The Truth About Fast Ab Workouts

Depending on a person's body weight, diet, and exercise routine, burning fat can take anywhere from six months to one to two years, according to Dr. Michael Fredericson, director of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Stanford Medical School. Even if a person follows a strict diet and exercise regimen, abs won't suddenly appear in just a month or so.

Strength training exercises like squats, mountain climbers, planks, and crunches can build muscle. Meanwhile, diet, stress levels, and genetics are the factors that determine whether you can build abs or not.

According to experts, the secret to getting abs is to work the external obliques, internal obliques, rectus abdominis, and transverse abdominis. This helps stabilize the spine and pelvis, build muscle, and reduce body fat.

For men, to get abs, body fat percentage needs to drop below 10%-15%, for women it is 15%-20%. To determine your current body fat percentage, you can see a nutritionist and use the appropriate measuring device. Dr. Fredericson also notes that people should only lose 1% of body fat per month, this is a safe and stable level, helping people maintain their desired weight in the long term.

"For someone with an average body fat percentage, a disciplined diet and exercise plan can help reduce fat within three to six months. At this point, the person may notice a noticeable muscle definition in the abdomen," says Austin Ozzie Gontang, director of the San Diego Marathon Clinic.

However, if you start training at a higher body fat percentage, it will take more time. Typically, belly fat will be the last to be reduced during training.