#Waistsnatched | Hula Hoop your way to a smaller waist!

Today, out of the blue, I reached into my closet and brought out the old weighted hula hoop I purchased years ago.  It's one of two hula hoops I own.  The decision to purchase a weighted hoop came after reading about a few women who successfully lost weight and shrunk their waists simply by enjoying several hula sessions week.

A weighted hoop was said to provide additional resistance for better results.  So I went for it.  Eventually, the hoop landed in storage but I decided to bring it back into rotation for a couple of reasons.  The biggest of which is that hula hooping is what I consider a no-workout-workout.  Meaning, I can easily knock out a 20-minute session while watching my favorite show.  Rebounding on the trampoline is my other go to non-workout-workout.  I figured that I can alternate between the two and stay active while streaming my favorite shows.

To get motivated I did a little research to refresh my memory on what kind of benefits to expect if I stay consistent.  I hit the jackpot after stumbling on an actual study conducted on the effects of regular hula hoop usage.

The study enlisted 18 women to complete a regimen of 15 minute hula sessions, 5 times a week using a weighted hoop that weighed less than 5 lbs.  At the end of six weeks, researchers measured the hips and waist of the participants. On average, the women experienced a "significant decrease" in the circumference of their hips and waist. They also experienced a reduction of their overall hip to waist ratio.  This is basically where you divide the measurements of your hip by your waist circumference.  Ideally, we should all aim to shrink our waist size. Not just for aesthetics, but because those with smaller waists are said to be less susceptible to certain health issues.

Here's where it gets interesting. The women who used a hula hoop for 20 minutes a day (and kept their diets the same) didn't actually experience any real weight loss despite the changes in measurements.  So what happened?  Researchers theorized that the fat once in the midsection might have actually redistributed elsewhere in the body.  This may sound undesirable to some, but for those of us who struggle with carrying extra fat in the midsection, this could be a game changer. I mean, who wouldn't want an all natural, super low cost "fat transfer"?

Check out this review from GluteGirl who conducted her own 6 week hula challenge after reading about the same study.

I can definitely see and feel a difference in my waist from hula hoop 10 min every single day for 6 weeks.
The definition in my waist is more cleared,my abs feels stronger and my posture is much better.

And best of all…I have NOT lost any weight at all since the before picture!

The pooch I had in my lower belly is not that “big” as before, my waist is more defined, and my pants in the waistline are BIGGER for my waist now.

My waist only decreased with 1 cm,but It is more on my lower belly I guess(I did not measure my lower belly), plus I have gained 1 cm in my butt too:-) (from lifting weights)

1 cm loss in waist does not sound much, but I see more difference than it sounds like.  Plus my pants(most of them) are too loose for my waist now.

I will continue to hula hoop everyday for at least 2 weeks more and then I will use it perhaps 2-3 times per week.

Here is my pictures of my belly from how I look before and then after

Source

Her results serve as pure motivation to stick with this simple regimen of enjoying leisurely hula hoop sessions for 10-20 minutes a day.  Like Glute Girl, you can combine other exercises for full body benefits.  But it's nice to know that a smaller waist is possible as you catch up on your favorite shows.  Even though the women in the study didn't actually lose any pounds, there are quite a few videos on Youtube where others share their weight loss journey using hula hoop fitness.  In some of the videos I watched the women lost as much as 50 lbs over time.

Anyone else excited to start their own 6 week Hula Waist Snatching Challenge?