The new guide makes us think about our waistlines.
The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) says adults with a body mass index of less than 35 should make sure their waist measurement is less than half their height. For example, if you’re 5 feet 5 inches tall, you might want your waist to be 32.5 inches or less. This isn’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach, as we all have different weights, but it could be a good starting point.
People who carry more weight around their waist may be more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
A slim waist alone isn’t necessarily enough to ensure you’re fit and healthy, but putting more effort into exercise and a healthy diet isn’t a bad thing. If you have any concerns about your health and fitness, talk to your doctor.
Ab exercises could help trim your waist, with Georgie Spurling, fitness trainer and founder of GS Wellness (gsmethod.es), saying, “Having a strong core makes you feel incredibly strong in every way. In day-to-day things like sitting at your desk, climbing stairs, and more, it makes a big difference in the way you carry yourself.”
While “you can’t spot-reduce fat,” he says, “We can target certain areas with strengthening movements to make them appear more defined. Body fat percentage plays an important role in this. If you are skinny, your muscles will appear more visible. So nutrition is key.”
By having a healthy balanced diet and focusing on waist training exercises, you may be able to trim your stomach and feel stronger. Here are some exercises you can do, without having to do hundreds of sit-ups…
Planks and their multiple variations
Ben Scarles, Trainer and Studio Manager at F45 Soho (f45training.co.uk/soho) explains that “a plank is one of the most famous and easiest exercises you can do to improve your core strength.”
If you’re bored with the normal version, it says: “Try a three-point table [where you hold a plank, alternating between raising one leg off the ground, then the other]or a high-low table [where you move between a plank on your hands and on your elbows, trying to keep your body steady].”
Scarles also recommends trying a side plank, which is sure to make your belly quiver.
HIIT
HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, can burn fat and muscle while always keeping your workouts interesting.
“For getting stronger, HIIT works really well,” says Scarles. Most gyms offer HIIT classes, and there are plenty that can be accessed online if you want to try them out at home.
It can be quite tricky to target specific areas of your body, and Scarles suggests that you can’t “control where you lose weight from,” so why not adopt a whole-body attitude and try to feel stronger everywhere?
hollow body clamp
According to Scarles, a hollow body grip is basically a flipped board. Lying on your back, lift your head, shoulders, arms, and legs into the air using your abs, while keeping your lower back flat on the floor.
The more you stretch those arms and legs and the longer you hold them, the harder the workout will be. Scarles also recommends adding a rock back and forth to really hit the obliques.
Squats and deadlifts
When we think about losing weight, we may sometimes avoid heavy weight training for fear of getting “bulky,” but in reality, lifting weights can make it easier to tone up and shed inches in the long run.
Scarles says that squats and deadlifts are “full-body exercises,” and you’ll keep coming back to them, “because you get those little wins when you’re able to lift more than you’ve ever done before.”
Lifting weights requires you to engage your core, to carry the load and avoid injury.
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