Do you have more layers in your midsection? Love handles (excess fat around the waist and belly) is one of the most difficult areas to lose, but there are steps you can take to shrink your tummy and waist. Learn lifestyle, diet, and exercise techniques that can help you get rid of love handles.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Start Healthy Habits to Get Rid of Love Handles
Step 1. Relieve stress
When you feel stressed or depressed due to a lot of work, family problems or experiencing certain trauma, your body will react by releasing a hormone called cortisol. In addition to causing a number of health problems, cortisol also causes fat gain in your midsection, which then refers to love handles. You can probably think of a number of issues that are stressing you out right now. To get rid of love handles, you have to relieve stress too! Find out what is putting pressure on your system and take action to remedy the situation.
- See if you can reduce the activity in your schedule so you can reduce your busyness. Having successive activities from morning to night can cause a lot of stress.
- If you are experiencing stress caused by a situation that you have no control over, try to deal with the stress in healthy ways such as; meditation, yoga, running, journaling, or any other activity that can relax your mind.
Step 2. Get a better sleep pattern
Staying up too late can strain your body and mind, and result in excessive cortisol production and fat gain in the midsection. A good sleep pattern is an often overlooked key to weight loss, but it can actually make a big difference. Begin to get used to sleep for 7-8 hours every night.
- Going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time the next morning will get your body used to a consistent schedule and help relieve stress.
- If you have trouble sleeping, make sure your sleeping environment is dark and quiet. Leave your electronics in another room while you sleep so you're not tempted to check email at night.
Step 3. Drink more water
Dehydration is another cause of stress in your body. Most of us are dehydrated without us even realizing it. Start drinking a few liters of water every day, and more on hot days or when you're exercising to make sure you're adequately hydrated.
- Drink a large glass of water first thing in the morning, before you get your morning caffeine.
- Buy a one-liter bottle and plan to drink two a day.
Step 4. Eat regularly
This can help prevent spikes in blood sugar levels, which can then increase the amount of fat in the midsection if overdone. If you want to get rid of the love handles, eat regularly, in small portions, and stop eating after 8 p.m. Give your body time to rest from food at night until the morning, then eat a good breakfast followed by a healthy lunch and dinner, this is the best way to get rid of love handles.
Step 5. Don't drink alcohol to excess
Alcohol can cause changes in sugar levels, which will strain the system and result in fat storage in the stomach. Stay away from alcoholic drinks that contain sugar. Opt for low-sugar drinks like grape juice, and limit it to just one or two drinks, no more than twice a week.
One serving of alcohol is equivalent to 150 ml of wine, 350 ml of beer or 45 ml of liquor. For women, the maximum recommended alcohol intake per day is 2 servings
Method 2 of 3: Eat Healthy Foods to Lose Belly Fat
Step 1. Increase consumption of vegetables and fruit
Eating well is the most important thing you can do to get rid of love handles. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables with every meal is a good way to reduce belly fat storage. Fruits and vegetables contain a variety of vitamins and nutrients your body needs to stay healthy, in addition to being rich in fiber and water and containing only a few calories.
- Start your day with a vegetable omelet or fruit and vegetable juice. Make sure you always eat a large portion of vegetables every time you eat.
- Vegetables that are in season are usually fresher and contain more nutrients than vegetables that are out of season and must be imported from far away. Try to choose products that are grown close to where you live.
Step 2. Eat healthy proteins and fats
A diet rich in protein and omega-3s and other good fats is very important when you are trying to get rid of love handles. At each meal, you should include a serving of protein such as lean chicken, fish or beef.
- Preserved meats such as bacon, sausage, and raw meat contain preservatives and fats that contribute greatly to fat storage, so avoid these types of meat and opt for fresh meats.
- There are also several types of vegetable choices that can be used as a source of protein. Eggs, tofu, beans, and certain green leafy vegetables are also high in protein.
Step 3. Eat foods that contain whole Celery seeds and fiber
Eating high-fiber foods can make you feel fuller, and you're less likely to consume calories when your diet is high in fiber. Choose foods that contain whole grains such as oatmeal or quinoa, as well as fruits and vegetables rich in fiber, whole grains and nuts.
Step 4. Avoid processed foods
Most snacks, fast food, and other manufactured foods such as white bread, canned soups and microwaved foods are usually high in added sugar, flour, corn syrup, and hydrogenated oil, not to mention preservatives and food coloring. When you are trying to lose belly fat, you should avoid these types of foods.
- Cook as much as possible. Try to prepare your meals fresh every day, even if your meals are simple foods like salads with protein like grilled chicken or tofu.
- Eat healthy snacks such as nuts, carrots or cut fruit to replace packaged snacks.
- Try making old-fashioned oats with fruit or scrambled eggs for breakfast. Avoid breakfast bars (wheat foods made in bars) that contain sugar; even "diet" bars are actually full of sugar calories.
- Soft drinks and other sugary drinks should also be avoided. Choose herbal teas that do not contain sugar. If you like adding sugar to your drink, use sweeteners from agave or fresh fruit.
Method 3 of 3: Exercising to Strengthen Abdominal Muscles
Step 1. Practice high-intensity interval training (HIIT)
High intensity interval training (HIIT) consists of intense activity accompanied by lighter intervals of activity. This exercise can burn a large number of calories in a short time, and continue to burn calories even after you've done it.
- An example of a good 20-minute HIIT workout program is to do the following exercises in 45 minutes: push-ups, squats, butt kicks, triceps dips, and lunges. After one set of movements, rest for 15 seconds and repeat. Do 3 sets in total.
- A good HIIT program can help you lose belly fat, which will help reduce love handles.
Step 2. Try cycling
The bicycle movement is a powerful movement designed to remove the love handles and can be easily incorporated into most sports sessions. This exercise asks you to move quickly from side to side, which will work on the love handles and maintain pressure on the abdominal muscles.
- Lie on your back on a hard floor, then lift your legs in the air and at your waist. You can support this move by placing your elbows on your lower back so that your feet are fully off the ground, and doing a cycling or swinging motion with your feet in the air.
- When doing this exercise, make sure you maintain a good, slow movement pattern, as this will give maximum tension to your abdominal muscles.
Step 3. Perform prone ball roll-ins at the side (roll the ball sideways in a prone position)
This movement requires an exercise ball (a ball used for gymnastics), and is very effective for love handles because of the prone position of the body. Your muscles have to work hard to maintain balance and this is where the tightening comes in.
- Lie down with your stomach position on the exercise ball. Roll the ball from side to side, moving your body to maintain balance so you don't fall.
- Each time you press the ball to one side of your body, you should feel it in your abdominal muscles.
Step 4. Use a hula hoop
A fun exercise that can tighten the troublesome area of the love handle is to use a hula hoop, which is common at most fitness supply stores. Put on some music and rotate your hips, making quick up and down movements in your waist area. After a while you will feel your stomach muscles kick, this indicates that you are starting to experience the effects of strengthening the muscles in the area under the love handles.
Step 5. Try the decline twisting sit-up
Decline twisting sit-ups are more difficult than regular crunches because you have to fight gravity by lifting and lowering your body. Just do the movement from a regular sit-up position, but you should rotate your body to one side when you get up from the floor and reverse the position when you lower your body to the starting position.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Lift your torso, focusing on turning your body as far to one side as possible.
- Slowly lower your back to the starting position, as this can help build muscle through different types of movement.
Tips
- Do this exercise 3 times a week. For best results, repeat 15-20 times.
- The best way to get rid of love handles is through diet and lifestyle changes. These exercises will only help tone your muscles, but will not lose fat stores.
- Remember, doing these exercises will not lose fat, only tighten the muscles in the area. In fact, cycling will push your fat out and look worse, even if you don't have a lot of belly fat.
- Do squats.
