How to Lose Weight in the Trunk Area of the Body
Losing excess weight from your trunk area can improve your appearance and health. This area, which consists of your chest and back, also includes your abdomen, which is often a problem area for many people. Excess fat in this area increases your risk of medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers and heart disease. Because you can't lose weight in just one area of your body, focus on losing weight from your entire body. As your overall weight reduces, so will the excess weight in your trunk area.
Tips For You
- Consume a healthy, low-calorie diet to reduce your caloric intake. Skip fatty desserts, reduce your portion sizes and replace high-calorie foods with low-calorie foods. Avoid processed foods, such as cookies and margarine, which contain transfats that trigger weight gain around the middle. Consume healthy energy sources, such as olive oil and nuts, which contain healthier monounsaturated fats, and also include avocados, whole grains and green tea.
- Schedule 30 minutes to one hour of cardiovascular exercise into five days of the week. Cardio, such as riding a bike or jogging, burns calories so you reach your weight-loss goal quicker. Exercise at a moderate level so you can still talk while you work up a sweat.
- Perform strength-training exercises at least two times per week to build, increase and maintain muscle tissue, because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat. Avoid focusing solely on your trunk area -- work all major muscle groups including your legs, arms and hips. Perform eight to 12 repetitions and two to three sets of each exercise, using enough weight so the last repetition of each set is hard to complete.
- Perform targeted exercises to strengthen the trunk muscles so when your body fat reduces, your muscles will appear toned. Perform a modified plank, during which you're face-down, and hold yourself up on your forearms and knees while aligning your head, neck and back. Also include abdominal crunches and core exercises on a stability ball in your routine.
