How To Burn Fat Fast For Visible Abs

You have the muscles; you are big and built, so how do you get a washboard of defined abs? Well, here it is, the 100% scientifically proven method of cutting the fat off your abs. This thorough guide is going to take you through every aspect of getting visible abs and tell you how to burn fat fast.

All you need is commitment and a little math; however, there is a nifty calculator for that part. You will burn fat and maintain your muscle mass. Let's get ripped!

Cut The Fat: The Facts

Anyone that tells you that you can spot reduce fat on your abs doesn't know any better and is not telling you the truth. Spot reducing fat over your abs doesn't work; you will only be left unbalanced and out of proportion. It has been proven that spot fat reduction doesn't work - that is not how you burn fat fast.

However, you are here to get rid of the stubborn fat covering your rock-hard abs, right? There is a proven method; it takes time, patience, and commitment. You can expect to lose 1 - 2 lbs of fat consistently; most of that will be stubborn belly fat.

Time

alarm clock wrapped in a measuring tape on a blue background

You need to understand that progress takes time. It takes time to get it right in a healthy and maintainable way, so you aren't going to finish your 12 weeks with unrealistic results that you cannot maintain.

If you have to burn 10lbs of fat, expect it to take between 4 - 6 weeks.
If you have 20lbs of fat to burn, expect an 8 - 12 week program.

Expectations

top view of notebook fresh apple measuring tape and dumbbells

You need to manage your expectations. The key to getting through any program successfully without fail is to keep a log of your progress. Take before-and-after photos, put them in a folder, and keep them safe. Measure yourself and take notes on your body before you begin.

Invest in a notebook to track your workouts and progress. The feeling you will have when you get through the program and compare your before and after is the best in the world. Now let's burn some fat.

How To Burn Fat Fast in Three Steps

It is literally as easy as one, two, three - let's get lean. Keep that in your mind if you are ever struggling; One-Two-Three-Let's-Get-Lean is your new mantra.

There are three things to consider when fat burning:

1
Your calorie deficit - This is the magic number of calories you need to maintain your health while burning unwanted fat for visible abs. You will burn fat off your entire body, not just your belly area.
2
The diet details - You cannot train bad dietary choices out of your body; your diet is one of the most crucial parts to healthy fat loss while keeping muscle mass. Eating the right stuff is only part of it; what time you eat good food makes the most significant difference.
3
Your training - You must train smart, not like a psycho. Training hard and intelligent will see you lose more visceral fat than doing 4 hours of cardio a day.

Step 1 - Calorie Deficit

A calorie deficit does not mean starvation. To burn fat fast, you need to eat in a caloric deficit and not put your body in a state of starvation - you need to be able to work out without passing out. A healthy calorie deficit considers your activity levels and how much fuel you need to get through training during a fat-burning phase.

A healthy calorie deficit needs to be sustainable and maintainable. If you starve yourself and deny yourself the good foods you need, you'll tap out in a week when you are too hungry to focus. Next thing you know, you're in Krispy Cream, eating 2000 calories in doughnuts and washing it down with a double-thick shake. Here is a little secret, you can still eat doughnuts and get lean. It is how you do it that matters most.

Health is Wealth

A healthy deficit is between 500 and 750 calories. Nothing more, nothing less; that is how much room you have to play with. You need to stick to the diet for at least 8 - 12 weeks for aggressive fat loss, for guaranteed visible abs.

Excessive amounts of cardio while you are starving will slow your metabolism down and damage it. You won't be happy with the results, and you won't be able to maintain them. That method will set you back and make you miserable.

How to calculate calories?

You don't need to be a mathematician; all you need is information and a calculator. We will meet you halfway with a handy calorie calculator. The number you need is the maintenance number. Once you have that magic number, you can subtract 500 - 750 calories off; that is the number you need for the ultimate fat burn.

Step 2 - The Diet Details

how to lose fat fast while still eating the foods you like

The satisfaction you get from eating a meal that you enjoy is really one of the world's best-kept secrets. Take the Rock as an example; scroll through his feed, and you will see that he eats all the stuff he loves, enjoys his cheat meals just as much as he enjoys his training.

You will re-train your brain to eat the right stuff and enjoy it while indulging in your cravings. Throw in a little fat-burning science, and you have the perfect recipe for a great diet.

The Calorie Split

Once you have your magic number, think of it as your average. If your magic number is 2500 to burn fat fast, it becomes your weekly daily average.

Troy holding a food plate with potatoes spinach meat

It is not always possible to get exactly 2500 calories in every single day. Some days, you might want a little extra; other days, you might need less. It is all part of the process; it is called healthy planning. This is the secret to maintaining your diet and enjoying it. You don't have to give your entire life up to the shredded gods of abs.

The split could work like this, for example:

Monday: 2300 calories
Tuesday: 2200 calories - didn't need as many, so the additional 300 carried over towards the total calories eaten on a crave day
Wednesday: 2650 calories
Thursday: 2400 calories
Friday: 2650 calories
Saturday: 3000 calories - a day to indulge in the good stuff
Sunday: 2500 calories

When you add the calories up and get the average calories per day, it totals to 2528 per day.

A proven way to structure the week is to start with a lower amount of calories and enjoy a few higher-calorie days towards the middle and end of the week.

The Science of Food - Cravings

grilled chicken breast with rice and vegetables

The rule of thumb: eat your biggest - highest calorie - meals after your workout. That means high carb and low-fat meals are the perfect post-workout meal. They spike your insulin levels and kick-start glycogen production. That's the secret to keeping the food you enjoy the most while losing stubborn belly fat. Try to keep your fat levels down and your protein high.

1g of fat is 9 calories
1g of carbs and protein is 4 calories

The Sweet Spot

When you take all of that into consideration, you can see that you can still indulge in the good sweet stuff while losing fat. You can indulge in a large 700 calorie meal post-workout and still achieve your daily goal of 2500 calories.

Keeping your calories lower during the week is key to indulging over the weekend. You need a cheat day where you can enjoy going above and beyond your daily average.

The Golden Rules

As you can see, you pretty much have the freedom to each whatever you like as long as you keep it in moderation and stay within the guidelines. You are not going to lose fat if you survive on 2000 calories made up of gummy bears and ice cream. Calorie intake is just as important as the kinds of food you are consuming. As with any other weight loss program, you should be conscious of what you are putting in your body.

Stick to a few golden rules, and you will be perfectly fine.

Avoid refined carbs - These are empty calories; they have next to no nutrient value. Eating refined carbs like bread and certain kinds of pasta or overly processed foods might make you hungry more often. As your body burns through it, you are more likely to binge or feel run down later in the day. Carb crashing can lead to poor sleep and slowed down metabolism. A diet full of refined carbs can ultimately lead to weight gain and spikes in your blood sugar levels. Stick to whole grains, whole wheat, and complex carbs.
HEALTHY fats are essential - Healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, and other unsaturated fats are vital to maintaining hormonal balance.
High protein diet - Protein is crucial; it has all the building blocks for muscle growth and keeps you satisfied for longer. Healthy lean protein keeps you feeling full, which is vital when eating in a calorie deficit.
Carbs are your friend - Carbs are essential for muscle growth. Carbs are burnt off as glycogen preventing muscle loss. Complex carbs with a low G.I level are excellent. Stick to carbs after your workouts for the best results.
Avoid excessive caffeine - Excessive amounts of caffeine might make you feel like you are speeding your metabolism up, but it can dehydrate you and leave you feeling a little worse for wear, especially after an intense workout. Stick to green tea and water for the best hydration.

Intermittent Fasting

There are a number of ways to burn fat; some studies show that intermittent fasting is a great tool to train your body to use its energy stores properly. Intermittent fasting consists of eating only during a set period of time each day. However, there are several fast periods; the most commonly used is the 16/8 - 16 hours of fasting with an 8-hour window to eat during the day.

The method helps burn more fat in your body by training it to use available energy resources already present. Your body cannot get enough rest if it is working hard at digesting food while you sleep. Fasting helps burn more calories as your body burns through its sugar stores and begins burning fat to help you lose unwanted weight.

STEP 3 - THE WORKOUT

You cannot stick to training alone; diet is king in any program. No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to out-train a poor diet. Your eating habits dictate precisely how your body can cope with every other aspect, from healing and recovery to the energy that is available for use.

Now for the fun part: getting active. There are two aspects to exercise that kick-start fat loss and really give you the best results—the Balloon Method paired with HIIT.

The Balloon Method in a Nutshell

The Balloon Method is straightforward; it doesn't get better than science-backed simplicity. You do not need to spend 3 hours a day in the gym to get big and bulky. You need 20 - 30 minutes and the following three steps:

Overload sets - You are going to train until failure; you should be doing 4-8 reps till total failure.
Tension sets - Chasing the pump, lighter weights with higher reps, aim for 15+ reps until failure. You are going to get an excruciating pump.
Muscle damage sets - Crafting muscle and boosting growth. Here you will use drop sets, supersets, slow eccentrics, or any type of new and shocking stimulus to the body. These are high-intensity sets; your training is going to have your heart rate sky high.

The Science

The Balloon Method was developed using several studies based on optimal muscle growth. Anyone can spend hours lifting weights at the gym; if you are not lifting properly, you will not get your goal results. You could save yourself time and frustration in the gym.

This method has fantastic results, and it triggers a chain reaction that burns more calories every time you work out with long-lasting results. Try using this method to train after you have shredded and reached your goals; you are guaranteed to see better gains and a vast improvement in your day-to-day gym routine.

Isn't This About Fat Loss?

Building muscle is critical to healthily triggering fat loss. The more muscle you make, the more calories you burn. Weight, strength, and resistance training are all excellent ways to trigger an after-burn effect, meaning your body will continue to burn calories as your metabolism kicks it up a notch for up to 72 hours post-workout.

When you put all the puzzle pieces together, it becomes clear that burning fat doesn't mean you need to be stuck in the gym for hours a day and eat nothing but leaves. High-intensity interval training and weight training combined with a healthy caloric deficit is the best way to speed up your results.

HIIT

Before you close this article because cardio is your idea of torture, there is an alternative. Cardio is not just about running around; it can be just about any aerobic exercise. You also only need 2 - 3 sessions a week, 20-30 minutes maximum per session. It really is that simple.

The trick to getting your cardio right is the type of cardio you choose. High-intensity interval training is the number one way you can get the best results. HIIT sprints, or HIIT interval training that gets your heart rate up, are vital for fat burning.

If you are stuck on ideas, try these:

HIIT classes - sign up for a quick HIIT class at your gym; you know, the ones where everyone walks out drenched and totally exhausted.
5 HIIT sprint intervals of 15 - 20 seconds each
20 minute HIIT session on a stationary bike
A spin class
HIIT skipping workout

This training's beauty is you can change it up weekly and increase the intensity as your fitness levels improve. HIIT cardio recruits the use of fast-twitch muscle fibers; the results are a loss in body mass instead of muscle mass loss.

The Non-Negotiable Basics

There are a few things that should be part of your current lifestyle anyway. Most people struggle to get rid of visceral fat when they follow strict programs because they don't have the basics down.

Your body will not burn fat if you are not getting the basics right:

The right amount of sleep - You need at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Adequate rest means your body can perform to its best ability without going into fight or flight mode.
Hydration - Staying hydrated is key to any weight loss program. You need to keep your body functioning properly for it to flush toxins out of your system.
Recovery - Overworking in the gym can be just as bad for you as not working at all. Your body will not cope well with stressors if you are not allowing it to rest and recover. A rest day per week is needed for the best results. Resting reduces your risk of injury and drastically reduces the risk of failure. You won't get very far into your program if you are miserable, so scheduling a rest day is essential to staying happy and on track.
Cortisol management - Another highly overlooked part of any weight loss journey is your cortisol levels. Managing your cortisol levels is essential. Too much cortisol and your recovery between training sessions will take longer, and you might not get the results you were hoping for.

Getting Started

working out with personal trainer at the gym with dumbbells

Now that you have the science, getting started is the easy part. Book a session with a personal trainer and get your body fat percentage calculated. You will have a better idea of how much fat you should be trying to lose. Remember, the most important thing is staying healthy and safe while looking great.

It shouldn't feel like a 6-month vacation of indulgent bliss; it is hard work and requires proper planning. However, you will not need to get rid of your entire diet and lifestyle and live in misery. The key to succeeding with any diet changes and programs is enjoying it. Maintaining your health is the biggest tip that anyone can give you.

The Best Way to Burn Fat

In short and sweet terms, this is all you need to know to burn extra fat and get lean without losing your muscle mass.

Diet is crucial - Stick to a calorie deficit between 500 - 750 calories beneath your maintenance weight.
Eat the good stuff at the right time - Eating the right foods at the right times kick-starts your journey to losing weight and getting enough energy to function.
Train smart, not hard - No more slaving away for hours every day and sacrificing your life and happiness for fat loss. Use the Batman and Robin of the exercise world: The Balloon Method and HIIT cardio.
Recovery is vital - You need to rest just as much as you need to power through a workout drenched in sweat.
Create a healthy relationship with your body by setting realistic goals - Sure, you can lose weight really fast; however, you can also lose a large amount of muscle mass with the wrong training. Slow and steady wins the race, and staying healthy is the most important part.
Strength training burns calories and is key to fat burning

What Are You Waiting For?

The tools are in your hands; you have everything you need to start burning off excess fat for a leaner and more aesthetically pleasing physique. Anyone can lose weight and get in shape; doing it healthily and in the most beneficial way is what makes the difference.

The key ingredient in this method is the ability to maintain your results. Any fat loss program should be easy to maintain without insane amounts of effort and hours in the gym every day. This method is science-backed and has easy to maintain results. You can still live a life worth living and get the most out of your training. What more could you want in life?