Last Updated on August 25, 2022

I’m super excited about the flat stomach workout routines I’m sharing with you.  They’re quick, fun, and work.

When I was 40 pounds heavier I was super insecure about my stomach.  I used to hate the way my stomach fat would budge out over the top of my pants.

I used to have to pull my pants way up or hide my stomach behind loose tops and dresses. It was NOT fun feeling bloated, flabby, and insecure in jeans, leggings, and dresses.

I know so many people are struggling with the same so I’m sharing some tips to get flat abs and a quick core workout that targets all of the muscles in the core and waist.

By training all of these muscles together in one routine, everything sucks in tight like a corset.  That’s what we want!  

That’s exactly why I made this flat stomach workout with the best exercises for flat abs.  When you put them all together, it’s easy to get results.  But please remember that ab exercises are most effective when they’re a part of a complete plan.

If you want a toned, flat stomach make sure you follow these tips to ensure you get noticeable results quickly and that you can maintain them.

 

3 TIPS FOR A FLAT STOMACH

 

If you want flat abs you’re going to need a few things:

A proper meal plan – Abs are Made in the Kitchen!  About 70-85% of your ability to get – and keep your core looking tight and flat – depends on the food you’re eating.  I’d definitely recommend a complete nutrition & training program that will melt the fat off as you’re training your abs that also prevents GI issues like bloating and constipation… it’s hard to get flat abs when you’re always bloated & have an inflamed GI tract.  Hint:  My meal plans reverse & prevent issues like this as they burn fat so you can get results faster.  If you don’t get the right nutrition as you’re training you’ll feel like you have tight, solid abs but they’ll be covered with belly fat and you won’t see definition pop or see your waistline shrink.  It’s also important to avoid things that cause bloating.  My meal plans take care of this automatically.

A complete weight training and cardio workout program – A complete training routine that includes weight training workouts that target the entire body and a cardio plan will help you build lean metabolism-boosting muscle that’ll help you get flat, toned abs.  Cardio is important to help burn body fat to help expose the muscle definition you’re gaining from your weight training workouts.  It’s also important that your workouts work with the nutrition you’re getting so you can get results asap.  If your nutrition’s off you won’t build muscle.

Core Exercises! – Core exercises are a must if you want to lose inches from your waistline…   That’s what today’s fat stomach workout is all about. : )

If you want a flat stomach, crunches should be a small part of your ab workout routine.  Crunches are just one of dozens of ab exercises you can use to get a tight, flat stomach.

I used to be the crunch queen but I never really saw a difference in my stomach until I started doing different core exercises – and dialed in my nutrition.  To get definition pop and a flat stomach proper nutrition and a complete workout program are a must.

These photos were taken 10 approx. years apart.  The before photo is when I was following random diets and doing a ton of crunches (before I was a nutritionist & trainer.)

My after photo was after my car accident that injured my spine… and even though I physically couldn’t do crunches I was still able to maintain definition and keep my stomach flat because I knew how to eat and could exercise in other ways that toned the core.

 

Christina Carlyle Before and After photos one with and without a flat stomach
 

Why I am I telling you this?  Because I want to let you know that a toned, flat stomach is possible for you, too when you get the right nutrition and use workouts that work with the food to boost metabolism.  And you don’t have to kill yourself in the gym or eat rabbit food either.

So many of my clients rely on crunches to get flat abs and random diets like I used to… but they’re not getting results (or maintaining them).

That’s why I put 2 flat stomach workouts together for you.

One is more advanced, the other is better suited for beginners.

They’re made with the same ab exercises that are the best moves for flat abs.  Except the beginner routine has 6 ab exercises instead of 8 like the advanced routine.

I recommend starting with the beginner routine then working up to the advanced routine as you get stronger.

 

trainer Christina Carlyle doing 8 exercises for a flat stomach and text that says Flat Stomach Workout

 

Flat Stomach Workout Instructions

 

  • First, warm up with some light cardio.  You can walk, jog in place or do jumping jacks for 3 – 5 minutes.
  • Next, pick your routine.  We’ll be using 6 (or 8) different ab exercises that target the abs in different ways. Rotating between the different exercises will help engage more core muscles so you can get flat abs and burn more fat during the workout.
  • To get started, do each exercise until you feel the burn.  Once you feel the burn, do 5 more and stop.  You can add more reps as your core gets stronger.  Ideally, you’ll be doing each exercise at least 15 times and maxing out at 30.
  • Quickly move from one exercise to the next, taking little to no rest between the moves.
  • Completing one full round of all 6 exercises – counts as one set.
  • Do 3 full sets to complete the workout. You can add another set, too if you want. 🙂
  • For the best results possible, use a fat-burning meal plan & complete workout program.

Ready to rock?  Let’s do this!

Here are all 8 of the flat ab exercises.

 

 

This is the advanced routine with all 8 exercises…

Trainer Christina Carlyle doing 8 stomach exercises in a home workout
This is the beginner routine.  Hint:  This routine doesn’t have side plank pulses or toe tap crunches.  These are the most advanced exercises for flat abs.

Flat Stomach Ab Workout Exercises being done by Christina Carlyle

Save this ab workout to Pinterest, so you can do this whenever you want.

 

FLAT AB EXERCISES

 

The black and coral moves are in the begging flat stomach workout.  The last two demonstrations in blue are the 2 exercises added on to the advanced routine.  The exercises in coral are also in the advanced flat stomach workout, too.

Arm and Leg Lift Flat Stomach Exercise being done by Christina Carlyle

Arm and Leg Lifts

Lie on the floor, with both hands with your legs extended outward. This is your start position. In a fluid motion, lift your arms and legs off the ground, meeting each other, above your stomach. Touch your arms and legs together for a count then lower your arms and legs back down. Without letting your arms and legs touch the floor, repeat the movement quickly adding up reps until you complete your set. Squeeze your abs in tight throughout the entire movement.

Crunch ab exercise being done by Christina Carlyle

Crunch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your hands behind your head with elbows out to the side.  This is your start position.  Squeeze your abs and lift your head off of the ground about 6 inches.  Exhale as you lower back down to the start position to complete one rep.

Woodchop Ab Exercise being done by trainer Christina Carlyle

Woodchop

Stand with your feet apart. While holding a weight with both hands, lift the weight up and across to one side. Your feet should pivot to help you extend the weight back and to the side. This is your start position. Pivot your feet as you rotate the weight down and across your body toward the opposite corner. Reverse the movement, lifting the weight back up and back across your body to the start position. One full ‘chopping’ movement counts as one rep. Do the same number of reps on the other side to complete your set.

Marching Plank Flat Stomach Ab Exercise being done by Christina Carlyle

Marching Plank

Get in a plank position. This is your start position. Begin marching by lifting one foot up as far as you comfortably can while keeping your hips square to the floor. Lower your leg back down to the start position. Immediately repeat the movement, lifting your other leg up to complete one rep.

Heel Touches Flat Stomach Ab Exercise being done by Christina Carlyle

HEEL TOUCHES

Lie on the floor with your knees bent. Your arms should be down by your side with your palms on the floor. Lift your shoulders off the floor. This will be your starting position. Reach one hand down towards the heel on the same side. Without lowering your shoulders down, immediately return to the start position, then repeat the movement on the other side to complete one rep.

Tuck Crunch Ab Exercise being done by Christina Carlyle

TUCK CRUNCH EXTENSIONS

Start on your hands and knees.  Draw one knee in towards your chest as you crunch your chest towards your knee.  Immediately reverse the movement extending your leg back and up as far as you can while lifting your chest up.  Reverse the movement again, drawing your knee back in towards your chest, squeezing your abs in tight.  Quickly add up reps until you feel the burn, and then do 5 more.  Repeat the same number of reps on the other leg to complete your workout.

 

Side plank pulse Exercise being done by Christina Carlyle

Side Plank Pulses

A side plank is your start position. Lower your hip down to the floor, then immediately lift your hip back up to the start position. Continue pulsing your hip up and down, quickly racking up reps until you feel the burn. Once you feel the burn, do 5 more. Switch sides and repeat the movement on the other side to complete your set.

 

Toe Tap Crunch Ab Exercise being done by Christina Carlyle

TOE TAP CRUNCH

Start laying on your back with your hands on your head and your elbows out and down to the side.  Lift your elbows up as you lift your legs up.  Lift one leg faster than the other and lift the lower leg up to ‘tap’ the upper leg lifting as high as you can. Lower back down to the start position to complete one rep.

 

 

Boom!  That’s it.

Once you’re done with this workout, leave me a comment and let me know if you felt the burn.

Please share this workout if you think it’ll help someone else, too.

xo

Your Coach and Biggest Cheerleader

 

If you liked this workout you’ll love my other ab workouts too!

P.S.  You can’t out-exercise too much food or a nutritionally bankrupt diet.  Abs really are made in the Kitchen and we can burn fat faster with a fork than we can workouts…  Keep that in mind if you don’t like exercise.

P.P.S. If you love food and you want rapid results my Total Transformation program is for you!  It has workouts too BUT the meal plan portion of this program will totally transform your metabolism on the inside so you get healthy, happy, and fit on the outside.

 

DISCOVER YOUR METABOLIC TYPE & HOW TO EAT TO BURN FAT 3 TIMES FASTERTAKE THE QUIZ