Of all the fitness questions I’ve been asked over the years, the most popular one continues to be how to trim away frustrating abdominal fat.

Of all the fitness questions I’ve been asked over the years, the most popular one continues to be how to trim away frustrating abdominal fat. And although I’ve always wanted to provide a simple quick fix response or offer a magic exercise elixir to help achieve this goal, unfortunately, no such thing exists.

You cannot spot train trouble areas of the body, and that’s true whether that be bra bulge, inner thighs that rub, or frustrating abdominal flab. Instead, you must reduce your overall body fat percentage to reveal a leaner physique. No matter how many sit-ups you perform, it won’t be enough to shrink your stomach, though working these muscles will improve their strength and endurance.

When you consume more calories than you expend, excess energy is stored in the body as fat. So if you want to whittle your waist, the top toning technique is a total body approach that includes high-intensity cardio and lower body powering moves that recruit and incinerate this energy. Exercises that engage larger muscle groups such as the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps are ideal because they burn the most calories and lead to faster weight loss than upper-body training alone.

This sort of workout, in conjunction with a well-balanced diet focusing on lean proteins, vegetables, and whole grains, is your winning formula to fight fat. Try saving indulgences such as fried foods, processed sugars, and heavy sauces for occasional treats.

Start chipping away at stubborn abdominal fat with this total body workout. You will need a set of free weights. For best results, practice this routine three times in total, three days a week. On off days, go for a 30-minute walk or do some other form of cardio.

Plank tap

• From a plank position, stack the shoulders over the wrists and maintain a straight line from the head through the heels.
• Without rocking, lift the right arm and tap the left shoulder, lower it, then lift the left hand to tap the right shoulder. Continue this sequence for 10 counts.

Side plank dip

• Rotate onto your right side, propping your weight up on the forearm and feet.
• Elevate the left arm in the air and hold it there while you dip the hips down toward the floor and push through the core muscles to lift back to the starting stance. Repeat 10 times, then practice on the opposite side.

Squat press

• Hold a free weight in each hand. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and rest the weights, palms in, at the shoulders.
• With your weight in your heels, hinge back at the hips to lower into a squat. Hold for two counts then simultaneously push through the heels to stand and press the weights up to the sky. Don’t lock your elbows. Repeat eight times.

Reverse lunge curl

• Continue holding your weights with palms facing in toward the body. With shoulders back, abs engaged, and your gaze forward, take a step back with the right leg and lower into a lunge. The back knee will not touch the ground; rather, it will hover over it.
• In one synchronized movement, push through the front heel to stand, pull the weights up into a biceps curl, and drive the right knee up toward the chest. Avoid hunching when doing this. Repeat eight times on each side.

Jump squat

• Hinge back at the hips and lower into a squat, trying to touch your right hand’s fingertips to the floor. If you can’t make contact, get as close as you comfortably can. The more you practice this, the looser your hips will become. Do not look at the floor as this will cause your form to shift.
• Now jump and bring the feet together, and when you land back in a squat position, try reaching down with the left hand. Continue this alternating sequence for 12 reps.