There is no secret number to do of any exercise, which will give you guaranteed results. Every person is different and the key is to learn to compete against yourself.
What I would definitely recommend is to keep track of your progress using an exercise diary of some sort. Instead of going for a specific number just go to failure. Always make sure you keep good form though, so bum down, straight as a board, chest touching the floor with each rep. There are various types of push-ups you can do, which will work different muscle groups in your body. You can try triceps push-ups, wide crucifix push-ups, incline push ups where you put your hands on a bench to vary the angle, and decline push ups where you put your feet on the bench or step (by far the hardest). If you are recording the amount of each push up you area able to do in each session, then your aim will be to add at least one more the next time.
The same goes for pretty much any exercise. With squats you should aim to use a weight where you max out at 20 reps or even sooner. When I say max out, I mean you physically cannot do any more, not just they feel a bit hard!
In terms of sit ups, there are many different types that target various muscles in your abdominal region. If you are not very familiar with technique I would suggest buying an Ab or Core focused workout DVD so that you can get ideas as to what exercises to do. There are many to choose from and, believe me, they are not just for girls in pink leotards. I have my own range of workouts, which include all my favourite waist wittlers listed under the Barlates Body Blitz Abs and Core category of my store..
Apart form all that, nutrition is key to look lean! You cannot be eating more calories than you burn and expect to lose fat! Everyone has good muscles underneath the layers of fat, so work out your weight loss calorie level and stick to it!
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