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 shapes.
Aside from desirable appeal, there are more compelling reasons to strive for a slim waist. One is that too much belly fat increases your risk for heart disease and other health complications.
We wrote more about this dangerous type of fat in our article "How to get rid of belly fat. "
There are three main reasons why the waist doesn't look slim:
- By the peculiarities of the skeleton. Women with anatomically wide pelvic bones and a small rib cage will appear slimmer at the waist than women who do not have much of a difference in these sizes.
- Due to the amount of fat that is easily deposited in the abdomen.
- Due to the thickness of the oblique abdominal muscles. Athletes who are engaged in powerlifting or crossfit have strongly developed oblique abdominal muscles, there are buckets on the press, but clearly it is not possible to call their waists slim.
Excess body fat is often the main cause of dissatisfaction. What can be done to eliminate it?
To lose weight in the abdomen, you need to actively pump the press.
Not! The fact is, you cannot target a specific area of the body to lose weight in that particular area.
Our body tends to accumulate fat, creating so-called "fat deposits". Its location depends on our unique body composition and genetics. Due to the higher levels of estrogen and the evolutionary defense mechanism of the reproductive organs, women tend to accumulate fat deposits around the thighs and lower abdomen.
When you lose weight, you lose fat deposits from all over your body. Another problem is that you will be the last to lose fat in your "fat stores". This is why repeating an incredible amount of abdominal exercises doesn't make any sense. Full-body workouts are much more effective.
You are what you eat
No matter how much you exercise, you won't have a slim waist or flat abs if your diet is far from balanced. You need a sensible diet that is rich in protein, fruits, and vegetables, and your intake of simple carbohydrates, fried foods, sweets, and soda is kept to a minimum. Eating right will help you increase your physical effort and reduce your waistline.
Treat your body with understanding
Leave all the radical methods in the past: do not exhaust yourself with express diets, do not kill yourself seven days a week in the gym. Work long term: It will be much more effective to train 3 times a week throughout the year, in addition to eating well.
Also, your tummy can look different even within a month - the female body is designed in such a way that it retains more fluid in the second half of the cycle. And therefore her belly may appear more rounded due to this.
Does the hoop help?
Yes, recent studies have shown a positive result. For 6 weeks, the subjects twisted a weighted hoop, allowing a 2% decrease in the amount of fat in the abdomen, as well as a decrease in waist circumference by 3. 1 cm.
Top exercises for slim waist
Vacuum cleaner.This exercise is best done on an empty stomach. Inhale deeply, then draw your abdomen as you exhale slowly, pressing the front wall of your abdomen against your spine. Maintain this state for about 10-15 seconds. Do 4-6 reps.
Touching the heels.Lie on your back with your legs bent at the knees. Pick your shoulder blades off the ground, hands spread across the floor, touch your heels. Do 20 reps of 3 sets.
Elbow placket.Place your elbows and toes on the floor. Stretch your body in a straight line, contracting your belly and glutes. Hold this position as long as possible. After a short break, do 2 more approaches.
Straight turns. Lie on your back, keep your hands behind your head, and bend your knees. As you exhale, lift your shoulder blades off the floor by contracting your rectus abdominis muscle. Do 20 reps of 3 sets.
Reverse crunches.Lie on your back, raise your legs and slightly bend your knees, place your arms parallel to the body. As you exhale, lift your pelvis off the floor and lift your legs. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Do 20 reps of 3 sets.
You can also borrow some yoga asanas for a slim waist:
- Twists help your intestines keep working.
- The bow pose strengthens the center of the abdomen.
- Boat pose strengthens the muscles of the abdomen, back, and legs.
Bad exercise for your 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 move the oblique abdominal muscles: oblique twists, side planks, side push-ups with weights.
Instead of a conclusion
Overall, a combination of good abdominal exercise, proper nutrition, and a long-term approach will pay off with a great appearance, a toned figure, and a slim waist.