Boost Your Waistline: 5 Daily Exercises to Firm Your Core Faster Than Weight Training for Those Over 55

Get rid of those stubborn love handles by incorporating these effective exercises into your daily routine.

The infamous waistline bulge, often dubbed “love handles,” is a familiar challenge for many. This unwanted fat that spills over your jeans can be difficult to manage. If you’re seeking ways to slim down without resorting to traditional weightlifting, we’ve got some expert advice for you. We spoke with Terry Tateossian, Founder and Certified Lifestyle Medicine Coach, Trainer, and Nutritionist for Women 40+ at THOR – The House of Rose. Tateossian, who boasts extensive training in women’s health and weight loss for those in middle age, shares five daily exercises to help tone and firm the waistline.

As we age, particularly after 55, thickening around the waist becomes more prevalent due to hormonal changes and dietary habits. Even the most active individuals can find it challenging to contend with the natural decline in muscle mass, reduced insulin sensitivity, and fluctuating energy levels.

“Regular activities like walking, hiking, yoga, or pilates, while beneficial, don’t directly combat sarcopenia,” explains Tateossian. “To achieve optimal results, it’s crucial to ensure adequate protein intake and manage your daily caloric consumption so that it doesn’t exceed your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). Maintaining a trim waistline is largely about eating either below or at your TDEE.”

“Even if you ‘exercise’ on a regular basis—like walking, hiking, yoga, pilates—those specific activities don’t directly address sarcopenia,” Tateossian tells us. “In addition, in order to see superior results, we need proper protein intake, and a daily caloric intake that does not exceed total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). The key driver of keeping the waist trim is to either eat below TDEE or at TDEE.”

Below are five daily exercises to add to your rotation if you want to get your waistline back into shape.

Flutter Kicks

1. Lie flat on your back on a workout mat.
2. Place your hands under your glutes—palms facing down—for lower back support.
3. Your legs should be extended and heels hovering over the floor.
4. Press your lower back into the ground to activate your core.
5. Begin to kick your legs up and down in a small “fluttering” motion.
6. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 25 to 35 reps, resting for 2 to 3 minutes between sets.

Thread the Needle Plank

1. Assume a high plank with your hands under your shoulders and your body straight from head to heels.
2. Breathe in as you reach your right arm toward the sky.
3. Keep your left hand pressed firmly into the floor.
4. Exhale as you reach your right arm under your left arm.
5. Rest your right shoulder and ear on the workout mat.
6. Gaze toward the left.
7. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, resting for 2 to 3 minutes between sets.

Side-Lying Hip Abduction

1. Start by lying on one side of your body with your legs stacked.
2. Lift your top leg slightly back and up.
3. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps on each side, resting for 2 to 3 minutes between sets.

Pilates Bicycle Crunches

1. Lie down flat on the ground with your knees raised and bent to 90 degrees.
2. Place your hands behind your head.
3. Crunch up as you bring your left elbow toward your right knee and extend your left leg.
4. Repeat on the other side, bringing your right elbow toward your left knee and extending your right leg.
5. Continue to alternate, performing 3 to 4 sets of 25 to 35 reps with 2 to 3 minutes of rest between sets.

Hollow Body Hold

1. Lie flat on your back with your arms extended overhead.
2. Press your lower back into the bed while lifting your legs and shoulders off the surface, maintaining a slight curve with your body.
3. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps, resting for 2 to 3 minutes between sets.