The One-Week Waistline: Seven Days to a Tighter Tummy

For most people, the battle of the bulge seems to heat up during the spring and summer months. So here’s a summer fitness challenge for you: Give me one week, and you can get your waistline back!

Yep, you read that correctly. With the right combination of diet and exercise, you’ll be amazed at what can happen to your midsection in seven days. Just follow this simple one-week, waist-whittling program.

Day 1: Get moving. I’ve shot a fun and simple abdominal workout that you can do every day. As the week progresses, we’ll add more to your daily routine, but for now, watch the above video to get started.

Day 2: Start your fat-burning engines. Today, add some cardio that incorporates intervals (short bursts of high-intensity exercise) so that you can really start to melt away that extra layer of fat. Here’s a basic version of an interval routine that you can do on your next walk, run, or on a stationary bike or elliptical: Warm up for 5 minutes, and then do a 90 second interval (where you push yourself to at least 75% of your maximum effort). Then slow back down and recover for 90 seconds. And repeat that pattern for a full 20 minutes, followed by a 5-minute cool down.

Day 3: Be a superhero. Today, it’s all about the superfoods. Fill up on high-fiber foods that de-bloat – and get creative. Take advantage of the foods that are in season right now: Dandelion greens (which are high in folate, magnesium, phosphorous and beta-carotene), arugula (which contains 8 times the calcium of iceberg lettuce), avocado (high in fiber, potassium, Vitamins K and C, folate and heart-healthy unsaturated fat). And the list goes on.

Day 4: Beat the bloat. If you haven’t started this part of the process already, this step is an absolute must for abdominals. Cutting calories, strengthening the core and burning fat are all key components to getting a tighter tummy – but don’t underestimate the power of beating the bloat. Cut out salty foods that can lead to water retention. And that means more than just the obvious chips and fried foods that come to mind. Alcohol and soda are both big bloaters too. So swap out the salt, hold off on the booze, and fill up on water instead.

Day 5: Try a one-day juice fast. That doesn’t mean downing a gallon of OJ and calling it a day. An effective day of juice fasting consists of a mix of fresh veggies and some fruit. When I spend a day filling up on freshly juiced greens (consisting of kale, spinach, cucumber, celery and a little bit of apple and lemon), I’m always amazed by the positive effect it has on my energy levels. (With all of those nutrients and antioxidants, it’s no wonder.) So whether you have a juicer of your own or access to a local juice bar, try having a fresh green juice for breakfast and dinner, and for lunch, fill up on fresh, fiber-filled veggies. And, of course, keep the water flowing all day long (a habit that will hopefully stay with you beyond this one week experiment)!

Day 6: Think about your drink. Take yesterday’s mini-fast to the next level, with an even more intense focus on liquids. Today, cut out all sugared beverages (juice, soda, sweetened tea, etc.), and keep filling up on water. Craving some flavor? Try adding in an unsweetened iced green tea for an extra boost of energy, or splash some cranberry juice (just a bit) into your sparkling water for a delicious low-sugar kick.

Day 7: Flush it out. Today, it’s all about shedding any remaining excess bloating. That means really cranking up the cardio, and, if you have access to it, jump into a steam room or sauna. The important thing here is to sweat. Not only will you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, but you’ll be amazed at the waist-whittling results when you shed a little extra water weight.

If you’re looking for additional ab-strengthening/weight trimming support, check out Kathy’s Belly Boot Camp product bundle.