5 Weight Loss Exercises to Cinch Your Waist

If you want to get a smaller waist, you need to exercise your core. If you only do crunches, you won't get the results you're looking for.

You also have to target specific muscles in your midsection. Here are a few exercises that will help you lose weight and cinch your waist:

---

Best Weight Loss Exercises

Here're five such exercises:

#1 Bicycle crunch

Bicycle crunches are a great way to target the obliques, the muscles that run down each side of your waist.

The obliques help you rotate and flex, so they're great for lifting heavy things or any time you need extra support for something heavy. like an armful of groceries.

To do bicycle crunches:

• Lie on the floor with both legs bent at 90 degrees and arms crossed over one another above your head.
• Use your core muscles to move one knee up towards your chest while bringing the opposite elbow towards it (imagine pedaling on a bicycle).
• Bring both knees back down, and repeat with alternate elbows again. Don't let your lower back sag while doing the exercise.

---

#2 Plank

Plank is a core exercise that works the back, abs, and shoulders.

To do it:

• Get into a push-up position with your hands on the floor under your shoulders and knees on the floor under your hips.
• Keep a straight line from head to heels throughout the exercise; don't let your hips sag or lift up too high. Brace your abs to maintain this position as you breathe normally.
• Hold for 30 seconds (or as long as you can); rest for 30 seconds, and repeat two more times.

You can modify this move by making it easier by lowering one foot to the ground, or harder by raising one leg while holding a plank position

---

#3 Russian twist

The Russian twist is a great exercise for toning the obliques, which are the muscles on either side of your spine.

To do it:

• Lie on your back with your arms by the sides and knees bent at 90 degrees. Lift yourself off the ground so that only the lower back remains in contact with it.
• Turn both knees to one side, exhaling as you do so.
• When you’re facing up again, twist from side to side as far as possible while maintaining contact between the upper back and floor throughout all movements (if necessary, use a towel under each hand).
• Hold for a second before returning to the starting position; repeat ten times on each side for one set.

---

#4 Dead bug

Dead bugs are a core exercise that strengthens the abs and back. They're also good for getting rid of back pain, improving posture, and building strength in the upper body.

To perform dead bugs:

• Lie on your back with arms out to either side at shoulder height and palms facing down.
• Lift your legs so that your knees are bent at 90 degrees at the hips, with your thighs parallel to the floor.
• Lift your head off the floor as you straighten one arm while lowering the other towards the floor till they meet halfway.
• Concurrently, bring one bent leg down as you straighten it.
• Keep the other leg bent and suspended above you. Pause briefly before returning to the starting position.
• Repeat the movement on the other side after 15 seconds or so.

---

#5 HIIT

HIIT stands for high intensity interval training, and it's a type of workout that alternates between intense bursts of exercise and low intensity recovery periods. This type of workout has been shown to be effective at burning fat and building muscle. It takes less time than your average sweat session, which is why HIIT is popular among people who want to get in shape quickly.

While there are many different ways to design an interval workout, the most common approach involves alternating between two different types of movements. For example, you might move quickly from one exercise to another before resting for a few minutes. Repeat this cycle several times before finishing up with some stretching.

---

Takeaway

While the aforemnetioned workouts can be difficult, they are effective at burning fat and toning the core. If you want to lose weight in just a few weeks, it's important to work on these muscles and make them stronger than ever.