Tired of pinching an inch (or two)? Target your abs in a whole new way to get your leanest, firmest torso ever!
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A whittled-down waistline plays harder-to-get with age because, even if you don't gain more weight, more fat is stored in your middle compared to elsewhere in your body. But you can't fight the flab sitting down. Flattening your abs takes a two-pronged approach: You need to firm up weak muscles and reduce the fat that surrounds them. Our five core exercises will tighten your torso, and adding more cardio to your week will slim it down.
Research has shown that the best formula to reduce ab fat is to eat healthfully and accumulate from 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Don't worry if that sounds like more exercise than you do in a month—even household chores count, and you can break up the minutes into shorter periods throughout the day.
The good news is that regular exercise is a proven way to flatter abs. So commit to a program of core control and see your belly shrink in as soon as eight weeks!
How to do it:
- Start by performing one repetition of exercise Numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5, holding each move for 5 to 10 seconds. Work up to longer holds, aiming for 30 to 60 seconds. Then work up to three sets of each hold. Rest when you feel fatigued or if your back or any other joints feel strained. For exercise Number 3, perform one set of six slow reps on each side and gradually work up to three sets.
- Do this workout four to six days per week.
- Follow the recommended moves, or adapt them as needed to suit your fitness level by clicking on a similar exercise that is easier or more challenging.
- Get your daily dose of cardio by incorporating a mix of low- and high-intensity activities into your day to add up to 60 to 90 minutes. For example: Play tag with your kids, shoot hoops, take a brisk walk, dance to your favorite songs, use an exercise bike or stair stepper, jog around the school track, or take a fitness class.
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