Shrinking your waist size: six strategies for success

  • Published
  • By Greg Chadwick
  • Air Force Materiel Command Office of the Command Surgeon General
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  

The Air Force’s updated Physical Fitness Readiness Program guidance published in March 2026, specifies that the Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) now serves as the official body composition metric for the Physical Fitness Readiness Assessment.

The WHtR body composition assessment measures excess fat distribution in the abdominal region and is calculated by dividing waist circumference by height.

WHtR =

The WHtR focuses on central adiposity, known as visceral fat, which medical research has consistently linked to cardiovascular and metabolic risk.

You can’t spot-reduce your waist or any other part of your body. The best way to reduce waist size and keep it off is to make lasting lifestyle changes. These healthy changes include eating a balanced diet and moving more each day. Lt. Col. Ann Wilkins, AFMC Consultant Dietitian, shares six ways to lose body fat and improve your overall-well being.

1) Eliminate processed foods

“Highly processed foods are typically energy-dense vs nutrient dense, high in fat, sugar and sodium- three things that make it difficult to lose body fat,” states Wilkens. Examples of highly processed foods include:

  • Baked goods, including pizza, cakes, and pastries
  • Reconstituted meats, such as sausages, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and processed ham
  • Potato chips and crackers
  • Candy, cookies, and ice cream
  • Sweetened breakfast cereals

“One way that you can take in nutrient dense calories is to eat more plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains,” explains Wilkens. “These foods are low in calories and high in fiber, and fiber helps you feel full.”

Wilkens suggests these high-fiber foods to fill your stomach and help lose body fat:

  • Apples
  • Almonds
  • Beans
  • Blackberries
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Chickpeas
  • Lentils
  • Raspberries
  • Split peas
  • Whole grains such as bulger, barley, amaranth, spelt, and wheat (not an all-inclusive list)

2) Avoid high-calorie beverages

“Being mindful of cutting back on the calories and sugar in your drinks can help you reduce the waistline and save room for more nutrient-dense foods,” states Wilkens.

Sugary drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the American diet. These sweetened liquids include regular soda, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened waters.

Flavored coffees can also be loaded with sneaky calories. A 9.5-ounce bottled coffee drink contains around 190 calories and almost eight teaspoons of sugar.

“Dropping liquid calories from your diet is one of the easiest ways to lose body fat,” said Wilkins.

Wilkins recommends selecting water (tap or unsweetened, bottled, or sparkling) as your beverage of choice. If water won’t do, she advises you select drinks that contain beneficial nutrients such as low fat or fat free milk to support intake of the recommended three servings of dairy daily, or 100% fruit or vegetable juice in small quantities.

3) Choose lean sources of protein

“Lean meat, poultry and fish, low-fat dairy products, and eggs are some of the best sources of low-fat protein,” states Wilkens. “Legumes-beans, peas and lentils are also good low-fat sources of protein and contain no saturated fat, making them good substitutes for meat,” said Wilkens.

Try these lean proteins as part of a healthy eating plan to shrink your waist size:

  • Fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, and sardines
  • Skinless poultry such as chicken and turkey
  • Lean meats such as 93% lean ground beef or pork tenderloin
  • Low-fat dairy products such as skim or low-fat (1%) milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese
  • Whole eggs, liquid egg whites
  • Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, cashews, and pine nuts (eaten sparingly)
  • Seeds such as sesame, pumpkin, chia, or flax
  • Soybeans and soy products (tofu, tempeh)

4) Curb late-night eating

Late-night eating often comes from hunger, boredom, stress, or emotional triggers, and the extra calories in excess of your needs will get stored as fat and contribute to weight gain.

“To combat late night snacking, it can be helpful to ensure meals are well balanced with at least three food groups eaten at regular intervals throughout the day,” Wilkens suggests. “The most important focus is to have a variety of foods, a balance of carbs, proteins, fats, and fiber to support satiety to keep cravings and hunger at bay. If still hungry, try to choose nutrient dense low-calorie options like vegetables and ranch dip or fruit and Greek yogurt. These will fill you up without a lot of calories.”

5) Be physically active

“Aerobic exercise burns calories and helps you reduce your total body fat, especially if you make changes in your diet at the same time,” said Wilkens.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, for at least 150 minutes a week or vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, such as running for at least 75 minutes a week.

6) Strength train to add muscle

“Strength training is an important component of losing body fat because it helps build muscle, and muscle burns calories,” said Wilkens.

Strength training exercises can boost metabolism by building muscle tissue. Muscle burns more calories than fat. And unlike fat, muscle burns calories even at rest.

So, when you add strength training to your workout routine, your body will burn more calories in between your workouts. That leads to more fat loss in your belly and beyond.

Strength training workouts are recommended at least twice a week with free weights, machines, bands, or body weight exercises.

While losing weight requires burning more calories than you consume, your body still needs sufficient fuel and nutrients to function properly. Instead of simply eating less, it’s better to focus on consuming nutritious foods and increase your physical activity.

If you are looking to improve your body composition, the Air Force has registered Dietitians and Diet Technicians who can provide guidance on healthy eating. Nutrition classes and appointments are open to active-duty service members, retirees, and dependents.

Comprehensive information on healthy eating can be found on CDC.gov

The Warfighter’s Fitness Playbook offers detailed guidance on workouts, recovery strategies, sleep optimization, and nutrition-all interconnected elements essential for sustained performance.