Losing weight and reducing waist size entail adopting similar lifestyle changes. By reducing your total caloric intake, shifting to a healthier diet and doing regular exercise, you shift your body's composition from excess body fat to increased lean tissue. While bends, twists and stretches do nothing to reduce your waistline, as spot-reducing fat is impossible, core exercises strengthen your midsection, tone your stomach muscles and improve your posture, all factors in having a more sculpted and slender-looking waist. If you have health issues, speak to a doctor before implementing a diet and fitness plan.
Step 1
Eat several small meals of healthful foods per day. Consuming single servings of high-fiber, nutritious foods such as whole grains, beans, nuts and fresh produce regulates your digestion and bowel movements so you experience less bloating around the waist. Trim 500 calories from your total consumption to lose 1 lb. of fat per week.
Step 2
Replace sweetened beverages with plain water. You further reduce your caloric intake and improve digestion. Eliminating carbonated drinks also reduces stomach bloat.
Step 3
Adopt healthier cooking habits. Steam, grill or lightly saute foods instead of deep-frying. Season dishes with heart-healthy olive oil, fresh herbs and spices rather than cream, butter and salt. Use broth or sauteed vegetables as a base for soups, dressings and sauces.
Step 4
Exercise every day. A vigorous, high-impact workout such as running, dancing or swimming raises your heart rate and burns body fat quickly. Contract your abdominal muscles during your workouts to engage your core and tone the muscles around your waist. Burning 500 calories daily with exercise doubles your weight loss.
Step 5
Engage in strength-training exercises that sculpt your core. Doing Pilates, dynamic yoga stretches, situps on an incline board and crunches while bicycling your legs do not reduce waist size, but they strengthen your midsection so you look more toned. The added muscle density boosts your metabolism so you burn more calories even while at rest.
Tips and Warnings
- Sit up straight with your abdominal muscles contracted to minimize belly bulge and strengthen your abdominal area.
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