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In Search of the Trim Waist--Best Strategies
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By Susan Callahan, Health Editor and Featured Columnist
February 13, 2008, last updated January 21, 2012
Since 1900, Americans have grown from an average of just
over five feet five inches to just under six feet. Unfortunately,
we have grown not just vertically but horizontally as well. Our
waist lines are expanding. Fast. Are there any strategies we can
use to reduce our waist lines? What are the best ways to trim
your waist?
Americans are the most obese people in the developed world.
Over a third of us are obese. Obese. Two-thirds of us are
overweight. We have the highest rates of heart disease and
preventable death in the world. Gaining on us fast -- no pun
intended --are our fellow Westerners in the UK. A recent 2011
report from the UK published in the Lancet (which cited a study
from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development) examined data from 199 countries. The study
found that 1.5 billion people worldwide are overweight, and
502 million are actually obese. The US and the UK had the
highest rates of obesity for the past 20 years. Ouch!
Of all the statistics destined to depress us about the state our
bodies are in, perhaps the most significant is our waist line
measurement. Because sub-dermal fat deposited around the
waist emits hormones which affect our internal organs more
than fat anywhere else on our bodies, such fat increases our
risk for developing heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
In 2006, Canadian scientists in Canada studied the waist sizes
of 168,000 men and women worldwide. The results were, well,
heart-stopping. The study showed that the risk of heart disease
increased 21 to 40 per cent for every 5½in (14cm) a man
added to his waist line. In women, the risk of heart disease
increased 21 to 40 percent for every 5¾in (14.9cm) increase in
their waistlines.
The culprit? The usual suspects --- high blood sugar, lack of
exercise, excess dietary fat. High insulin levels convert excess
blood-sugar into belly girth. We start to take the shape of
apples or pumpkins rather than pears. (Read more about Sugar
and the Disease Connection).
What is the ideal waistline number? As you might expect,
recommendations vary. Under the guidelines of the
International Diabetes Federation, a normal waist measurement
for a woman is 32 inches or less, and for a man is 38 inches or
less. Many doctors are even more stringent, recommending a
target of 30 inches or less for a woman and 35 for a man.
How do we start trimming our waistlines. Here is a list of the
most recommended strategies:
1. Walk, walk walk. Walking trims your overall body fat,
sometimes even better than running. Walk at least 45 minutes
to an hour a day. Encourage yourself to walk by parking a block
farther away from work. Trim your lunch hour to 45 minutes
and walk the extra 15. (Europeans walk 3 times more than we
Americans. Read more.)
2. Cut the fat from your diet. Trim the fat back by using a spray
rather than pouring fat when you cook.
3. Eat bread sparingly. Try eating one slice instead of two for
just one of your meals, Then up the ante to go bread free for
one of your meals.
4. Save desserts for the weekend.
5. Drop and squat. Weight-bearing exercises such as squats will
increase your resting metabolism over time, which will gradually
trim your belly. You don't need a gym. Just do 3 sets of squats
for 8-12 repetitions each.
6. Eat Foods That Help Shrink Your Waist. Fish with omega-3
fatty acids have been found effective in trimming your waist.
Related: Normal Waist Size / Normal Waist Size for a Man /
Waist Size Matters /Ideal Breakfast to Lose Weight /
Blueberries Fight Belly Fat -New Study! / Weight
Loss-Comprehensive Review of Diets That Work
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| The great French actress Brigitte Bardot in her heyday at age 19 had a legendary small waist, reportedly only 19 inches. |