Achieving a flatter stomach in just a few weeks is possible without spending hours in the gym performing difficult abdominal workouts. To lose weight around the midsection you have to lose weight all over your body. Combine total body resistance training with a clean eating plan to lose weight and flatten your stomach over the course of four short weeks.
Step 1
Eat every three to four hours. Your body burns calories as you digest meals so you will burn more calories even at rest. Consume five to six small meals per day to increase your metabolism and decrease your chances of overeating.
Step 2
Record everything you eat to track your calories. Use a weight-management tool like LIVESTRONG's MyPlate to take note of your daily calorie intake. One pound is equivalent to 3,500 calories. To lose 5 lbs. in one month, aim to lose a little more than 1 lb. per week. Subtract 500 to 750 calories from your daily totals to lose 1 to 2 lbs. per week.
Step 3
Eat natural foods to fuel your workouts. Fruits, whole grains, low-fat proteins and vegetables will increase your metabolism and give you energy for peak performance during workouts. Avoid processed foods that are loaded with harmful chemicals, sodium and refined sugars.
Step 4
Perform circuit training three times per week to blast stored fat in a short period of time. Perform one weight training exercise per body part. Do 30 to 60 seconds of cardiovascular exercise like jumping jacks or jogging on the treadmill between each set and advance to the next body part. Repeat for 30 minutes.
Step 5
Perform an abdominal workout after weight-training session. Include exercises that work all angles of the abdominal muscles like leg raises, planks and oblique crunches. Perform four sets of 25 repetitions for each exercise. Abdominal exercises build the ab muscles to tone up the belly area. Remember that you cannot spot reduce fat, so abdominal workouts without total body resistance training will not flatten your abs.
Step 6
Avoid alcoholic beverages. Consuming one vodka and cranberry juice can contain 230 calories. Drinking a couple of these on a daily basis may cause a 1 lb. weight gain per week. Avoid the muscle deterioration, empty calories and bloating associated with drinking alcohol.
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