Is It Safe to Lose Inches Off Your Waist in Days?

While you may be anxious to shed pounds and inches from your waist in mere days, it's important to approach weight loss with a long-term mindset. Few good things are achieved easily or quickly — weight loss included. Keeping inches off your waist requires a lifestyle change, not a quick fix.

Gradual improvements in your diet, exercise and sleep routines will get you to your goal in time. Don't forget to practice a little kindness to yourself — progress is rarely linear!

Our body stores two types of fat: subcutaneous and visceral, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Most of the fat on your body is subcutaneous, which is the visible fat under your skin that you may be eager to lose.

Visceral fat is found deep in the midsection, surrounding the organs. You can't touch visceral fat, but you can see it gathering around the abdomen. Though neither type of fat is healthy in excess, visceral fat can be especially problematic.

Visceral fat covers vital organs like the liver, pancreas and intestines, and has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, among other conditions, per Harvard Health Publishing.

While visceral fat is more dangerous than subcutaneous, it can be shed using the same methods, according to the Mayo Clinic. Eating a healthier diet, getting regular exercise, managing stress and getting sufficient sleep are all ways to help you lose inches off your waist.

Losing fat can happen in just a few weeks, but keep the long term in mind. Try your best to prioritize health over appearance, and practice methods that will keep the fat off for good. Attempting to lose drastic amounts of weight in days may work in the short term but will likely result in weight regain, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

When you want to lose inches from your waist, you need to make a healthy change to your calorie consumption. Losing weight requires burning more calories than you take in, also known as a calorie deficit. You can safely cut between 500 to 1,000 calories from your daily intake to create a deficit, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Calorie deficits are not a one-size-fits-all equation. Use a calorie counter to see how many calories you eat every day. Then, consider how many calories you can trim and comfortably sustain over a long period of time.

No one diet or specific type of exercise can spot reduce fat from anywhere on the body. There's no way to speed up the number of inches you lose from your waist. But as your total body fat drops, your waist circumference will shrink, too.

Calories are important, but food ‌quality‌ plays a big role in fat loss, too. Ultra-processed foods, for instance, have been linked to excess calorie consumption and weight gain, according to a July 2019 study in ‌Cell Metabolism‌. So, it's probably safest to avoid the chip and cookie aisles in the store, sticking closely to the fresh produce and protein.

To maximize your daily calorie intake as much as possible, fill up on fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber and low in calories. Fiber slows the pace at which foods pass through your digestive system, keeping you full for longer, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Other fiber-rich foods include beans, legumes and almonds.

Protein is another key player in weight loss. Lean meats like chicken, turkey and fish are high in protein but lower in calories than other meats. Like fiber, getting enough protein can help you stay satisfied, possibly because of its dampening effect on ghrelin, a hormone involved in triggering hunger, according to a June 2015 study in the ‌American Journal of Clinical Nutrition‌.

While isolation exercises like hanging leg raises or planks help build core strength, they won't necessarily trim your waist. You can't spot reduce through exercise, but establishing a regular workout routine will help you lose total body weight. Then, coupled with some core exercises, you can build a stronger midsection.

Your metabolism is the process by which your body burns calories, according to the Mayo Clinic. Even if you're just lying in bed, your metabolism uses energy to help your body breathe or circulate blood. The more muscle mass in your body, the higher your metabolic rate and the faster you burn calories.

That means strength training is a great way to shift your body composition (your body's ratio of muscle to fat). Shoot for two or more weight training sessions per week, recommends the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Prioritize compound exercises like kettlebell swings, deadlifts and renegade rows in your workout. Compound moves will work several muscle groups at once, increasing your overall calorie burn, according to the American Council on Exercise.

It's not uncommon to cope with stress by eating (or even over-eating) comforting foods. Cortisol, a stress-related hormone, increases your appetite, especially for high-fat or sugary, calorie-laden treats, according to Harvard Health Publishing, thereby sabotaging your weight-loss goals.

Stress can also negatively affect your sleep, which can cause your body to retain fat, per the Mayo Clinic. Lack of sleep can also do a number on your willpower, making it even harder to resist tempting foods. And of course your ability to crush a workout is also compromised with sleep deprivation.

Reduce stress and improve your sleep with regular exercise, a favorite hobby or consistent meditation. Limit your screen time before bed and, above all, listen to and prioritize your body (you only get one!).