30-day trim waist challenge: slim and tone in just one month

Our 30-day trim waist challenge only takes six key moves, designed to twist-and-turn your way to a slimmer, more toned middle

Woman in exercise clothing showing off her toned abs after completing a 30-day trim waist challenge
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Welcome to our 30-day trim waist challenge! Designed by a personal trainer, this program will help you sculpt and tone your waist for a slimmer, leaner look.

If you've found yourself wondering how to get a slim waist but at a loss of where to start, this is the perfect plan for you. But this isn’t your average core exercise plan. The best workouts for abs incorporate twisting and turning to help burn fat and sculpt your sides for a long and lean torso - which is exactly what this plan is designed to do!

‘It’s a missed opportunity if you don’t twist,’ says Amy Tarr, founder of mobile personal training company Giant Leap Training. ‘It’s a great way to target the sides of your abdomen and stubborn 'muffin top', and also return to core training after having a baby. I started these moves after my own postnatal checks. Just keep your twists slow and gentle to safely tone your tum.’

There's an important health aspect to our 30-day trim waist challenge, too, as carrying extra weight around your midsection - so-called 'belly fat' - can lead to serious health issues. 

A report by the American Heart Association warns that excess fat around the midsection and vital organs puts you at an increased risk for heart disease - even if you have a healthy body mass index (BMI). Meanwhile, researchers at MSU have established that belly fat increases your likelihood of developing cancer. All of which means that, if you're carrying extra weight around your mid-section, the time to address it is now. 

With that in mind, take a look at the six key moves you'll need to master to get started on our 30-day trim waist challenge below - before moving on to the plan itself.

30-day trim waist challenge: the six key moves

These moves focus on your internal and external obliques (your sides). ‘They’re key for toning your waist and improving core stability,’ says Amy.

With all the moves, twist through your full range of movement to really hone in on your obliques. Also be sure to start with a neutral spine and engage your core to prevent back pain and injury.

Lying torso twist

30-day trim waist challenge: a woman demonstrates a lying torso twist

(Image credit: Future)
  • Lie on your back with your legs raised and knees bent to create a right angle, arms out to the side. 
  • Keeping your core braced, slowly twist your legs to the left, exhaling on the decline and inhaling as you bring your legs back to center. 
  • Repeat on other side to complete one rep.

Reverse lunge with twist

30-day trim waist challenge: a woman demonstrates a reverse lunge with twist

(Image credit: Future)
  • Stand with feet hip-width apart then step back into a lunge position. 
  • Tighten your abdominal muscles before slowly twisting to the right, then the left. 
  • Return to start and repeat on other side to complete one rep.

Tip: Don’t let your front knee go over your toes during the lunge. Need more guidance? See our dedicated article on how to do lunges, complete with form advice and variations.

Cross-body mountain climber

30-day trim waist challenge: a woman demonstrates a cross-body mountain climber

(Image credit: Future)
  • Go into a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart, your spine in a neutral position and your abs engaged.
  • Twist your right leg at the hip, bringing your right knee up and across your body towards your chest. 
  • Lower your leg and repeat on the other side for one rep.

Jumping twist

30-day trim waist challenge: a woman demonstrates a jump twist

(Image credit: Future)
  • Stand with your feet together, keeping knees soft. 
  • Bring the arms to shoulder height, with the elbows out and hands together in front of you. 
  • Keep your upper body facing forward, jump and rotate your feet left and then right.

Tip: This move incorporates cardio, too, to help burn fat. Want more plyometrics (a fancy word for 'jumping') workout moves? Try our plyometrics workout challenge!

Russian twist with hand taps

30-day trim waist challenge: a woman demonstrates a Russian twist with hand taps

(Image credit: Future)
  • Sit on the floor with knees together. 
  • Brace your core, then lean back and take your feet off the floor. 
  • Slowly twist from your waist to the left and tap your hands on the floor. 
  • Return to the center and repeat on other side.

Cycle crunches

30-day trim waist challenge: a woman demonstrates cycle crunches

(Image credit: Future)
  • Lie on the floor, spine neutral and abdominal muscles engaged. 
  • Place hands on either side of your head, elbows out. Lift both knees into a right angle and flex your feet. 
  • Slowly and simultaneously, cycle your legs while twisting your torso to bring your right elbow towards your left knee, followed by your left elbow to right knee.

Tip: New mums should hold off on this move until they’ve boosted their ab strength. For more info on performing this move correctly, see our complete guide on how to do a crunch.

Your 30-day trim waist challenge workout plan

Once you feel confident and comfortable with the six moves above, you're ready to get started on our 30-day trim waist challenge!

Below we've outlined which moves you need to do on each day, indicating how many reps of each one to do also. The reps increase day by day to help build you up slowly.

Of course, if you're looking to tone your midline then abs exercises alone are seldom enough (if only!). We'd therefore advise doing this plan alongside two to three cardio sessions a week, whether that's a gym-based session on the elliptical machine, a HIIT workout, a dance class or otherwise.

Just remember to listen to your body, only do what you feel capable of, and be sure to take those all-important rest days. Happy twisting!

Day 1

3 x Lying torso twist

3 x Reverse lunge with twist

3 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 2

4 x Lying torso twist

4 x Reverse lunge with twist

4 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 3

5 x Lying torso twist

5 x Reverse lunge with twist

5 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 4

6 x Lying torso twist

6 x Reverse lunge with twist

6 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 5

7 x Lying torso twist

7 x Reverse lunge with twist

7 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 6

8 x Lying torso twist

8 x Reverse lunge with twist

8 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 7

9 x Lying torso twist

9 x Reverse lunge with twist

9 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 8

REST DAY! If your body is feeling the burn, grab a  foam roller and do some much-deserved recovery exercises. If you don't already own one, take a look at our pick of the best foam rollers, from basic models through to high-tech vibrating muscle saviors.

Day 9

10 x Lying torso twist

10 x Reverse lunge with twist

10 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 10

11 x Lying torso twist

11 x Reverse lunge with twist

11 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 11

12 x Lying torso twist

12 x Reverse lunge with twist

12 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 12

13 x Lying torso twist

13 x Reverse lunge with twist

13 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 13

14 x Lying torso twist

14 x Reverse lunge with twist

14 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 14

15 x Lying torso twist

15 x Reverse lunge with twist

15 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 15

16 x Lying torso twist

16 x Reverse lunge with twist

16 x Cross-body mountain climber

Day 16

3 x Jumping twist

3 x Russian twist with hand taps

3 x Cycle crunches

Day 17

4 x Jumping twist

4 x Russian twist with hand taps

4 x Cycle crunches

Day 18

5 x Jumping twist

5 x Russian twist with hand taps

5 x Cycle crunches

Day 19

6 x Jumping twist

6 x Russian twist with hand taps

6 x Cycle crunches

Day 20

7 x Jumping twist

7 x Russian twist with hand taps

7 x Cycle crunches

Day 21

8 x Jumping twist

8 x Russian twist with hand taps

8 x Cycle crunches

Day 22

REST DAY

Day 23

9 x Jumping twist

9 x Russian twist with hand taps

9 x Cycle crunches

Day 24

10 x Jumping twist

10 x Russian twist with hand taps

10 x Cycle crunches

Day 25

11 x Jumping twist

11 x Russian twist with hand taps

11 x Cycle crunches

Day 26

12 x Jumping twist

12 x Russian twist with hand taps

12 x Cycle crunches

Day 27

13 x Jumping twist

13 x Russian twist with hand taps

13 x Cycle crunches

Day 28

14 x Jumping twist

14 x Russian twist with hand taps

14 x Cycle crunches

Day 29

15 x Jumping twist

15 x Russian twist with hand taps

15 x Cycle crunches

Day 30

16 x Jumping twist

16 x Russian twist with hand taps

16 x Cycle crunches

Congratulations! You’ve completed our 30-day trim waist challenge! Share your results with us on Instagram @wearefitandwell.

Liked this? Try more 30-day challenges:

30-day abs challenge: your best ever abs in just one month 

30-day squats challenge: tone your butt, legs AND core

30-day arms challenge: increase strength and definition

30-day killer curves challenge: sculpt your bust, waist and butt

Natalia Lubomirski

Natalia is a health and fitness journalist who has written for the likes of Woman & Home and Marie Claire, and likes to practice what she preaches when it comes to staying fit and well. She loves the outdoors and would happily swap the treadmill for the trail at any opportunity. As such, in her free time you'll likely find her up a mountain somewhere. She has hiked eight of the major mountain ranges across four continents, including the Appalachians, the Smokies, the Sierra Nevadas (where she hiked to the top of Half Dome during her honeymoon) and the Atlas Mountains, as well hitting the summits of Snowdon and Pen-Y-Fan (Brecon Beacons), Table Mountain in South Africa and the Blue Mountains in Australia. She was also a fencer for 13 years, wielding an epée for Team GB during her teenage years. Having recently welcomed a baby, Natalia is currently getting back into her fitness routine, and has her sights set on completing a triathlon, something she and her husband started out on before their bundle of joy arrived.