Summer Body Sculpting Series - Waist Trimming Program

Waist Trimming Program (abs and lower back)
'Summer Sculpting' Part 3 of a 4 part series

Are you having trouble with that little bike tire around your middle? Maybe you just have a small pooch under your belly button you need to get rid of? Many women carry fat around the middle and wish they were the 'hourglass' body type who can gain weight yet still show a waist even with a spare tire! Well I hate to say 'you cannot change genetics' but I do love to say 'all is not lost'!

Draw near and listen closely because with some consistency and small changes to your diet you can succeed at trimming the waist down to an acceptable size!

First thing I want you to do is switch up your fruit bowl for a month and keep some grapefruits instead of other fruits and once per week you can have a banana or some strawberries. Have eggs and oatmeal for breakfast and eat every 2-3 hours from there on, with a next meal being 1 cup of chicken on 2 cups of greens. Meal 3 should be a protein drink and 2-3 hours later for meal 4 have a cup of quinoa, a cup of broccoli or green beans and 6 oz of fish. Use some olive or omega oil to top the food but try not to cook with these oils, steam and grill your food instead. Meal 5 can be turkey stew or mixed bean chili, turkey meatloaf or chicken kabobs. Keep the food simple with no sauces and use non sodium spices such as lemon pepper, basil or cracked pepper. As I mentioned above you can add a spoon of omega oil to top your meats, mix it with mustard if you like for some zing but most other sauces have sugars so avoid them. Balsamic vinegar is a great topping for veggies. Keep pasta and bread out of the house for the month and use brown rice or yams with dinner, no more than a cup.

Try to eat by 8pm and no more food after that point except a protein drink 1-3 hours pre bedtime. This is 80% of your success toward trimming your waist, the exercises only tighten, tone and shape, with some fat burning effects but diet will be the main key.

Training your lower back along with the abs is called core training and you cannot achieve your goal without a combo of both.

Work at a circuit training pace, with no rest until you complete 20 mins of exercises then 5 mins for a break and repeat. Reps should be kept between 50-100 with brief rests, only when needed and keeping lower back work between 20-100 reps.

Reverse Ab crunches and AB flutter kicks are a great lower AB burner although there is no real way to isolate it does somewhat but the whole abdominal area is stimulated. Crunches are still a charm and if you lay a weight plate on your chest you can really maximize this work. Double the crunch by bringing in the knees while you crunch or you can just lift the pelvis for an added flex.

For the sides you can try oblique crunches and oblique decline crunches. You have to really concentrate on these to make them tense in the right areas. Superset or triset your AB work with lower back exercises to complete the core training.

Hyper extensions and good mornings are 2 of my favorites outside of powerlift style deadlifts but care to watch your speed and do not bounce or these exercises can cause injury if not done correctly.

Lying back presses are perfect for those of you who train at home. As you get stronger you can add weight to your hands and ankles.

Additionally I suggest 5 days of cardio for 45 mins at a moderate pace, work up to that if you need and be persistent with this to really trim down some fat. Watch your speed and form to ensure a safe workout!

By Linda Cusmano