While lifting weights specifically for your back and
shoulder muscles will help to give the illusion of a smaller waist, in
this article I will address other ways to achieve the goal of reducing
your midsection.
The first step is to make peace with the body type and
waist size you were born with and then take the appropriate steps towards
shaping up what you have. Your waist size is essentially predetermined by
your ribs and hip bone skeletal structure while the rest of your waist
size is a result of how much fatty tissue surrounds the area. No one likes
to hear that you must lose the fat to gain the prize because we all know
it means things in our lives have to change.
How many of us happily gravitate towards change? Yes,
it’s true…change is hard, but without change, things, including your waist
measurement, will stay the same. The reality is that the body has a mind
of its own when left undisciplined. But with a bit of discipline and some
old fashioned hard work you can become the master of your body. A smaller,
tighter midsection and stronger core are all within your reach if you are
ready to do what it takes. Before I discuss what you must do to reduce
your waist size let’s dispel some misconceptions that exist regarding this
topic.
#1 Breathing exercises will shrink your waist
While it is true that breathing and diagrammatic
exercises will tighten your tummy they will not reduce the body fat that
expanded your tummy to begin with.
#2 Electronic Abdominal Exercise Belts will give you a
six pack
These belts do nothing more than reduce the size of
your wallet. Fortunately, most of the companies that lied in their claims
on TV infomercials are now being sued in a class action suit for their
false claims.
#3 Hundreds of crunches a day will give you a smaller
waist
As a competitive fitness model, if this were true I
should have the smallest waist on the planet. Unfortunately, I do not. I
was born with wide hips and thus the size of my waist is proportionate to
that fact. No matter how many crunches or leg lifts you do you cannot
crunch your way to a tiny midsection. The fat around the waist needs to be
shed before you will ever see the results of all those crunches.
Now that we know what doesn’t work for obtaining a
smaller waist, let’s get to what does work.
Choose A Goal
First you must choose your goal. I will always sing the
praises of goal setting. Why? Because it really does work. Okay, now that
you’ve chosen a goal, write it down! Remember, seeing it in front of you
each day in black and white makes all the difference. Do you want to lost
five pounds overall? Do you want to just get a smaller waist so your pants
aren’t so tight? Do you want a smaller waist but also a stronger core
(abdominal and back strength as a unit)? What’s your goal? Whatever it is,
choose it now.
Every goal in life usually takes hard work to get it
and this is no different. If it were easy, America wouldn’t have the
obesity epidemic it has and everyone would have a waist the size of Pamela
Anderson or Cher (and no I don’t believe the rumor that she had a rib
removed to reduce her waist size). So if you’re ready to commit to the
work here are some action steps to help you achieve a smaller waist.
Diet
The most important thing is not to skip meals so that
when you finally eat you eat large unbalanced meals. Ideally, you should
graze throughout the day. Small but frequent meals are one of the keys to
a smaller waist. If you continuously train your stomach to expand with
large meals, eventually it will permanently extend to accommodate this
eating pattern. Small meals throughout the day (3 to 4 with a snack in
between) will keep you satiated and your stomach won’t have to keep
expanding to allow room for the overabundance of food.
Also, eat slowly. Chew your food as this will aid in
the digestion process. The slower you eat the sooner the brain will be
able to register when you are full. You must allow time for this to occur.
We tend to overeat when we eat in a rush. Try to make meal times relaxed.
Be sure to eat a diet full of vegetables, grains, lean proteins and some
good fats.
One last great tip, eat your last meal 2 to 3 hours
before bedtime. This will give your body time to begin the digestion
process before you lay down for bed and all your bodily functions begin to
slow down. This simple habit will truly make a difference.
Exercise
Probably the most important element on this mission to
a smaller waist is that you begin to include exercise, cardiovascular as
well as weight training, to your daily routine. If you want a great
beginner’s weight training routine, refer to our last issue of this
magazine in my column or go online and look under “exercise programs for
beginners” or whatever level you may be at.
Obviously, if you are carrying excess body fat around
your waist the only way to make your waist smaller is by losing that fat.
You must begin an exercise routine right away. Additionally,
cardiovascular exercise needs to become your friend. Whether it is,
walking at a brisk pace, jogging, biking, tennis, hiking, whatever it is,
you need at least three days a week for thirty to sixty minutes a day to
make a dent in the fat loss goal. Please be rigorous and ask yourself
these questions as you do this cardio exercise. Are you working up a
sweat? Are you feeling challenged? Are your glad when it’s over? If you
answered yes to these three questions, chances are your doing the cardio
work at an appropriate level to encourage fat loss and changes in your
body. Otherwise, why bother. Don’t just go through the motions, do the
work and the results will be yours!
Area Specific Exercises
I know in the beginning of this article I said all the
crunches in the world wouldn’t give you a smaller waist but once the
excess fat is gone from your midsection, yes, abdominal exercises and core
strengthening moves will give you the finishing touch to a tighter and
smaller waist. I will describe three excellent exercises for working the
midsection and core strength. Of course there are many others, but start
with these and add others as you progress. Include these exercises 2-3
times per week with your new fitness program.
Basic Crunch (front abdominals)
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Gently
clasp your hands behind your head. Never pull on your neck. Slowly, curl
up bringing your shoulders off the floor about 6-10 inches. Consciously
tighten your midsection as you lift. Be sure to exhale as you curl up.
Slowly lower. Repeat 15-20 times. Do three sets.
Twisting Crunches (side abdominals)
Begin in the same position as the basic crunch but this time bring your
knees up, feet off the floor. With your hands clasped behind your head
twist your upper body so your right elbow meets your left knee. Squeeze,
then return to starting position. Now twist your body so that your left
elbow meets your right knee. Squeeze and return to starting position.
Repeat 10-15 times on each side. Do three sets.
Plank (core strength)
Lie face down on the floor. Place your hands and wrists directly under
your shoulders. Press your toes into the floor. Firmly with total body
strength, press up until your arms are locked out straight and your body
is in a nearly straight line (as if you’re about to do a push up). This is
the movement. Simply hold this position for 15 seconds to start with. Then
slowly lower down to the floor. Repeat three times. Work up to 30 second
holds. This movement is an excellent core strengthener and will tighten
many muscles if done regularly.
Follow the above suggestions and you should be well on
your way to obtaining the waist size you desire, providing it’s a
realistic goal. Remember, there is no magic pill to any health and fitness
desire. The only way to get there is through hard work, commitment and
discipline. There is truly no better feeling than reaching your goal and
knowing you did whatever it took to get there. So go for it…start today!
