What Exercise Can Make Me Lose Three Inches Off My Waist?

Having too much belly fat isn't only a problem that affects your self-confidence and the way you fit into your clothes. According to MayoClinic.com, women with waist measurements of 35 inches or more and men with measurements of 40 inches or more are at an elevated risk for diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and some cancers. Thus, it's definitely worthwhile to add calorie-burning exercises to your routine to can help trim your waistline.

Running

Running is one of the absolute best exercises for waist loss and fat reduction because it burns so many calories. MayoClinic.com reports that an hour of running at 8 mph burns nearly 1,000 calories in a 160-lb. person and about 1,230 in a 200-lb. person. You may think that running can't do much to take off belly fat, since it doesn't directly target the waist, but the American Council on Exercise states that "spot reducing" isolation exercises are not nearly as effective at burning fat and stimulating weight loss as are intense aerobic activities.

Team Sports

Basketball, soccer, tennis and other active sports can add a fun element of competition to your workout and boast high calorie burns, as well. Since so many sports involve dynamic movements that originate from the core, they're especially great for toning muscles in the midsection. An hour's worth of basketball, football or tennis burns about 600 calories in a 160-lb. person and about 730 calories in a 200-lb. person.

Kickboxing

Kickboxing isn't just for martial artists. In a cardio kickboxing class, you'll develop strong core muscles and stabilizers and burn hundreds of calories per hour to help get rid of excess belly fat. With kickboxing, you'll streamline your midsection by keeping tight abs during front, side and back kicks. Punches and jabs engage your oblique muscles.

Low-Impact Exercise

If you're not regularly active or aren't up for vigorous exercise, you can still choose low-impact activities that will help you lose abdominal fat. Try swimming or biking, which are easier on joints but still burn plenty of calories. Even walking can help. According to research from Nagoya University in Japan, subjects who walked fewer than 7,500 steps daily had significantly more abdominal fat, suggesting that daily walks can gradually help to slim your waist.

Considerations

Before you start a new workout plan or begin to participate in vigorous exercise, get your doctor's approval, especially if you have not been active for a long time or if you struggle with any health conditions or injuries. If you have a difficult time keeping up intense exercises for extended periods of time, start with modifications or more gently paced activities and work your way up. You'll still burn calories and work toward trimming your waistline with moderate exercise; you'll simply progress at a slower pace. To accurately judge your results, take your waist measurement and weigh yourself before starting your new plan and every two to three weeks thereafter.