Fitness

One thousand crunches a day? Don’t waste your time. Instead, the best way to get a flatter stomach involves a few clever changes to your diet and workout…and about 970 fewer sit-ups.

The quest for flat abs knows no shame (or too much indolence). For proof, behold the Abs in a Box kit. It contains semi permanent body stain, eight shadow and highlighting powders, and a booklet explaining how to use the above to create a six-pack—all for $69. Which would be a bargain if those abs were real. But attaining flat abs isn’t a matter of painting by numbers—or even of executing a mind-numbing series of crunches. Consider this: Stomach flab is easier to lose than the padding on your butt and thighs; commit to shedding a few pounds, and the ones around your waist disappear first. Once they’re gone, a judicious mix of ab moves can carve out smooth, visible muscles over time—and not just for the genetically reprogrammed. Here, five ways to create your own (genuine) ab masterpiece.

Problem: You have too much fat all over.

You could have Jessica Alba’s muscle structure and nothing to show for it if you’re carrying around extra pounds. “No one’s ever going to see those strong muscles as long as a layer of fat sits on top of them,” says personal trainer Gunnar Peterson, who works with Jennifer Lopez and Gisele Bundchen. Interval training is the most effective way to exercise. A study in the International Journal of Obesity found that women who put in 20 minutes on a stationary bike three times a week—but alternated 8-second bursts of speedy pedaling with 12-second rest periods— trimmed more from their midsections over 15 weeks than those who cycled at a slower, but steady, pace for 40 minutes. Researchers believe that interval training triggers the body to release adrenaline, a hormone that tells the body to burn stored fat—which is often found in the stomach area.