How Many Pounds To Lose An Inch And How To Achieve Your Dream Waistline
*Medical Disclaimer: This article is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. For health advice, always consult a licensed medical practitioner.
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Introduction
So you’ve decided that you would like to lose an inch, or perhaps more, on your waistline. But how many pounds do you need to lose to get there?
The consensus is that you need to lose around 8 pounds to lose an inch on your waist [1]. But due to a number of factors, this won’t always be the case.
Here, we’ll outline the reasons why weight loss doesn’t always translate into as much belly fat reduction as we would like and what you can do to achieve your dream waistline.
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Healthy Waist circumference: your height-to-waist ratio
Whether you want a slimmer waist for health or aesthetic reasons, you’ll want to aim for a measurement that’s right for your height. The height-to-waist ratio is a metric used to determine whether or not your waist circumference is right for your height.
It is also an alternative to BMI (body mass index) and may even be a better way of determining whether or not you’re overweight [2]. To find out your height-to-waist ratio, first you’ll need to get accurate measurements of both your waist circumference and your height.
How to measure waist
1. Place a tape measure around your waist at a point between them (just above your belly button).
2. Pull the tape measure tight, but not to the extent that it’s digging into your skin.
3. Breathe out naturally then take your measurement.
4. Repeat to make sure your first measurement was accurate.
How to measure height
1. Find a flat section of floor, ideally uncarpeted, and a flat section of wall.
2. Take off your shoes.
3. Remove anything from your head (braids, headbands, etc), that could get in the way of an accurate measurement
4. Stand up straight against the wall, with your feet flat on the floor and heels against the wall.
5. Have someone place a flat object (like a book) against the wall and lower it until it rests on top of your head.
6. Mark the spot where your head meets the object on the wall with a pencil.
7. Use a tape measure to measure the distance from the floor to the mark on the wall.
8. Take note of the measurement to the nearest 0.1 of a centimeter.
Calculate height-to-waist ratio
To calculate your height-to-waist ratio, simply divide your waist circumference by your height.
(Waist-to-Height Ratio = Waist Circumference / Height)
Or simply use the calculator below.
Why can't I lose inches around my stomach?
For a number of reasons, you may struggle to lose belly fat. This is because weight loss may not always involve just fat loss. Loss of muscle mass and water can also accompany weight loss
Furthermore, fat loss occurs all over your body and won’t just be limited to your waist. And often you’ll lose more body fat in some parts of your body than others.
But what can you do about it? Will abdominal exercise help?
Unfortunately, there’s no solid evidence that targeted weight loss, or spot reduction, works []. That’s not to say that you can’t target fat loss to specific body parts, it’s just that the evidence is lacking.
It certainly doesn’t hurt to include abdominal exercises to your workout regimen. You’ll build and tone the muscles in this region, but just don’t expect to lose any additional belly fat.
What I can do is work towards overall fat reduction through diet and exercise. This will naturally result in a loss in belly fat, even if it doesn’t happen as fast as you would like.
How to lose an inch of belly fat
Assuming that it takes around 8 pounds of weight loss to lose an inch of belly fat, it should take approximately 1 month to get there– based on a professionally recommended rate of weight loss of 2 pounds a week [3].
To lose 2 pounds a week, you’ll need a calorie deficit of 1000 calories a day [4]
To achieve this, you can either eat less, move more or do a mixture of both.
To keep things simple and balanced, eating 500 calories less and exercising more to burn an extra 500 calories might be the best approach to take.
Diet
Your daily calorie requirement will depend on a number of factors. But on average, a female requires 2,000 calories a day, and a male requires 2,500 calories a day [5]
This means the average female, for example, will need to restrict their diet to 1500 calories a day to achieve a 500 calories deficit.
If you would like a more specific estimate of your daily calorie needs, the calculate below might be of interest.
The calculator below is provided for general information purposes and should not be relied upon for medical advice. For medical advice, always consult a licensed medical practioner.
The videos below provide examples of healthy calorie deficit meal plans (1500 calorie and 2000 calorie respectively)
Exercise
To burn an extra 500 calories a day, there are a number of ways to go about it. Brisk walking for about 60-90 minutes will burn around 500 calories for a lot people, especially if they weight over 185 pounds, but if you’re no stranger to working out, you might want to try something a little more challenging.
The table below lists different exercises and the approximate amount of calories you can expect to burn [6].
Exercise | Duration (in Minutes) | Calories burned (approximate based on a 185-pound individual) |
Brisk walking | 30 | 189 |
Running/jogging | 30 | 525 |
Cycling:16-19 mph | 30 | 504 |
Swimming | 30 | 252 |
Aerobics | 30 | 420 |
Weight lifting (General) | 30 | 126 |
Ways to speed up the process
A slow and steady rate of weight loss of 2 pounds a week will get you to your goal and is generally advised as a healthy rate of weight loss [3]. However, some people might want to speed up the process – particularly those who want to slim down by several inches.
There is no shortage of possible solutions for these people, from diet plans to supplements to even wearable objects.
Supplements
Supplements are a very popular option for those looking to lose a few pounds and shed some inches off their waistline. They usually don’t require a prescription (over-the-counter), although some do.
They typically consist of a proprietary blend of plant-based substances, such as catechins, and work by either speeding up the metabolism or suppressing appetite.
Anyone considering a weight loss supplement should speak to their doctor, especially if they’re on medication.
There are countless brands of supplements, too numerous to mention, which can make picking the right one a bit of a challenge. So it’s important to stick with a tried and tested product to avoid disappointment.
Meal replacement shakes
Meal replacement shakes have been around for decades. They are sold under numerous brands, Slimfast perhaps being the best known, and typically involve replacing one or more meals with a smoothie or milkshake. They work by reducing calorie consumption, but some contain ingredients that speed up metabolism.
In addition to the pre-packaged kind, you can also make your own shakes/smoothies from scratch. Recipes are easy to find online.
But a lot of trial-and-error may be required to get it right.
A smoothie diet plan will make the process a lot easier by taking care of all the guesswork for you.
Waist trainer belts
Waist trainer belts have become popular lately and are used to give the appearance of a slimmer waist, much in the same way as the corsets of old. Some celebrities claim that they help burn belly fat, but there is no evidence for this [8].
Their effect is largely cosmetic. And given the discomfort many experience while wearing them, they’re not for everyone.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking to achieve a slimmer waist for health or cosmetic reasons – or both – there is no shortage of ways to achieve your goal.
Exercise and diet alone will get you to your goal, but there are ways to help the process along.
References
1. https://www.livestrong.com/article/331803-how-many-pounds-do-i-have-to-lose-to-drop-an-inch/
2. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0177175
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss
4. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/calories
5. https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/what-should-my-daily-intake-of-calories-be
6. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/calories-burned-in-30-minutes-for-people-of-three-different-weights
7. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/targeted-weight-loss
8. https://www.healthline.com/health/do-waist-trainers-work