Losing belly fat and having a trim waistline can be a difficult journey, but it’s a path you won’t regret taking! You need to incorporate some good habits into your daily routine, and exercise is important. So here we are with five total body exercises to get a smaller waist at 40.
Many changes occur in your body around this age that contribute to additional weight gain. You start to lose muscle mass and your metabolism starts to slow down. Also, if you don’t sleep well, that can contribute to being overweight. According to research, adults who slept less than five hours, compared to a healthy seven to eight hours, had a 40% increased risk of obesity. Therefore, reducing the kilos in this area of the body is a common physical goal that many people want to achieve.
With the purpose of shrink your waist, it is essential to eat healthy, follow your daily steps and perform strength training. We recommend that strength training be the main element in your exercise routine, as it will help build and maintain muscle, burns more calories than cardio and keeps your metabolism high. By being consistent and getting stronger in your exercises, you will notice that even your waist will look smaller, especially as your upper body fat is reduced.
When deciding exactly which strength training movements to perform, it is important, and most efficient, to choose exercises that target your whole body. Using multiple muscle groups will allow you to burn more fat and help you achieve that smaller waist we’re talking about. Although these compound movements are challenging, they will give you the best results.
Here are five full-body exercises that you can do simply by using a pair of dumbbells. Perform three to four sets of each move.
Start this Lunge + Press by holding a pair of dumbbells in front of your shoulders. Keeping your chest up and core tight, step back with one leg until your knee touches the ground. When you’re at the bottom of the movement, lift the weights up, then lower them before returning to the starting position. Do all reps on one leg before switching sides. Complete three to four sets of six repetitions on each side.
The dumbbell open plank row begins when you get into a standard push-up position. While maintaining a wide stance, grab a pair of dumbbells that are resting on the floor. Keeping your core tight and your glutes contracted, raise a dumbbell up to your hips, then rotate the weight up and extend it straight toward the ceiling. Lower the dumbbell back down in the same pattern, then return to the push-up position before performing another rep on the other side. Complete three to four sets of six to eight repetitions on each side.
For Dumbbell Skier + Punch, hold dumbbells at your sides. Pull the dumbbells back and raise them in front of you using your hips. Then “kick” them forward and then pull them towards you. Stretch your arms down to your sides and repeat. Perform three to four sets of 15 repetitions.
Begin dumbbell side lunges by holding a pair of dumbbells with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest up and step to the side as you push your hips back. Let your back leg lengthen, stretching your inner thigh. Push yourself back to the starting position with the heel of your working leg before coming out the other side. Complete three to four sets of eight repetitions on each leg.
The last of these full-body exercises to get a smaller waist at 40 is the dumbbell pullover + leg raises. Begin by lying on your back, holding a single dumbbell in front of you with your legs fully extended. Keep your core tight and lower your legs to about an inch off the floor. Bring your legs up towards you, then pull the dumbbell behind your head until it touches the ground. Use your core and lats to return you to the starting position before performing another leg raise. Complete three to four sets of eight to 10 reps.
Tim Liu, CSCS
Tim Liu, CSCS, is an online fitness and nutrition coach based in Los Angeles. Read more about Tim
