrong! (I don't mean the burn that comes from working muscles hard... I'm talking about aches and pains caused by straining and pulling in awkward positions.) The Web site claims this exerciser stores easily under the bed... and that's where it should stay.

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