Shrink Your Belly in 14 Days

I have some great news for your abs: The ultimate piece of belly-flab-busting equipment is a $30 stability ball. When researchers at California State University, Sacramento, hooked up electrodes to the midsections of 18 people, they found that ball moves recruited twice the number of muscle fibers as traditional crunches or yoga/Pilates-inspired workouts. Scientists credit the ball's instability with doubling the toning power of these moves. To amp up results, we combined ball exercises from the study with high-energy cardio and simple calorie-cutting tips. In 2 weeks, you could lose up to an inch from your waist; in 4 weeks, shed up to 8 pounds or more.

The Experts: Rafael Escamilla, PhD, PT, study author and professor of physical therapy at California State University, Sacramento, and Wayne Westcott, PhD, research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, MA, designed these workouts.

Program at a Glance

Your Workout:

WEEK 1

Monday — Cardio Routine 1 (45-60 minutes)

Tuesday — Belly Workout, on page 2, (once, 25-30 minutes)

Wednesday — Cardio Routine 2 (35-45 minutes)

Thursday — Belly Workout (once, 25-30 minutes)

Friday — Cardio Routine 1 (45-60 minutes)

Saturday — Belly Workout (once, 25-30 minutes)

Sunday — Cardio Routine 2 (35-45 minutes)


WEEK 2

Monday — Belly Workout (twice, 45-50 minutes)

Tuesday — Cardio Routine 1 (45-60 minutes)

Wednesday — Belly Workout (twice, 45-50 minutes)

Thursday — Cardio Routine 2 (35-45 minutes)

Friday — Belly Workout (45-50 minutes)

Saturday — Cardio Routine 1 (45-60 minutes)

Sunday — Belly Workout (twice, 45-50 minutes)


Your Eating Plan:

How it works: Our Eat for a Slim Belly plan relies on simple food swaps to cut about 500 calories from your diet daily. Our recommendations also boost your intake of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and whole grains — studies show both shrink belly fat faster.

Belly Workout:

Do 12 to 15 reps of each exercise on the next page. Between each exercise, do a cardio burst — 2 minutes of jumping rope, marching or jogging in place, stair climbing or stepping, or doing jumping jacks. Remember to warm up and cool down by marching or stepping side to side in place for 3 to 5 minutes at the beginning and end of your workout.

Cardio Burst: These 2-minute high-energy bouts will double your calorie burn to speed up fat loss and reveal a slimmer belly in less time.

How to Buy a Ball

Most people need a 22-inch (or 55 cm) stability ball. If you're under 5-foot-1, choose an 18-inch (or 45 cm) one, or a 26-inch (or 65 cm) ball if 5-foot-8 or taller. They're available in sporting goods stores (about $30) or online. We like the Gymnic Plus (performbetter.com) because it's made with burst-resistant, latex-free vinyl, and if punctured, it will deflate slowly.

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