by Samantha Lefave

That's because its insanely hard to create muscle definition in your midsectioneven if it's super strongand not all of the factors that influence whether or not you can actually see your abs are under your control.

For example, body composition (or the ratio of body fat to lean muscle mass you have) is impacted by diet and exercise, sure, but also genetics. Plus, belly fat, in particular, can be impacted by hormones such as cortisol, a.k.a. the stress hormone. In fact, <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/11/001120072314.htm" id="cafa0ce6-a5ff-3738-a90e-ab7cb2425bd3"> stress has been linked to higher levels of abdominal fat in non-overweight women </a> , according to research.

Bottom line: Every womans body is built differently, so it varies, but generally speaking it takes a lot of time and dedication to get those abs to show, says <a href="http://www.amanda-butler.com/#aboutme" id="88932694-1714-3bf7-a615-6226b13d6860"> Amanda Butler </a> , certified personal trainer and instructor at The Fhitting Room in New York City. It can take anywhere from three months to a year to get a six-pack , and its not just about doing a ton of <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a19971607/abs-exercises/" id="223535dd-4266-370e-a0e6-57c9adf682d0"> abs exercises </a> .

So what does it take exactly? Scroll down for intel on how to get abs, asap, according to certified trainers and research.

It's hardly surprising that one of the things Kourtney Kardashian's trainer had the reality TV star start doing to get in the best shape her life (visible abs and all) was <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a29247937/kourtney-kardashian-cardio/" id="e4242fd6-260f-32a2-a613-68697e0570f8"> incorporate cardio into every workout </a> .

Why? Because <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a28652016/aerobic-vs-anaerobic/" id="9220b054-fccf-3184-a80f-b83c0df786ba"> aerobic exercise triggers fat burning </a> . <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17637702" id="1ec7f16b-3284-317e-a3b5-05ecf9d380bc"> The more cardio exercise you do, the move belly fat you stand to lose </a> , according to a system review of 16 clinical trials that looked at the connection between the two.

So, when you do cardio consistently as part of a fitness routine that's also focused on core and muscle building, you'll start to see your body composition shift and more tone and definition from head to toecore included.

<h1> 2. Add HIIT workouts into the mix </h1>

<a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a29561423/what-is-hiit/" id="b6ffecc7-6dc1-3ba1-a302-4b5ca735f359"> What is HIIT </a> ? Well, for starters, it's short for <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/g19988771/high-intensity-interval-training/" id="f655403c-0b41-3485-a513-b9e04afafee6"> high-intensity interval training </a> , might just be the fastest track when it comes to how to get abs. That's because the fitness technique combines cardio AND strength training in one quick, effective workout.

"The beauty of a HIIT class is that it gives you the benefit of body fat loss, as well as putting on lean mass," says Steve Uria, certified trainer and founder of the HIIT-based fitness studio <a href="https://www.switchplaygroundusa.com/" id="ac16418f-cd3c-3177-a5e7-cbd79e824a39"> Switch Playground </a> . "I would say, if you start doing HIIT three to four times a week you will see a noticeable difference in in your body."

Here's an at-home HIIT workout video to get you started:

A <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a19947800/standing-abs-exercises/" id="6fe085c9-68b7-375b-a178-c68793d4ba1d"> sculpted stomach </a> is like the <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a19924696/former-bad-boys-who-turned-into-amazing-dads/" id="e882c8ae-089e-300e-a743-9afb179beb42"> bad boy </a> of the fitness worldalways desirable, yet seemingly unattainable.

How To Get Abs And Keep Them

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by Samantha Lefave

Articles written by the author

How To Get Abs And Keep Them