Moon Chae-won's Secret to a Slender Waist: The Pilates Move That Targets Love Handles

Actress Moon Chae-won, 39, has shared the workout routine behind her slender waistline.

Moon recently posted on social media with the caption "Crushing love handles," showing herself performing a side bend on a Pilates apparatus known as a ladder barrel. The movement involves lengthening the torso to the side and holding the position, an exercise specifically designed to prevent fat accumulation along the waist.

Frequently praised for her elegant posture and how effortlessly she wears formalwear, Moon's long neck and well-defined waist stand out even more in dresses. A closer look reveals whether the Pilates move she demonstrated can genuinely help achieve a slimmer waist.

The Key to a Slim Waist Is the Core, Not Just the Side Muscles

Holding a side bend like Moon’s engages the transverse abdominis alongside the internal and external obliques and the erector spinae. The transverse abdominis is the deepest abdominal muscle, wrapping horizontally around the midsection. When strengthened, it acts as a "natural corset," stabilizing the abdomen by drawing it inward and refining the waistline.

Pilates is exceptionally effective at activating the transverse abdominis. Research from the University of Queensland in Australia demonstrated that Pilates increases core muscle activation and enhances trunk stability, while also improving balance and posture. Good posture alone can make an individual's physique appear significantly more refined at the exact same body weight.

Furthermore, a flaring rib cage or misaligned pelvis can cause the waist to appear thicker than it actually is. Improving trunk alignment through Pilates helps streamline the waistline. Side bends specifically lengthen the torso, release tension in lateral muscles, and increase spinal mobility to create a smoother silhouette.

Improving Overall Balance While Pairing Exercise with Diet Control

The benefits of Pilates extend far beyond strengthening abdominal muscles. It reinforces deep stabilization muscles around the abdomen, waist, hips, and pelvis while aligning the spine and pelvis, enhancing daily posture. By training the body as a cohesive kinematic chain, it shapes the entire physique into a balanced alignment rather than targeting isolated areas.

However, achieving a slim waist like Moon’s requires active body fat management alongside exercise. Regardless of how well-developed the obliques and transverse abdominis are, a defined waistline remains obscured beneath excess abdominal fat. To reveal a sharper silhouette, Pilates must be paired with aerobic exercise and a balanced diet.

For sustainable fat loss, consuming adequate protein and dietary fiber is far more effective than extreme caloric restriction. Protein preserves lean muscle mass and enhances satiety, preventing sharp drops in basal metabolic rate during weight loss through foods like chicken breast, fish, eggs, tofu, and Greek yogurt. Meanwhile, fiber-rich vegetables and whole grains promote fullness and prevent sharp post-meal blood sugar spikes.