Some people may say that the fastest way to a flat stomach is through numerous, horrific abdominal workouts. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) says that "Numerous scientific studies, however, cast doubt on the validity of spot reduction---the process of selectively taking inches off the waist, thighs or buttocks." ACE quotes a University of Massachusetts study that found participants who did 5,000 crunches over 27 days equally lost fat in their stomach, thighs and buttocks. Increasing exercise will increase the amount of calories you burn, and therefore crunches may slowly help you lose belly fat, but high-intensity interval cardiovascular exercise will burn calories faster, leaving you with a flat stomach in the quickest way possible.
Stephen Cabral, a national health correspondent and certified person trainer, says, "The most powerful interval you can do to burn body fat quickly is to complete what's called the 'Tabata Intervals.'" The Tabata method involves alternating 20 seconds of high-intensity cardio with 10 seconds of slower, recovery time for a total of only 4 minutes. Cabral says you can do any type of cardio activity that will quickly raise your heart rate.
Step 1
Choose your preferred cardio activity. Running is a good method because you can easily switch between sprinting and jogging or walking during your recovery time. Find a running track or closed area that allows you to run without stopping. Using a stationary bike is another good way because you can pedal faster or slower to alternate your intensity without worrying about traffic or obstacles interfering with your workout.
Step 2
Do a light-intensity warm-up for 5 minutes before starting the Tabata workout. Slowly increase your speed to work up a light sweat during the 5 minutes.
Step 3
Increase your intensity to as high as you can handle for 20 seconds. Slow down to a light intensity for 10 seconds. This may involve walking, marching in place, or jogging or pedaling slowly.
Step 4
Alternate your 20-second and 10-second intervals for four rounds, which will take 2 minutes. Work up to eight rounds over 4 minutes. Do the Tabata workout 3 days a week with at least 1 day in between the workouts for recovery.
Tips and Warnings
- Doing the Tabata workout consistently will get you a flat stomach as long as you don't increase your eating to offset the extra calories you'll be burning from the workouts themselves and the increase in metabolism you will get as a side effect from the workouts. Cabral says that, "Literally in just 4 minutes you will have spiked your metabolism and fat-burning enzymes to a level that will allow you to continue burning body fat for at least 12 hours and potentially up to 36 hours later." However, you still need to watch what you eat. Reduce your calories by 250 to 500 calories per day to get to your abs flat faster.
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