For women, a slim waist is highly desirable as it adds sophistication to the silhouette and emphasizes other virtues. In our article, we will tell you in detail what will help you achieve the desired shape.
In addition to the desirable attraction, there are more compelling reasons to strive for a slim waist. One is that too much belly fat increases the risk of heart disease and other health complications.
We wrote more about this dangerous type of fat in the article "How to get rid of belly fat".
There are three main reasons why the waist does not look thin:
- Due to the peculiarities of the skeleton. Women with anatomically wide pelvic bones and a small rib will look leaner at the waist than women who don’t make much of a difference in those sizes.
- Due to the amount of fat that easily settles in the abdomen.
- Due to the thickness of the oblique abdominal muscles. Athletes who do weightlifting or crossfit have very developed oblique abdominal muscles, there are cubes on the press, but the waist obviously cannot be called thin.
Excess body fat is usually the main cause of dissatisfaction. What can be done to get rid of it?
To lose weight in the abdomen, you need to actively pump the press.
No! The fact is that you cannot target a specific area of the body to lose weight in that specific area.
Our body tends to accumulate fat, creating so-called "fat stores". Their place depends on our unique body composition and genetics. Due to higher estrogen levels and the evolutionary defense mechanism of the reproductive organs, women tend to accumulate fat stores around the thighs and lower abdomen.
When you lose weight, you lose fat all over your body. The second problem is that you will be the last to lose fat in your "fat stores". So repeating a crazy amount of abdominal exercises makes no sense. It is much more effective to do workouts for the whole body.
You are what you eat
No matter how much you exercise, you won’t have a slim waist or flat abs if your diet isn’t far from balanced. You need a reasonable diet rich in protein, fruits and vegetables, and the intake of simple carbohydrates, fried foods, sweets and carbonated drinks is reduced to a minimum. Proper nutrition will help you increase physical exertion and reduce your waistline.
Treat your body with understanding
Leave all radical methods in the past: don't be exhausted by express diets, don't kill yourself seven days a week in the gym. Work long-term: It will be much more efficient for you to train 3 times a week throughout the year, as well as to eat properly.
In addition, your belly can look different even within a month: a woman’s body is designed in such a way that it retains more fluid in the second half of the cycle. And, because of that, your belly may look more rounded because of this.
Does the hoop help?
Yes, recent research has shown a positive result. Over the course of 6 weeks, subjects twisted a weighted hoop, which allowed a 2% reduction in abdominal fat as well as a 3. 1 cm reduction in waist circumference.
Top exercises for a slim waist
Vacuum.This exercise is best done on an empty stomach. Inhale deeply, then retract your abdomen as you exhale slowly, pressing the front wall of your abdomen against your spine. Hold this state for about 10-15 seconds. Do 4-6 reps.
Touching the heel.Lie on your back with your legs bent at the knees. Tear the blades off the floor, touch the heels with your hands outstretched on the floor. Do 20 reps for 3 sets.
Elbow board.Place your elbows and fingers on the floor. Stretch your body in one straight line, squeezing your abdomen and buttocks. Stay in this position as long as possible. After a short break, make 2 more approaches.
Straight reversals.Lie on your back, keep your hands behind your head and bend your knees. As you exhale, pull your shoulder blades off the floor by contracting the rectus abdominis muscles. Do 20 reps for 3 sets.
Reverse crushing.Lie on your back, lift your legs and bend your knees slightly, placing your arms parallel to your body. As you exhale, tear your pelvis off the floor, pushing your legs up. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Do 20 reps for 3 sets.
For a slim waist, you can also borrow a few yoga asanas:
- Turns help maintain the gut.
- The bow pose strengthens the center of the abdomen.
- The posture strengthens the muscles of the abdomen, back and legs.
Bad exercise for the waist
In fact, as long as you have belly fat, you can’t say that some exercise will hurt you. However, if you have almost no body fat, you should avoid exercises that swing the oblique abdominal muscles: oblique twists, sideboards, side weights with weights.
Instead of a conclusion
All in all, a combination of good abdominal exercise, proper diet and long-lasting focus will pay off with a great look, a toned figure and a slim waist.