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If You Can Invest Just 10 Minutes A Day You Can Have A Flatter Belly

Something we can all agree on: It's freaking tough to stay fit when life's this busy, and it only seems to get harder every year—especially when it comes to our abs. Everything from hectic schedules to dwindling metabolisms (OK, and maybe a weakness for chocolate) can cause belly pounds to creep up and hang on, no matter what you try. That's how Miriam Figueroa felt. "My belly was huge, all my clothes were tight, my body was achy, and I had brain fog all the time," recalls Figueroa. Every day, the 55-year-old special education pre-K teacher would wake up at quarter to 6, gingerly roll out of bed to avoid aggravating the pinched nerves in her lower back, go for a short walk, and then throw whatever energy she could muster into her passion for teaching the 38 adorable 4-year-olds who demanded her attention Monday through Friday. "By the time I started my afternoon class, I was drained," says Figueroa. At night, restless legs syndrome and acid reflux would torment her until she started over again the next morning. No matter how healthy she ate, the scale stuck at 168 pounds and her total cholesterol rose to 220. "I felt so awful that I started praying for a solution," says Figueroa. When she heard that Prevention was looking for women to test the 30-Day Belly Fix—a new Fit in 10 program designed with trainer Larysa DiDio to speedily slim and strengthen stubborn middles with just 10 minutes of exercise a day—Figueroa was intrigued. "It sounded like something I could commit to, so I figured, why not?"

Miriam FigueroaPhotograph by Karen Pearson/Grace Huang

"The last time I looked this good, I was 20 years younger."

Miriam Figueroa, 55: Loves her new curves
Pounds lost in 30 days: 8
Belly inches lost in 30 days: 5

What Figueroa and the 16 other testers quickly discovered is that Fit in 10's 30-Day Belly Fix isn't like programs they've tried in the past. There are no grueling workouts you can't stick with or restrictive diets that make you miserable. It simply combines 10 minutes a day of metabolism-surging strength training and ridiculously effective ab firming with a little clean eating. This toning and nutrition combo is the proven formula for a strong, lean body and a flatter belly at any age. But the main reason that this DVD program (built around nine 10-minute routines you can do anywhere, anytime) works is that it's realistic. The testers lost an average of 8 pounds and 3 inches off their bellies—in only 30 days. Some dropped even more, losing up to 15 pounds and 8 inches off their waists. "It took away the struggle," says Figueroa. "It was so easy to fit into my day that I couldn't come up with any excuses."

Those 10 minutes can even end up saving you time. Before trying the program, Melissa Ferraro, a 42-year-old attorney and mom of two, wearily slogged to the gym a few days a week and still couldn't shake the fat that clung to her middle. "I was constantly wrestling with low energy and low self-esteem," she says. "When I did work out, it was early in the morning, which left me exhausted. It also cut into time I could have been spending with my kids." On the program, though, she lost 9 pounds and 3 inches off her belly. "I'm shocked that sleeping in and exercising for only 10 minutes a day gave me better results than I had when I was waking up at 5 AM to work out for an hour," she says.

Committing to just 10 minutes a day means you shed the perennial guilt of tossing long workouts aside when life gets crazy. "In the past, I would swing between not having enough time to exercise at all to spending hours in the gym, always finding myself exhausted and still not reaching my goals," says Carrie Walsh, a busy sous chef and mom of four kids all under the age of 11. Once Walsh learned the Fit in 10 formula for success, however, her body responded. In 30 days, she lost 7 pounds and shed the belly pudge that had frustrated her for years. "I can finally wear tank tops and jeans without worrying about lumps and bulges around my middle," says Walsh. "Plus, I have so much energy from the routines and clean food that I no longer want to spend my free time on the couch or munching on the junk food I keep around the house for my kids."

Carrie WalshPhotograph by Karen Pearson/Grace Huang

"After four kids, my abs look better than they did in high school—and it was so easy."

Carrie Walsh, 33: No more side bulge
Pounds lost in 30 days: 7
Belly inches lost in 30 days: 3

Even women who already do strength training have benefited from the belly-and-abs specificity of the program. Renata Zajac lost 12 pounds with Fit in 10: Total-Body Transformation and came back when she heard this new program would target the area she wanted to change the most. "I already knew the power of Fit in 10, and I was excited to take my abs to the next level," says the 40-year-old executive. Zajac wasn't disappointed. In half the time of the original Fit in 10 program, she dropped another 7 pounds and watched her waist become firmer and more defined. "I loved the new routines, and it refreshed my commitment to take care of myself, no matter how busy I am," she says.

Tester Nicole Austin agrees that this program is about more than just restoring a youthful shape—your health and happiness are at stake, too. A few weeks ago, the 39-year-old pastry chef was headed to the kitchen when she decided to stoop down and give her 8-year-old daughter a quick kiss on the forehead. "She said, 'Wow, Mom! You moved so fast,'" recalls Austin, who hadn't been able to shake the belly swell since having kids. "It was nothing special, but it was an epiphany moment for me. Before trying the program, I never would have been able to do that. My belly would have gotten in the way, and I wouldn't have had the strength to squat down. Now I don't even think about it."

Nicole AustinPhotograph by Karen Pearson/Grace Huang

"Now I can be the best version of myself. I'm never going to stop."

Nicole Austin, 39: Lost her belly and boosted her energy
Pounds lost in 30 days: 9
Belly inches lost in 30 days: 8

Start Your 10-Minute Belly Fix Now!
Want a flatter belly but don't have time to work out? For the full Belly Fix program that helped our testers lose up to 15 pounds and 8 inches off their middles in just 30 days, click here.

What You'll Get:

Fit in 10 30-Day Belly Fix

3-Disc DVD Set
Packed with nine 10-minute routines, it'll rev your metabolism, strengthen and slim abs, and shed belly fat—fast.

30-Day Program
We'll tell you which workout to do each day for quick results. Or mix and match the routines as you prefer.

Eat Clean Jump-Start
We'll give you everything you need to succeed in the 64-page guidebook, including a delicious 3-day meal plan, complete with recipes.

Mini Exercise Ball
Consider this your secret weapon for serious belly toning.

For women who are already active and eating mindfully, like 51-year-old Lisa Hertz Apkon, the extra 10 minutes a day is transformative. "I was hiking and doing yoga regularly, but they just weren't enough," says Hertz Apkon. "I didn't feel as strong and fit as I would have liked." The short routines allowed Hertz Apkon to squeeze in the core work and strength training she was missing. In a month, her figure has become firmer, and she's lost 2 inches from her waist and belly. "My clothes fit better, my abs feel more toned, and I feel stronger when I walk or do yoga," she says. "It showed me that even a really small change can be incredibly powerful."

Like many of our testers, Miriam Figueroa felt too good to stop after just 30 days. Two months later, her body and health continue to transform. Her belly and waist are shrinking, she's lost 4 more pounds (12 total), and her energy has rebounded. "Now I can teach all day and still cook dinner, play with the dog, or do housework when I get home. My cholesterol is down to 190, my acid reflux is gone, and I no longer have RLS at night when I work out that day," she says. And she's not the only one who's noticed her healthy new body. "The other day my husband came up behind me while I was washing dishes and said, 'Wow, Miriam. You have a figure now!'" she laughs. "It makes me feel young again."

Lisa Hertz ApkonPhotograph by Karen Pearson/Grace Huang

"Squeezing in 10 minutes a day transformed my body. I love how my clothes fit, and I feel great."

Lisa Hertz Apkon, 51: Toned and strengthened her core
Pounds lost in 30 days: 3
Belly inches lost in 30 days: 2

Try it now!

Sneak Peek: Belly Fix Shapers

These ridiculously effective moves from the new 30-Day Belly Fix DVD program with trainer Larysa DiDio will zero in on those tough-to-tone lower abdominals. The mini ball helps you engage your deepest belly muscles, but you can also do the moves without it. All it takes is 10 minutes. You can't even drink a latte that fast!

How to Do It: Aim to do as many reps as you can in 60 seconds. Rest 15 to 20 seconds between moves. Do the entire circuit 3 times. Ab tremble guaranteed.

1. Crisscross
CrisscrossPhotograph by Matt Rainey


Lie on back with legs extended over hips, hands behind head, and shoulder blades lifted off floor (place ball between ankles, if desired). Lower legs toward floor a few inches. Cross one leg over the other, then switch. Continue crisscrossing legs for 60 seconds.
Expert tip: Don't let your back arch; if your lower back hurts, raise your legs higher.

2. Reverse crunch drop
Reverse Crunch DropPhotograph by Matt Rainey


Lie on back with knees bent, hands behind head, and shoulder blades lifted off floor (place ball between knees, if desired). Pull belly in and lift hips toward chest, then extend legs toward ceiling and lower legs toward floor. Return to starting position, immediately moving into next rep.
Expert tip: Use belly strength, not momentum.

3. U-boat
U-boatPhotograph by Matt Rainey


Sit on floor with knees bent, feet flat on floor, and hands behind head (place ball behind lower back, if desired). Lean back a few inches to lift feet off floor. Tap one foot to floor, then the other. Keep chest lifted and abs engaged.
Expert tip: To make it easier, support your upper body with your elbows and forearms on the floor. Don't allow your back to arch.

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