How do you get a smaller waist ?!!! I’m stuck
- Thread starter tomarnold
- Start date
@tomarnold Eating enough protein is good for you regardless of whether you’re counting calories or not, but if you want to tailor it to a specific goal, then yes, you should count (whether that’s for a deficit, maintaining, or bulking).
How much you should eat depends on your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and activity level. It is different for every person depending on height and weight and activity level. There are plenty of TDEE calculators out there for you to figure out what your range should be. If you want to lose a pound per week, eat in a 500 calorie deficit, and half a pound would be about 250 calories. To maintain, stay about equivalent to your TDEE.
For example, right now I’m eating at a 500 cal deficit which is 1475-1525 cals, and making sure that I am getting enough protein (about 1g per pound of goal weight so about 100-125g per day), which influences greatly what foods I choose to eat in order to get the protein needed. The great thing is that it keeps me full alllll day even in a deficit.
How much you should eat depends on your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and activity level. It is different for every person depending on height and weight and activity level. There are plenty of TDEE calculators out there for you to figure out what your range should be. If you want to lose a pound per week, eat in a 500 calorie deficit, and half a pound would be about 250 calories. To maintain, stay about equivalent to your TDEE.
For example, right now I’m eating at a 500 cal deficit which is 1475-1525 cals, and making sure that I am getting enough protein (about 1g per pound of goal weight so about 100-125g per day), which influences greatly what foods I choose to eat in order to get the protein needed. The great thing is that it keeps me full alllll day even in a deficit.
confused1984
New member
@tomarnold Weight lifting! I'm 5'3, 126lbs, about 20% bodyfat, and have a 24" waist to 35.5" hip! A lot of what I did to get here was Weight lifting. I mostly focused on what I consider medium (squatting 40-50 lbs max) and 10-12 reps, but I do period of much heavier weight at 6breps every couple months for about 4 weeks then back to the medium weight and medium number of reps.
Every body is different, and I have always had a waistline even when I was bigger (I don't have the bust to say hourglass tbh!!!) but deadliifts, core work, all of that with weight training is really what allowed me to shrink it in to where it is now (and wat more because muscle burns more calories)
Currently, I peloton 5x a week with some weight mixed in and have easily maintained for over a year eating 1700-2k daily caloric intake.
Hope this helps!!!
Every body is different, and I have always had a waistline even when I was bigger (I don't have the bust to say hourglass tbh!!!) but deadliifts, core work, all of that with weight training is really what allowed me to shrink it in to where it is now (and wat more because muscle burns more calories)
Currently, I peloton 5x a week with some weight mixed in and have easily maintained for over a year eating 1700-2k daily caloric intake.
Hope this helps!!!
meteorstorm
New member
@tomarnold I feel it’s all 3. Anyway losing weight and dieting alone did nothing much to reduce my waist size. Even when I was at 90-95lbs which was underweight, my waist was still at 27inches. I only lost about 1.5 inches dropping from 130-95lbs. It sucked because I lost fat mostly in my boobs and butt. PCOS also contributed to me being apple shaped.
My waist now though is 24inches. I am currently 4ft11 and 110lbs. This is after years of Muay Thai and lifting weights. It helped shed the fat there but there is always a but. Abs need to be revealed before I can get this waist and I need to be extremely active. I mean it. I basically have to workout daily. Although it is said you can’t spot reduce. I have realised workouts that basically hammer the core such as heavy compound lifts and Muay Thai in my case can really lean one out and build muscle around the area.
My recent interest in pole dancing, another exercise that is also core heavy has revealed the final 2 abs. My question to you is how far are you willing to go for that goal? In my case I happen to really enjoy all the workouts that I do and pushing myself harder. However not everyone I know is able to do that. You just got to find that balance of what makes you happy.
My waist now though is 24inches. I am currently 4ft11 and 110lbs. This is after years of Muay Thai and lifting weights. It helped shed the fat there but there is always a but. Abs need to be revealed before I can get this waist and I need to be extremely active. I mean it. I basically have to workout daily. Although it is said you can’t spot reduce. I have realised workouts that basically hammer the core such as heavy compound lifts and Muay Thai in my case can really lean one out and build muscle around the area.
My recent interest in pole dancing, another exercise that is also core heavy has revealed the final 2 abs. My question to you is how far are you willing to go for that goal? In my case I happen to really enjoy all the workouts that I do and pushing myself harder. However not everyone I know is able to do that. You just got to find that balance of what makes you happy.
sexualpurity
New member
@tomarnold Not sure if someone has mentioned this but if you grow your lats and shoulders it will give the illusion of a smaller waist. Same with growing your hips. That’s how bodybuilder and fitness models get that hourglass shape. Sometimes you can’t achieve that small waist because of your genetics, but growing the muscles above and below will make your waist look smaller in comparison
camillanorigera
New member
@sexualpurity Came here to say this 
lovelygirl2132
New member
@sexualpurity This is my current goal! Lots of lat and shoulder work.
sexualpurity
New member
@lovelygirl2132 Same here! Good luck to you!
zippitydodah
New member
@tomarnold 27” is a pretty small waist. 24” is a size 0. I’m not sure what the obsession with becoming a size 0-2 is but perhaps it’s not a realistic goal.
@tomarnold Genetics. Bone structure can’t be changed . Same reason why some girls will still wear a size 8 even with low weight. Hip bones can’t be changed
@tomarnold wait- i’m sorry but a 27 inch waist isn’t small? that’s my waist and i’ve never felt like i was too big, damn. 
@tomarnold That's probably just your body.
It might be more possible to accentuate your waist at its current size with booty gains? Squatting heavy is good for that.
It might be more possible to accentuate your waist at its current size with booty gains? Squatting heavy is good for that.
@tomarnold I’m 5’2 129lbs 27” waist 37 hips. I’m not sure mine will get any smaller. My stomach is flat so while I’d love to be 24-25” I really don’t think genetics is going to allow it
@tomarnold During my weight loss journey it became very evident that no matter how much weight I lost, my proportions stayed pretty much the same. There may be certain exercises you can do to help, and I’m no professional by any means, but I’m in the camp based on my personal experience that it’s genetics. It has been so tough to accept, though.
@tomarnold I wish I had answers about getting a smaller waist, but I don’t
Congrats on the weight loss though! I’m currently 126lb and would love to get down to 118. It’s been very hard for me even when counting calories, macros etc and exercising regularly. What helped you the most to lose your weight?
Congrats on the weight loss though! I’m currently 126lb and would love to get down to 118. It’s been very hard for me even when counting calories, macros etc and exercising regularly. What helped you the most to lose your weight?
@adriana28 I replied with this message to someone else, but since there are quite a few replies, I copied it + added more things!
Basically, I was BIG on binge eating. It was such a vicious cycle that I still fall into sometimes but I keep giving myself love and forgiveness. But I decided to eat more veggies and rice (I had to cut out pasta , it was wayyy too yummy and indulgent for me. Hard, but I really began to look at saturated fats and fast foods as something I was giving my body that was hurting it. Emotionally and physically.).
I also made sure my breakfast was like 200 calories , and ate two 500 calorie lunch and dinners. It really really helped! Made sure I had enough veggies protein and fiber to keep me going. I also check the subreddit 1200isplenty for some yummy recipes.
Also, I walked A TON. I got super toned just from simple walking. I would walk 15k steps a day. THAY was really where I got into it. I barely worked out during this time besides like a few spin classes here and there, but that’s rlly not worth mentioning. I believe that I also took it slow. If I was SUPER hungry, I would definitely let myself eat a little bit more, like a 340 cal serving of 20 crackers that was carby but NECESSARY. don’t starve yourself and waste energy space on foods thag aren’t good for you! Make sure a snack may make you feel full! Also, I tried to find high volume snacks, like popcorn, radishes, oatmeal, good thins crackers, etc. that made the journey worthwhile.
Be patient - I definitely cried when I saw the scale go up 5 lbs becuase I had water retention, but two weeks later I realized I was actually LOSING weight. + remember, to give yourself hugs (literally!) to love the person you are in the present moment, and to not bring yourself down if you are not comfortable in your weight. Remember the girl or guy you are now, give that person some love, and say hello to your body when it comes (in time!) I hope this helped.
Basically, I was BIG on binge eating. It was such a vicious cycle that I still fall into sometimes but I keep giving myself love and forgiveness. But I decided to eat more veggies and rice (I had to cut out pasta , it was wayyy too yummy and indulgent for me. Hard, but I really began to look at saturated fats and fast foods as something I was giving my body that was hurting it. Emotionally and physically.).
I also made sure my breakfast was like 200 calories , and ate two 500 calorie lunch and dinners. It really really helped! Made sure I had enough veggies protein and fiber to keep me going. I also check the subreddit 1200isplenty for some yummy recipes.
Also, I walked A TON. I got super toned just from simple walking. I would walk 15k steps a day. THAY was really where I got into it. I barely worked out during this time besides like a few spin classes here and there, but that’s rlly not worth mentioning. I believe that I also took it slow. If I was SUPER hungry, I would definitely let myself eat a little bit more, like a 340 cal serving of 20 crackers that was carby but NECESSARY. don’t starve yourself and waste energy space on foods thag aren’t good for you! Make sure a snack may make you feel full! Also, I tried to find high volume snacks, like popcorn, radishes, oatmeal, good thins crackers, etc. that made the journey worthwhile.
Be patient - I definitely cried when I saw the scale go up 5 lbs becuase I had water retention, but two weeks later I realized I was actually LOSING weight. + remember, to give yourself hugs (literally!) to love the person you are in the present moment, and to not bring yourself down if you are not comfortable in your weight. Remember the girl or guy you are now, give that person some love, and say hello to your body when it comes (in time!) I hope this helped.