Girls typically have a much harder time getting a flat stomach than boys do. Their bodies tend to store more fat, and they lack high amounts of the male hormone testosterone, which acts as a potent fat-burner. However, girls produce more growth hormone to make up for this deficit and allow their muscles to recover from resistance-training workouts and burn fat, according to the book "Xtreme Lean," by Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman. Girls should combine powerful training techniques with a metabolic approach to nutrition to achieve flat stomachs quickly.
Step 1
Do three to five resistance-training workouts per week. Girls should not fear becoming "bulky" from lifting weights--they simply do not have high enough testosterone. Resistance training can help girls build shapely bodies and elevate their metabolic rate, according to "The Fat Burning Bible," by Mackie Shilstone.
Step 2
Use the technique known as negative-accentuated sets to burn more fat during your weight-training workouts. Lower the weights to a controlled, 6-second count on the last set of each exercise. According to "Xtreme Lean," this technique causes micro-trauma to muscle fibers that takes up to 72 hours to repair, burning more fat in the process. Add only one of these sets per exercise--overdoing it can cause severe muscle soreness.
Step 3
Add drop-sets to your workout to increase the body's production of human growth hormone, a potent fat-burner that can directly target the abdomen, according to "Combat the Fat," by Jeff Anderson. Drop-sets mean doing one set of an exercise, then immediately "dropping," or lowering, the weight and doing another set of the same exercise to exhaustion. The lactic acid built up during these extended sets triggers the body to release more growth hormone, according to "Xtreme Lean."
Step 4
Do an abs workout after your resistance training but before your cardiovascular workout. Anderson often refers to research showing a spot-reduction effect from this targeted approach. Simplify your abs workout to get the best results--you do not need to do hundreds of repetitions or dozens of sets to get impressive results. "Xtreme Lean" recommends two or three sets of incline knee-ups, followed by two or three sets of full-range crunches. Do 12 to 20 repetitions to target the endurance-oriented muscle fibers of the abs.
Step 5
Add cardiovascular exercise after your resistance and abs training. Anderson calls this "super cardio" because it helps directly target abdominal body fat. He recommends low- to medium-intensity cardio work for 30 to 60 minutes. Examples include walking on a treadmill, riding an exercise bike or using a stair-stepper or elliptical machine.
Step 6
Eat six smaller meals per day, rather than three large meals. More frequent meals elevate metabolic rate, stabilize blood sugar, suppress hunger, build metabolically active muscle and burn more fat, according to "The Fat Burning Bible."
Tips and Warnings
- Increase protein intake to 1 gram per pound of body weight to burn more fat and build metabolically active muscle.
- Never reduce your daily caloric intake below 1,200 calories unless instructed to do so by a doctor.
References
- "The Fat Burning Bible"; Mackie Shilstone; 2005
- "Combat the Fat"; Jeff Anderson; 2008
- "Xtreme Lean"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman
Member Comments
angelavillela June 4
I LOVE THIS ARTICLE! I am going to try the "drop sets" and see if that helps with the toning I am looking for.