10-Minute Ab Workout!
By Marianne McGinnis , Marianne McGinnis is a former Prevention associate editor.
Surprise! Good ol' crunches are one of the fastest ways to firm your midsection. (Hate crunches? Bear with us.) Thanks to 5 decades of research and nearly 90 studies, scientists have zeroed in on the best moves to flatten your belly. The secret is to really fatigue your abs--not an easy task, because they're used to working all day to keep you standing tall. But we created a routine that, when combined with regular cardio, does it in just four moves.
We know for sure because we had nearly a dozen women road-test the program as part of our Prevention Fitness Lab. "I couldn't believe the difference a few days made," says Gwen Hoover, 48, of Fogelsville, PA, who whittled more than 2 inches off her middle, lost 14% of her belly fat, and dropped nearly 4 pounds in just 1 week! Even our slimmest testers saw impressive results. At 5-foot-6 and 125 pounds, Rachelle Vander Schaaf, 49, of Macungie, PA, wasn't expecting to see a big change, but she shaved more than 3 inches off her belly--without dieting. You can too! Start now and show off an all-around leaner belly for the rest of the summer season.
3 Days a Week: Do the SlimBelly Workout moves on 3 nonconsecutive days to tone your midsection.
5 Days a Week: Do 30 to 40 minutes of cardio, such as brisk walking, swimming, jogging, or bike riding, to burn off belly fat. You should be breathing hard but still able to talk in short sentences.
Every Day: Watch portions and fill up on whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and healthy fats to maximize results. Aim for 1,600 to 1,800 calories spread evenly throughout the day. To keep tabs on your eating, try our Health Tracker.
The Expert: Tony Caterisano, PhD, exercise scientist and professor in the department of health sciences at Furman University, designed this workout.
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