How to Get a Slimmer Waist

Much like weight gain in general, there are myriad factors, including poor diet, stress, hormonal imbalances, emotional eating, lack of adequate rest, and not moving our bodies enough. Alternately, we sometimes over-train parts of our bodies—like with spinning, which can create thicker, heavier quads on some frames.

But why does weight tend to go to our midsection? All of these factors can come into play, but as a structural integration practitioner I tend to look at the role of gravity and the impact of posture on our connective tissue. Basically, over time, gravity and the weight of our upper body can cause the space between the ribs and the hips to get squished and compressed, which in turn leads to a shortening and thickening of the waist. When our waistlines shorten, all the muscles, tissues, organs, skin, and fat start to bulge out to the sides making us look and feel thicker than we really are. To make matters worse this can also negatively influence digestion, metabolism, circulation, oxygenation, and organ and gland efficiency, leading to bloating, density, and inflammation. When more space is available for movement, breath, and circulation in this vital area, not only does the entire waist shrink and the midsection lengthen, but your energy will also increase and you will stand taller.

The waist or sides of the body tend to be neglected in our everyday lives: We spend a lot of time sitting, slouching, driving, and working on computers (or texting). Essentially, we’re just holding onto tension, stress, and worry. During my structural integration training we analyzed the way people in different cultures walk. Not surprisingly, those of us in West tend to walk—excuse the term—as if we have a stick up our asses. We’re rigid, tight, anxious, and inflexible and carry the stresses of our daily lives in our gait. Conversely people in African and South-American cultures tend to walk with their heads held high and with a relaxed movement: Their hips swing, their torsos twist side to side, and they have a more graceful presence to them. What this style of walking also means is that they are effectively doing core work in the muscles and fascia of their torsos with every step, toning the core while also helping to flush toxins, unwind tension, and release stress. So in addition to the roller moves below, whenever you walk (we take on average 5,900 steps a day just getting around our lives—that’s without cardio), stride with movement and grace. It will help your body twist, ‘ringing out’ your organs, increasing the oxygenation throughout, and whittling your waist in the process.
The foam roller acts as a tool for myo-fascial release, lubricating your tissues and joints, melting away stress, and boosting circulation tremendously. The roller gets into the fascia in much the same way that a deep-tissue massage does, working out the toxins and scar tissue and helping to reformulate the structure of the muscles into a sleeker, leaner, more flexible form.

The roller also helps us tap into our intrinsic and core muscles—or, as I like to call them, the “skinny-buff muscles.” When incorporated with Pilates-inspired movements, the foam roller essentially destabilizes us. In order to balance, we have to “turn on” those core and intrinsic muscles that can be difficult to activate in most gym exercises or cardio workouts. The great thing about this program is that it can be an add-on to other workouts you love. You can take it on the road or do it at night before bed. It takes just a few minutes, allowing you to work smarter and not necessarily harder.