Your time is valuable, which is why it’s important to get value for your money in your exercise routine. To help, we spoke with a fitness pro and here we present the best workouts to lose weight and sculpt abs at the same time. The training modalities below offer a comprehensive blend of strength training and cardio to promote fat loss while building lean muscle mass.
“Combined strength and cardio workouts save time because they engage multiple muscle groups at once. This intensity maximizes calorie burning in less time and optimizes fat loss while building core strength,” explain Ronny Garcia, CPTwith Flashing Fitness. “Losing fat all over your body, combined with strengthening your core, makes your abdominal muscles more visible and defined.”
Now let’s move on to the best workouts to lose weight and sculpt abs.
The workouts
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

“HIIT alternates between periods of intense exercise and periods of rest,” Garcia tells us. “This workout boosts your metabolism and burns fat even after you finish exercising (i.e. EPOC: excess post-exercise oxygen consumption).”
In a HIIT workout, you’ll find exercises like mountain climbers, jumping jacks, and burpees, all of which engage the core.
Circuit training


“Circuit training is a combination of strength and cardio exercises performed consecutively with minimal rest in between,” Garcia explains. “This method keeps your heart rate elevated, thereby promoting fat loss while building lean muscle mass.”
This training method activates your core through various exercises, such as presses, lunges and squats, which help sculpt your abs.
Strength training (with compound movements)


Compound exercises engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. “Lifting heavy weights with compound movements such as deadlifts, squats, and overhead presses not only builds muscle, but also increases your metabolism, leading to fat loss,” says Garcia.
Core-Focused Strength Training


While abdominal exercises won’t melt fat on their own, they help strengthen and tone your muscles underneath the fat.
“When combined with a calorie deficit, abdominal exercises help reveal a more defined stomach,” notes Garcia. “Planks, leg raises, and Russian twists are great for directly targeting the abs.”
Bodyweight workouts


Bodyweight workouts use only your body weight for resistance and can be done virtually anywhere, making them incredibly convenient choices.
“They often involve movements like lunges, push-ups and burpees, which engage the abs,” says Garcia. “Core-focused strength exercises, such as mountain climbers and kicks, will sculpt the stomach.”
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Associate Editor at Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and bringing readers interesting topics on fitness, wellness, and self-care. Learn more about Alexa
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