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Introduction: Easy Tips to Get Rid of Love Handles
The term love handles is commonly used to refer to excess abdominal fat that forms around the midsection. Sometimes this extra volume of fat may also include visceral fat.
However, with a healthy diet and regular exercise routine, it is possible to lose those stubborn areas. Here are some simple tricks that can help.
1. Get Moving
Love handles, also referred to as muffin tops, are stubborn pockets of fat around the stomach that can be difficult to shed. Eating healthier and exercising regularly are effective ways to reduce this area but if you want long-lasting results, permanent changes must also be made.
According to Men’s Health fitness advisor Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S., the best way to tone up your sides and abs is by including exercises that target all major muscle groups. That means incorporating cardiovascular exercises that burn calories while working a large number of muscles simultaneously.
One of the best ways to sculpt your sides is with prone body positions that put pressure on your oblique muscles located along the side of the torso. Try doing prone ball roll-ins or bicycle crunches – both powerful moves that can easily be included into any workout regimen.
Add compound moves to your training regimen whenever possible; these are exercises that target multiple muscles simultaneously. According to Jordan, “this is an excellent way to get a comprehensive workout that’s challenging at the same time.”
Try some planks, which require you to bend one knee at a time while keeping your back straight. You could also do baby bends by sweeping one leg out to one side while keeping your torso steady.
Although it can be tempting to rush through your exercises, doing them slowly and deliberately will yield better results. A slow and deliberate movement pattern keeps tension on the oblique muscles for better tone-up results.
Try a straightforward cardio routine that’s both accessible and effective, featuring short bursts of intense activity followed by rest periods. Celebrity trainer and nutritionist Harley Pasternak often suggests this approach to his clients looking to shape up their bodies.
Exercise is essential for healthy weight loss and can quickly help you shred those love handles. Additionally, it helps manage stress – another major contributor to fat accumulation around the middle of the body. While managing stress isn’t always simple, it can be done by shifting your mindset and doing smaller tasks in smaller amounts to prevent overwhelm.
2. Eat Healthy
Love handles are those pesky pockets of fat that hang over your sides, giving the appearance of a “muffin top.” Though these deposits of weight don’t pose any health risks in themselves, they can be uncomfortable and make it hard to fit into form-fitting clothes.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, eating a nutritious diet and staying hydrated can help you lose those pesky love handles. The key is to choose foods high in fiber such as whole grains and fruits/vegetables, while limiting refined carbs to an occasional treat. These items also keep you feeling full for longer periods of time, which reduces overall caloric consumption.
One way to boost your protein intake and create a healthier diet is by increasing it throughout the day. Consuming high-protein items such as eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes will help you feel fuller for longer periods of time, helping prevent overeating and keeping weight steady.
Eating a high-protein diet can also help build muscle mass, which naturally burns more calories when at rest, according to the American Heart Association. This will give your muscles an attractive toned look and make you appear and feel more attractive overall, they add.
Cardiovascular exercises such as walking, jogging, cycling and swimming can all help you burn belly fat. You might even consider trying HIIT (high-intensity interval training), which involves short bursts of high intensity followed by lower intensity activity.
Resistance training, such as lifting weights, can also help you shed those love handles and other body fat. Strength exercises build muscles and enhance posture – giving off a more attractive look and feeling overall.
One of the primary reasons people don’t achieve their desired body composition is due to a lack of nutritional foods. So, to improve your diet and ensure all necessary nutrients are getting into your system, try eating different things and staying hydrated. Eating well-balanced meals will also help you shed those love handles or other stubborn areas of fat. A well-balanced meal plan can be especially effective at combatting stubborn love handles!
3. Drink Water
If you’re trying to shed those pesky love handles, there are a few simple strategies that can help. These include getting active, eating healthily, drinking plenty of water and sleeping enough.
The first and most essential tip is to drink plenty of water. Not only does it improve energy levels and brain function, but it also suppresses your appetite. Furthermore, increasing calorie burn will make weight loss easier overall.
Drink two litres of water daily, though more is ideal. To stay hydrated, carry a bottle with you and sip from it as soon as you feel thirsty.
Another essential tip is to cut back on sugary beverages. These contain high amounts of calories and empty sugars that will only add to your waistline.
For instance, one cup of sugary soda contains 92 calories and 15 grams of sugar. But if you replace that drink with a glass of water instead, you can achieve the same weight loss results without consuming any extra calories or sugar.
Studies have demonstrated that people who consume a high volume of alcoholic drinks tend to gain weight around their midsection, so this should be avoided if you want to eliminate love handles and prevent belly fat.
Instead of indulging in a large cup of alcohol with each meal, opt for water and low-fat milk instead. You’ll still get your daily dose of caffeine that suppresses hunger while helping to boost metabolic rate.
Additionally, adding more fiber to your diet can be beneficial. Soluble fiber found in beans, nuts, oats and vegetables slows digestion to help you feel satiated for longer.
Weight-loss can benefit from this strategy as it makes one feel less hungry and reduces their food intake.
Add some zest and color to your water with a slice of lemon or cucumber, making it more appealing and refreshing. But make sure you drink plenty of it too, in order to stay hydrated throughout the day.
4. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is essential for overall health and wellbeing. Not only does it impact your productivity, emotional balance, brain/heart health, immune function, creativity, vitality and weight – but also impacts other areas of life like weight management or creativity.
Sleep deficiency or poor quality sleep can have numerous detrimental effects, such as obesity, depression, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Not only that but it may also negatively affect your mood, energy level, mental sharpness and ability to cope with stress.
Sleep is essential for performing at your best, no matter the activities you undertake during the day. Not only does it repair and maintain physical abilities, but it also promotes long-term mental health by sharpening memory and cognition.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep nightly for optimal health. If you are having trouble falling asleep, try these strategies:
Avoiding caffeine, eating a light meal before bed and using electronic screens in the few hours leading up to bed are all great strategies for getting enough shut-eye.
Sleep deprivation has been linked to an increase in belly fat and obesity. It also makes you feel irritable and insecure, which may lead to craving sweets or other treats that add extra calories into your diet.
Chronic stress also raises cortisol levels in your body, which are known to promote belly fat storage. Therefore, getting adequate rest each night is key for managing stress effectively and managing cortisol.
If you are having trouble falling asleep on a regular basis, speak to your doctor. A sleep disorder could be to blame and may need to be addressed with medications or other therapies.
Setting a regular sleep schedule and sticking to it, no matter how hectic life gets, is recommended. Supporting your biological clock by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps reset your circadian rhythm, which is essential for getting enough shut-eye.
Sleeping for eight hours each night not only provides you with energy and strength to tackle life’s obstacles, but it also helps your body process information it absorbs during the day, leaving you more alert and focused. Not only that, but getting adequate rest also helps manage stress, keep your immune system strong, and even prevent degenerative diseases like dementia from taking hold.