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Everyday Exercises You Can Do For A Smaller Waistline

Written by Dr. Pramod Mane on Tue, 01 August 2023

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The buzzwords in health and exercise currently are 'small waistline' and 'love handles'. The waistline is the circumference around your waist and it reflects the abdominal fat, the fat around your visceral organs.

A waistline measuring more than 35 inches in women and more than 40 inches in men reflects a shift towards overweight, obesity, and a lower life expectancy.

So, if you do not particularly like those love handles or those numbers on the tape are giving you sleepless nights, it's time you start on a healthy diet and get some exercise.

Exercises for a smaller waistline

1. Walk to reduce your waistline

Walking can not only help to reduce your overall weight but is also effective in helping you get a small waistline. Try walking 10,000 steps every day or at least five days a week. Walking 10,000 steps a day is equivalent to walking for 3 miles or about 5 km.

Alternate between brisk walking, a slow jog, and slow walking. Walking not only helps in weight loss but also helps in improving overall cardiac fitness and management of lifestyle conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

You can also burn those extra calories by choosing to walk instead of taking a ride or driving. Introducing small changes routine to your everyday routine can bring about big changes on the scale!

2. Sprint it out

Sprinting is when you run for only a short distance but at maximum speed. Running and jogging help you lose weight but sprinting is known to turn your body into a fat-burning machine!

With sprinting, one can burn around 200 calories in just 2 minutes and also help you flaunt a small waistline! Sprinting can help boost metabolism and drastically help in improving overall fitness and core strength. So, start sprinting without a second thought to achieve your fitness goals.

3. Dance your way to weight loss

Belly dancing is considered to be a great workout that can burn abdominal fat as well as help in toning its muscles, and gift you a small waistline, in turn. Taking belly dancing lessons sounds both fun and helpful in toning your waistline. Another form of exercise that incorporates dance is Zumba.

Grooving to music and following the movements of the instructor is not only fun but is also a great way to stay in shape and tone your body. These forms of exercises are a great form of intense cardio and can show gradual effects on your waistline.

4. Take up yoga to reduce your waistline

Yoga is known to soothe the mind and tone the body overall. However, certain poses like Modified Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Core Exercises (Navasana), Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Asana), Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana), Cobra (Bhujangasana), Downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), Spinal Twist Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana), Warrior (Virabhadrasana) and Triangle (Trikonasana) are considered more beneficial for toning your core and waist.

5. Ab workouts for a smaller waistline

If you prefer more dynamic exercises over yoga, try leg raises, flutter kicks, crunches, leg scissors, and other exercises directed towards toning up the core.

Crunches, side planks, bicycle crunches, and Russian twists are also very effective in toning up the muscles around the waist. Each set of these exercises targets a particular set of muscles around the waist.

For example, stomach crunches and leg raises help in the toning up of upper and lower abdominal muscles, while side planks focus mainly on the core and lower back muscles. Oblique crunches on the other hand strengthen the oblique muscles of the abdomen.

It is best to consult a certified trainer to know the exact combinations as per your physical strength and stage of training. Ensure correct breathing techniques while doing these exercises since the pattern of breathing is intricately linked to the effect of these exercises on the muscles.

6. Weight train your way to a fitter you

Wouldn't it be a win-win if your body burnt calories even while you slept? With weight training, your body does exactly that! Lifting weights and doing resistance training helps our body to strengthen bones, lose fat and build lean muscle.

It helps in dramatically improving the tone of the targeted groups of muscles. If you are new to weight training, consult a certified weight training instructor in the gym and start your journey slowly.

When using weights, start with smaller weights and increase the weights and reps slowly as you progress. Weight training is recommended for at least two days a week along with aerobic exercises.

7. Spin the hoop

Weighted hula hoops can be a great addition to one's exercise routine. Hula hooping for a couple of minutes several times a day can help you get some aerobic activity in these sedentary times. Spinning the hoop around the waist not only burns calories but also sculpts and tightens the muscles in the waist area. It is known to work its magic on those love handles as well! It's worth giving the hula hoop a try.

A slim and toned waist is not only about improving the physical shape of the body but is also important for improving your overall health profile. Keeping in mind holistic progress, and making gradual progress is the key to achieving your long-term fitness goals.

Eat fresh and balanced meals, and keep indulging in some or the other form of exercise. Staying active and being up on your feet is key to a healthier life. Stick to these mantras and watch your desired inches on the waistline melt away.

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Dr. Pramod Mane

A Doctor of Medicine (MD) in Pharmacology., currently based in Mumbai, India, Dr Pramod Mane, comes with an experience of more than 20 years of working in Medical Affairs in the Pharmaceuticals & Nutraceutical Industry. Director of Medical Services at Mega Lifesciences since 2008, Dr Mane has been associated with several MNCS in the areas of Medical Affairs, Medical Services, Medico-marketing, Pharmacovigilance & Clinical trials in his illustrious career.

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1 Comments

  1. Very helpful

    Sat, 18 November 2023, 4 months ago

    I will be conscious about exercising daily

    Reply

    Leave a Comment

    1. Physical Activity Guidelines Resources Available at acsm 
    2. Cramer H, Thoms MS, Anheyer D, Lauche R, Dobos G. Yoga in Women With Abdominal Obesityߞa Randomized Controlled Trial. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2016;113(39):645-652.
    3. 10-minute abs workout - Exercise Available at nhs.uk 
    4. Healthy Weight - Diabetes Home Available at cdc.gov 
    5. How to Reduce Waist Circumference Available at livestrong 

    Our team of experts frequently monitors developments in the health and wellness field, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

    Current Version

    Aug, 01 2023

    Written By

    Dr. Pramod Mane