Lose inches off your waist by using the hula hoop

Growing up I was petite, skinny and short and would always be placed on the front row by my teachers because I was among the shortest pupils in my class.

As I approached teenage, I found myself wishing I could add weight. I thought eating more was my ticket to a bigger, curvier frame so I ate, and ate, and ate. But I was disappointed.

Eventually I became comfortable in my petite frame and high heels – they do us short girls justice.

When I got a job and bought a car, my friends and I noticed that I was gaining weight. Suddenly I had this full body figure that I loved, but it came with a potbelly.

I love to wear fitting dresses so feeling good with a well-toned tummy is a big priority for me.

In an effort to get well-toned abs, I joined a gym but soon found that I was missing most of my sessions because of my strict work schedule.

I then decided to try dieting, but its easier said than done and I found myself straying from my resolve.

Many international celebrities credit the use of waist trainers for their hourglass figures, but they come with health risks, that I will feature in this bog at a later date, so I chickened out.

I was still determined to achieve a toned midsection when one day as I had a breakfast of salad with my colleague, she put me onto something that she promised would work for me.

She told me she had tried many tricks, among them wearing clothes that camouflage her tummy, wearing tight fitting cossets to suppress her tummy and tucking her tummy in but nothing seemed to work.

She informed me that she had started using the hula hoop to tone her abs. I laughed. I thought it was a joke.

We played with hula hoops fashioned from old mosquito net wires when we were young, I did not know that it was a form of exercise used to tone abs!

In fact, I thought for me to buy a hula-hoop I would have to visit a toyshop in town, but guess what? You can find a light plastic hula-hoop from a supermarket near you.

I did some research on the exercise technique and spoke to some fitness experts and came up with the following steps:

Basic Hula Hoop Spin

Step 1

Hold the hoop in both hands at the height of your waist. Stand in the center of the hoop.

Step 2

Separate your feet by stepping your left foot approximately two feet in front of your right.

Step 3

Twist your arms and upper body to the right. Touch the inside of the hoop to your back.

Step 4

Throw the hoop in a counterclockwise direction so that it spins around your waist.

Step 5

Shift your weight to your front foot when you feel the hoop roll across your stomach. Shift your weight to your back foot when you feel the hoop roll across your back. Continue to move in a front-to-back motion to spin the hoop.

Step 6

Continue to spin the hoop as long as you are able. Aim to spin the hoop for 10 to 15 consecutive minutes.

Tip

Select a hoop that reaches your waist when you hold it on the ground against your side. Start with a large, weighted hoop because it is easier to keep these hoops going than the small, lightweight hoops.

Calorie-Burning

Finally, according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE) hooping burns an average of seven calories each minute.

If you hoop for 30 minutes, you’ll burn 210 calories. The heart rates of research participants elevated to 84 percent of their maximum heart rate, sufficient for burning fat. To lose abdominal fat, calories must be burned. Hooping contributes to overall weight loss, including the extra fat across your core.

Well, since the exercise has been proven to work on many, and since it is not only cost effective and enjoyable, I have started my hula-hoop exercise routine. Join me in my journey if you would also like to tone the waist area and cut tummy fat. I will most definitely share the amazing results here.

QUOTE: It will Hurt, It will take time, it will require dedication, it will require willpower, you will need to make healthy decisions, it requires sacrifices, you will need to push your body to the max, there will be temptation,             but one thing is guaranteed when you reach your goal it’s worth it, – Anonymous

Follow my Hooping exercise progress on my instagram @liz_anyango5 Facebook: Liz Anyango and Twitter @lizanyango5