Reduce your waist circumference by 10 cm in 3 months.

Hanoi resident Vu Thi Lan Anh, 37 years old, reduced her waist circumference by 10 cm in three months, from 80 cm to 70 cm, thanks to the tips of eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, and exercising regularly.

Lan Anh is 1.58 m tall and maintains a weight of 50-52 kg, but her abdominal area tends to be loose, with fat increasing rapidly when she eats a lot. As a nutrition coach, she understands that increased abdominal and visceral fat are the first signs of declining metabolism, meaning the body is unable to fully process the food it consumes, a precursor to metabolic diseases and aging.

Lan Anh began changing her daily habits to be more active. Instead of riding her motorbike, she made time to walk whenever possible, from going to the market and dropping off her children to taking the stairs and enjoying the scenery. She wore comfortable shoes, carried a small water bottle in her bag, and wore clothes made of natural materials to absorb sweat.

Initially, changing this routine was quite tiring for Lan Anh, so she adjusted gradually to allow her body to adapt. The challenge for a woman is maintaining energy throughout the day while being an introvert who tends to sit still to quiet her mind.

Besides maintaining an active lifestyle, the mother of two has been practicing yoga regularly every morning for the past three years. In addition, she does 30 minutes of fat-burning cardio exercises every afternoon to feel refreshed and more energetic. Changing her routine, exercising regularly, and practicing yoga has helped Lan Anh significantly reduce stress after just one month.

Lan Anh has a slim and well-proportioned figure. Photo: Provided by the subject. — Lan Anh has a slim and well-proportioned figure. Photo: *Provided by the subject.*

In terms of nutrition, Lan Anh supplements her diet with healthy foods such as good carbohydrates from oats, mung beans, mixed grain rice, etc., along with vegetables and protein. Importantly, she learned and developed the habit of eating slowly and chewing thoroughly over three months.

"Sometimes I remember, sometimes I don't, but whenever I do remember, I do it right away," Lan Anh said, adding that chewing slowly allows her to deeply appreciate the flavors of the food and makes her feel full for longer.

In addition, the woman also emphasizes vegetables in all main meals, helping her avoid cravings for snacks between meals. Lan Anh chooses a variety of foods such as Chinese cabbage, chayote, bok choy, and spinach, adding them to breakfast dishes like soup, noodles, or pho, or preparing them as separate dishes. If she eats breakfast out, she proactively prepares 1-2 servings of vegetables (each serving the size of a hand) at home, which helps create a feeling of fullness and limits overeating.

"At first, it felt a bit cumbersome because I wasn't used to it, but once I understood how to do it, I found it very easy and comfortable," Lan Anh said.

In particular, she focuses on drinking water, doing so immediately after waking up, before and after exercise, and while walking. The woman admits that this is an easy habit but the hardest to change because she tends to forget.

"By staying adequately hydrated, I've noticed a significant improvement in my skin, increased endurance during workouts, improved overall health, and a smaller waistline," said the mother of two, adding that when she doesn't drink plain water, she chooses to eat water-rich fruits or make smoothies.

Dr. Phan Thai Tan, a health coach and founder of the HomeFiT weight loss program and Lan Anh's trainer, says that chewing food slowly gives the stomach enough time to signal the brain that it feels full. This also helps you avoid overeating and increases satiety during meals – one of the easiest and cheapest ways to lose weight. In addition, regular exercise has been shown to burn a significant amount of energy, contributing to weight loss, reducing belly fat, and improving overall health.

After successfully reducing her waist circumference by 10 cm in 3 months, Lan Anh shared that everyone should be persistent in their journey to regain their figure and health. Instead of making rapid changes, be patient and remember, "just doing a little better is good enough."

"The secret is to choose a goal to start with, for example, walking 5 minutes every day. Once you achieve that, start with a bigger goal. After a while, you'll look back and see that you've come a considerable distance, and you'll feel very proud," the woman said.

Thuy Quynh

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