The best way to reduce a large waistline isn't by taking pills or following a gimmicky diet -- it's by exercising harder and choosing healthier, low-calorie foods. Because you cannot reduce your body size in one area alone, you have to eat and work out to drop pounds all over, as well as get rid of belly fat. Speak with your physician before beginning a weight-loss regimen and then work to whittle your waistline.
Oversized Waistline
Having too much belly fat puts you at risk for developing several diseases, including high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. To measure your waist size, wrap a tape measure around your bare stomach, just above your hips, making sure the tape measure is level and snug but not tight, and then read the number. In general, women with waistlines larger than 35 inches and men with waistlines larger than 40 inches are at the greatest health risk.
Focus on Cardio
Cardiovascular workouts are essential when you want to reduce a large waistline. However, people who carry their excess weight in their midsection, also known as "apple" body types, tend to have weak knees and ankles. To avoid stressing your joints, you might try working out on a rowing machine or riding an exercise bike. Swimming is another good option for overweight apple types. As you drop those extra pounds, you might progress to hill walking or running or just increase the intensity of your current workout. Aim to do a cardio session as many days of the week as you can, adding up to a total of 150 minutes a week or more.
Build Muscle With Weights
Building lean muscle helps your body burn off more calories both during exercise and throughout the day, which will in turn help you lose more weight. Just doing sit-ups won't get rid of a large waistline, but you can include these as part of a balanced strength training workout. Perform exercises that work each of your muscle groups, such as squats, bicep curls, lunges and crunches. Three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions per exercise is sufficient for each weight-lifting session.
Revamp Your Diet
You need to reduce your calories to lose weight, but choosing healthier foods can further help you shrink your waistline. Eat a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods and get your protein from nuts, fish and low-fat dairy. Cut back on saturated fat and alcoholic beverages and make sure you are eating the correct serving size of each item you consume.
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