How to Exercise to Lose Weight From the Waist

Reduce your waist with ab-blasting exercises.

Abdominal fat is either visceral or subcutaneous, both of which can be hazardous to your health. Visceral fat is located deep within -- surrounding the abdominal organs -- and is associated with diabetes. Subcutaneous fat lies closer to the skin's surface and can be pinched by the hand. To see if your waist needs whittling, measure your torso with a tape measure aligned at the navel. According to the Harvard Medical School, women with a waist larger than 33 inches are prone to health complications. A healthy diet and exercise can help reduce excess inches from your waist.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Exercise mat

Instructions

1. Decrease caloric intake and increase the intensity of your cardio routine. Losing weight from your middle is not a matter of spot training, or solely working the target muscle group. To shed the excess fat, you should do at least 20 minutes of cardio four times per week in addition to your strength training exercises. These workouts will be maximally effective when combined with a healthy diet.

2. Whittle your sides while working the entire midsection with bicycle crunches. Lie down on a mat and pick up your legs, folding at the knee to a 45 degree angle. Place your hands lightly behind your head. Without pulling on the neck, lift your chest off the ground and bring your left elbow to touch your right leg while pulling the leg towards the elbow to create a crunching motion. Switch sides and bring your right elbow to your left leg, continuing to move in a bicycle-like motion. Continue for 12 to 15 repetitions -- one back and forth counts as one repetition. Complete one to three sets for maximum strengthening.

3. Tone your upper and lower abs with v crunches. Start lying on the mat with your arms and legs extended. Pull your body up to balance on your tailbone with your body folded in a v position, arms by your sides and lifted an inch off the ground. Hold for two counts then slowly lower down to the starting position. Complete one to three sets of 11 repetitions.

4. Plank it out. Face towards your mat with your forearms on the mat aligned with your shoulders. Lift your hips off the mat, balancing on your forearms and toes. Maintain a flat back and make sure not to sag or rise at the hips. Hold this position as long as possible -- 15 seconds to start -- then return to resting position. Plank exercises burn fat that builds around the front and back of your midsection.

5. Challenge yourself with superman exercises. Lie on your stomach with arms and legs slightly apart and outstretched. Lift your arms and legs off the mat as far as you are able to hold it. Pause for two counts then return to resting position. Complete 12 to 15 repetitions to add superior definition to your core.

References

• Harvard Medical School: Adominal Fat and What to Do About It
• Power Abs Workout: Abs Workout
• Prevention: Fast Track to Flat Belly