These daily moves will help tighten and firm your waistline.
If you’re looking to slim down your waistline, you don’t need to lift heavy weights to get the job done. While traditional strength training is important, most gym-goers aren’t engaging their core correctly during lifts, says Cori Lefkowith, NASM-CPT, CES, FNS, PES, author of The STRONG System and founder/owner/head coach at Redefining Strength, an online fitness company helping individuals redefine strength with smarter training techniques so they can achieve lasting results. Performing isolation moves to retrain that engagement and boost the mind-body connection is essential. So, we spoke with experts who shared their top-recommended daily exercises that can help you shed waist-thickening faster than weightlifting after 50.
Waist thickening is one of those pesky bodily changes that becomes common with age, due to hormonal shifts and fat redistribution.
“As estrogen declines, the body is more prone to storing fat around the abdomen. Changes in our insulin sensitivity with age can also have an impact,” Lefkowith says. “And at the same time, many people lose muscle and stop engaging their deep core effectively. Add in poor posture and stress, and you can feel like your waistline expands overnight, even if you’re still working out regularly.”
If you’re looking to get back into shape, remember that standard weight lifting doesn’t always mean a leaner or tighter-looking waistline. According to Domenic Angelino, MS, MPH, CSCS, CPT, a Brown University-educated fitness expert with a background in the psychosocial and physiologic aspects of exercise science, this is due to the difference between the number of calories burned versus consumed.
“Weight lifting doesn’t burn a large number of calories on its own. It has a lot of other benefits that are great for your health, making you feel and look better. But, it doesn’t burn as many calories in a short amount of time as cardio, like running, stair climbing, biking, or swimming,” he explains.
Lefkowith notes that without optimizing your diet, you won’t see noticeable changes in body fat—especially pesky belly fat.
“A lot of people are reinforcing poor bracing patterns when they lift, which can contribute to a more distended look,” she adds. “Just like any muscle, your core needs to be trained with intention. Focused work for the deep core, especially the transverse abdominis, is key if you want a tighter, more supported waist.”
Now, let’s dive into the exercises Lefkowith and Angelino recommend adding to your daily routine.
Planks
“Planking is an isometric exercise, meaning it won’t lead to a large amount of muscle growth in the muscles it targets,” explains Angelino. “This is ideal because bigger ab muscles make your stomach stick out more if you have fat over the top of it. However, it allows you to train your transverse abdominis, addressing a common postural issue that comes with age that leads to waists appearing larger.”
- Place your hands under your shoulders.
- Press into the pads of your fingers and hug your inner arm toward your armpit.
- Walk your feet out to hip-width.
- Engage your abs, squeeze your buttocks, and pull upward through your quads.
- Hold the position for the prescribed time.
Side Planks
“Side planks are isometric, meaning they don’t cause a large amount of muscle growth incidentally in the middle part of the abs, the rectus abdominus, which is helpful in avoiding the stomach jutting out too much. However, they train the obliques which have a significant role in addressing a postural issue that is common with age that makes waists appear worse,” Angelino points out.
- Begin by lying on your side and placing your elbow below your shoulder.
- Your feet should be stacked.
- Lift your hips off the floor so that your body forms a straight line from your head to your feet.
- Hold the position for the prescribed time.
Dead Bugs
- Lie flat on your back, arms extended toward the ceiling and knees lifted in a tabletop position.
- Press your back into the floor and engage your core.
- Lower one arm and the opposite leg.
- Return to the start position.
- Repeat on the other side and continue to alternate.
Bird Dog
- Start on all fours.
- Extend your left arm and right leg.
- Hold for a moment before returning to the start position.
- Switch sides and continue to alternate.
Running
Lace up your shoes and hit the pavement for some cardio.
According to Angelino, “Running is far more helpful than traditional weight lifting because it enables you to burn a lot of calories quickly. Naturally, if you burn a lot of calories, you’ll carry less fat on your body, meaning your waist will be firmer and less thick.”
Elliptical With Arm Movement
If you’d rather complete your cardio indoors or want to use a machine other than the treadmill, consider the elliptical.
“Similar to running, using an elliptical helps you burn a large amount of calories quickly. But it also comes with another hidden benefit. It trains your lat and chest muscles, basically making your back and chest appear larger,” Angelino says. “This creates a visual contrast that results in your abdomen appearing smaller and therefore coming across as less thick. It’s a helpful hack that can compound the other work you are doing to directly improve your abdomen and waist.”
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has 11+ years of experience covering wellness, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle, and home. Read more about Alexa
