Trying to get a flat, trim midline is one of the main reasons why many people work out and do abdominal exercises. Although some of those people do lose weight, it's unlikely that core exercises alone would result in weight loss for most people. Unlike cardiovascular and aerobic exercises, core work doesn't burn very many calories or dramatically raise the heart rate. Additionally, core and abdominal exercises are designed to tighten and tone muscles, which are more compact but heavier than fat.
Step 1
Choose core exercises that work more muscles than just the abdominals. CNN.com recommends using the plank, crunches, the bridge and the quadruped. Start out with holding each pose for 30 seconds or doing only 10 repetitions of each. Instead of going quickly through the exercises, breathe evenly and slowly during each one and concentrate on maintaining proper form throughout the movements.
Step 2
Focus on balance and stability each time you perform the exercises. MayoClinic.com points out that core work enhances those abilities and also helps make other exercises easier. Maintaining proper balance and keeping your abdominal muscles tight and stable will make the exercises you do more effective and could help speed up results.
Step 3
Increase the times you hold each movement, and add repetitions to your routine. As before, focus on holding the proper form, but challenge yourself to move past your previous stopping point. When you can easily perform sets of all the core exercises you've chosen, make them more difficult by doing modifications with stability balls. According to ACEFitness.org, the balls force the body to focus on balance during each exercise, working core muscles harder and toning muscles faster.
Step 4
Eat a healthy, balanced diet. High-fat and high-cholesterol foods can contribute to both visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat, and following a healthier diet can help flatten out the midsection. Stick to whole, fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, legumes, fish and low-fat or nonfat dairy. Limit saturated fat, added sugar, cholesterol and trans fat.
Step 5
Add aerobic and cardio exercise to your routine, but limit the time and intensity of your sessions. MayoClinic.com notes that aerobic exercise is the best way to get rid of excess belly fat, but be aware that aerobics burns more calories than core work does. Stick to ACEFitness.org's recommendations of three to five 30-minute sessions of aerobics per week. To maintain your current weight, stick to light or moderate aerobic activities and don't reduce the number of calories that you normally eat each day.
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