Weight gain around the waist is a serious problem for many men---and it's not just cosmetic. Men who have excess weight around their middle have a higher risk of heart disease, adult onset diabetes and some kinds of cancer. In addition, a 2004 study by the American College of Sports Medicine found a strong relationship between cardiovascular fitness and the amount of fat around a man's abdomen. Clearly, losing weight from around the waist is important for your health. The good news is that it's the easiest kind of fat to lose.
Step 1
Avoid beverages that contain alcohol. According to the Mayo Clinic, having more than two alcoholic drinks a day can lead to excess belly fat. Apparently, the calories in alcohol are more efficiently stored as fat than calories in other beverages, although they, too, can potentially cause weight gain. For good health and to lose weight, water should be your predominant beverage of choice. Water helps to excrete waste products, including fat.
Step 2
Decrease the number of calories you eat. According to the Mayo Clinic, many people mistakenly underestimate the number of calories they consume. Calculate the number of calories you should be consuming a day, according to your age and level of physical activity (see "Resources"). A good way to trick your brain into thinking it's eating more is to use smaller dishes. Restaurants thrive on providing large portions on large plates, and this practice causes you to eat more calories than you need, adding excess weight around your belly.
Step 3
Engage in aerobic activity such as jogging or cycling, five days a week. Aerobic activity, according to the Mayo Clinic, has a significant effect on abdominal fat and decreases it quicker than other areas of fat. For optimal results, do at least 45 minutes of aerobic activity, maintaining your heart at 50 to 75 percent of its target rate (see "Resources"). The fat around your waist will be the first to respond to this kind of activity.
Step 4
Perform 30 minutes of weight training or resistance exercise three days a week. These types of exercise force your muscles to grow so that you can continue to increase the amount of weight or resistance you are using. Increased muscle mass increases your metabolism and helps you burn fat off your waist. Complete eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise and make sure you feel a slight burning at about the tenth repetition. This is a sign that your muscles are in an anabolic state, using excess stores of energy to keep up with the demand. Each week, increase the amount of weight or resistance to maintain this burning sensation at or around the tenth repetition.
Step 5
Do at least 30 minutes of core exercises five days a week (see "Resources"). Core training strengthens your abdominal and back muscles, improving balance and posture. You will be increasing the mass of these muscles, but the real significance of these kinds of exercise is that they tone your midsection. Once you have lost the weight around your waist, you will reveal a defined, toned midsection.
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