10 Exercises That Will Take Inches From Your Waistline

A chubby kid from Heavyweights, in which kids aim to lose weight and target their waistline at a young age | Disney

If you dread looking at your waistline or trying to squeeze into some old Levi’s, it may be time to consider a serious weight-loss strategy. Whether you’ve struggled with your weight your whole life, or you’ve simply put on some extra pounds the past few years, taking stock of your health and deciding to lose weight can go a long way. Obesity is the underlying cause of a number of diseases, and if you’ve been okay with ignoring the issue, you may be hurting yourself more than you realize.
To get things under control, you’re going to have to make some lifestyle changes. These probably won’t be fun, but if you’re serious about losing weight and getting healthier, they’re necessary. It should start with your diet. Look at the number of calories you’re consuming along with the quality of the food you’re eating. That’s step one.

Secondly, you need to get some exercise. This is what most people dread, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend hours on the treadmill. Dropping inches from your waistline can be fun if you’re willing to try a few different exercises.

If you can eat right, go to bed on time, and spare an hour or so every day for exercise, you’ll lose weight. It’s really that simple. And if you want to jump-start things, try some of these exercises and workouts that will burn through your fat stores and help you build lean muscle. You may not like them all, but if you can find something you enjoy, it may be a much easier way to get to a healthy weight.

1. Swimming

Man swimming 

For low-impact, full body workouts, it doesn’t get much better than swimming. Using nearly every muscle in your body to stay afloat and propel yourself forward eats through a ton of calories, and if you can make a regular habit of swimming, you should see some significant physical changes — assuming you have your diet and sleep schedule on-point as well.

2. Climbing

A man scaling a rock face 

Climbing is similar to swimming in that you’ll need to summon a lot of strength and endurance to keep it up. Your muscles will fatigue, and you’ll burn through a lot of energy while climbing, which makes it an excellent full-body workout. It does take some skill, though, and may not be a realistic option for everyone.

3. Running

Man running on the beach | 

A lot of people hate to run, and it can be a very real challenge, both physically and mentally. But it really is the most simple and effective way to burn calories and lose weight. If you were to start spending long stretches on the treadmill or running the streets day after day, you’re going to see the pounds start to fall off. But again, a lot of people hate to run. If you want to give it a shot, there are some programs to get you going.

4. Rowing

A man on a rowing machine 

Whether you’re using a machine or you’re actually out on the water, rowing can be a great way to burn some calories. It’ll get your heart rate going, meaning you’re getting plenty of fat-burning aerobic exercise, and it also give your arms, shoulders, and back muscles a real workout.

5. Hiking

Besseggen Ridge in Norway | Tina Stafren/Visit Norway via Facebook

To add some adventure and variety to your routine, try getting into hiking. It’s a hell of a workout, and depending on how hard you want to push it, you can burn through thousands of calories on an all-day excursion. There are numerous levels of difficulty and seemingly endless places you can hike. If you enjoy it, your workouts are suddenly fun outings instead of struggles with will power.

6. Kettlebell workouts

Kettlebell squat 

Building up your muscle groups will also help you lose weight. The bigger your muscles are, the more calories they’re going to burn during the day. And if you don’t want to get into a serious weight lifting regimen, you can put together a cardio-intensive workout with kettlebells. Keep one at home (or even at work, if you have space) and do some quick exercises that will get your heart pumping and challenge your muscles.

7. Burpees

Burpees will definitely get you in shape 

If you haven’t done a burpee since high school — or never done one at all — it’s an underrated exercise that can leave you a sweaty, panting mess in a relatively short period of time. Try doing some burpees at varying intensities and see how you like them. Make them a habit, and you’ll be shedding pounds in no time.

8. Jump rope

Jumping rope at a gym 

Jump ropes aren’t just for children. They’re a very easy way to get in a quick, easy, and intense workout. Seriously, a jump rope workout can burn through hundreds of calories, and you can get one for hardly any money. Not to mention you can do it around the house, avoiding a gym membership.

9. Battle ropes

Jump ropes aren’t the only ropes that can help you drop weight. Battle ropes, though pretty new to mainstream gyms, are a very intense and tiring workout. If you don’t know what they are or how they work, check out the video above.
10. Cycling

Woman speeding down a road on her bike 

Finally, another way to lose weight, get in a great workout, and have fun is cycling. It’s more fun than running, allows you to experiment with different levels of difficulty, and of course, you’ll get to do some exploring. If you want to lose some inches from your waistline (and avoid hitting the treadmill) cycling might be a great alternative.