How to Have a Thinner Waist

Reducing the size of your waist can provide significant health benefits. Being overweight can put you at greater risk of stroke, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Reducing body fat from one body part alone is not possible, so to effectively lose fat from a problem area, you have to reduce it from your whole body. A healthy diet and regular exercise routine can help you get a smaller waist over time. There are also some instant methods you can use to get a smaller waist.

Instructions

• 1

  Clean up your diet. Avoid high-calorie, low-nutrient, fatty and sugary foods. Make healthy choices and include lean protein, complex carbohydrates and saturated fats. Eat a variety of vegetables and fruits and get fiber from whole-grains such as oatmeal and brown rice. Eat beans, fish and chicken for protein, prepare foods in olive oil or canola oil and consume low-fat dairy instead of full-fat dairy.

• 2

  Get 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week, as recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cardiovascular exercise increases you metabolism, which helps to burn calories. Go swimming, jogging or biking, or use an elliptical machine or stair-climber to work up a sweat. Consider taking out a gym membership at a local gym. Paying for a gym membership may motivate you to use it and actually go to the gym to workout.

• 3

  Include muscle-strengthening exercises two days a week, per recommendation of the CDC. Strength training stimulates and maintains muscle tissue. The more muscle tissue you have, the harder your metabolism has to work to maintain it, and the more fat you burn. Avoid solely focusing on your abdominal muscles and work your arms, legs, shoulders, chest, and back, as well. Consider getting a certified trainer at the gym to help you with your form during your strength-training sessions because having good form prevents injuries and gives you maximum results.

• 4

  Tone the waistline by performing abdominal exercises, such as bicycle crunches, reverse crunches and standard crunches. Include the plank exercise as one of your exercises. Come down on all fours and bend your elbows to lower onto your forearms. Lower your hips to form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Contract your tummy and stiffen your entire body. Hold this position as long as you can. Aim to reach one minute. Perform this exercise three times. As you get stronger, extend your legs behind you and balance on the balls of your feet. Hold this for one minute and perform three sets.

• 5

  Perform the side-plank exercise to tone the obliques at the sides of your waistline. Come down on your knees and forearms into a plank position. Turn your body to the right and balance on your left forearm and left knee. Extend your right arm up as if to reach for the ceiling. Hold this position for one minute before switching sides. Repeat the side-plank exercise three times. Perform the exercise with extended legs and arms once you are strong enough.

• 6

  Add variety to your exercise routine to avoid boredom, to challenge your body and to stay motivated. Take a step class to get your cardiovascular workout or look into joining a group sport. Take a Pilates class to work on strengthening your core muscles. Use your body weight or free weights instead of weightlifting machines. Use different fitness tools, such as stability balls and resistance bands. Purchase home exercise DVDs for rainy days when you don't feel like going outdoors or to the gym.

• 7

  Practice deep breathing techniques to maintain calm and to stay stress-free. When you are under a lot of stress, your body releases the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol triggers irresistible cravings for high-calorie, fattening foods, and is linked to weight gain in the belly. Sit down in a quiet room and place one hand on your belly. Close your eyes and inhale deeply through your nose. Fill your lungs with as much air as you can. Sense the hand on your belly rising. Exhale all the air through your mouth as the hand on your belly moves inward with the motion. Take up to 10 belly breaths whenever you feel stress coming on.