BEST WAYS TO GET RID OF LOVE HANDLES
Despite the adorable name, no one really adores love handles. These stubborn layers of fat around the abdominal region are clearly visible through fitted clothes. Love handles make it difficult to wear skinny jeans, crop tops, ormaintain crisp lines in your clothing. Most people want to get rid of them, but the regular diet/exercise combination doesn’t always work. That’s one of the reasons even individuals who work out regularly consider love handles challenging.
WHY ARE LOVE HANDLES CHALLENGING?
These layers of fat are challenging because of their location. It’s a common misconception that love handles require intensive abdominal workouts. The fat rests on obliques so regular abs workouts are ineffective. There’s no way to precisely target a section of your body and remove layers of fat from it.
It is possible to gain tone and definition, but losing fat is a different matter altogether. Unfortunately, just working out won’t help. No matter how many crunches you perform in a day, the love handles won’t disappear without the right combination of exercise and diet.
TIPS TO REDUCE LOVE HANDLES
If you want to successfully reduce love handles, it’s important to alter your entire lifestyle instead of just working out. The additional layers are just excessive fat stored in tissue that needs to be burned from the body. Here are some easy ways to do just that:
REMOVE SUGAR
Modern diet includes a lot of sugar and it’s not easy to keep track of it all. This ingredient is present in soda, juices, preserved food, candies, breakfast cereal, and other such items. All of this can lead to excess amount of belly fat, especially if you consume them regularly. Eliminating sugar completely from your diet is the best solution, but even toning it down to a couple of teaspoons a day can help.
Regular table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, honey, and sweeteners all contain simple sugars. That can lead to an increase in belly fat along with a number of lifestyle diseases like high blood sugar. Most people start noticing the positive impact on less or no sugar within a few days.
CONSUME HEALTHY FATS
People who want to lose weight often focus on calorie values of the meals rather than the nutrient content. That can be ineffective, especially if you want to remove belly fat. Latest studies show that food items that contain healthy fats like avocado, nut oils, olive oil, seeds, and fatty fish can help reduce fat.
These ingredients help you feel full, which means you consume less food and calories. Replace excess empty carbs with healthy fats for best results. It’s a good idea not to go overboard with this because too much healthy fat can be harmful as well. Make sure your meal is balanced but has a good amount of healthy fat ingredients to shed the weight.
ADD FIBER TO YOUR MEALS
Fibrous foods offer a lot of health benefits. They improve digestion, heart health, and can help people become more active. Soluble fiber found in beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and oats can help you shed the pounds effectively.
Studies by reputable establishments indicate that people who consume even 10 grams of fiber every day lose an average of 3.7% harmful belly fat over time. These ingredients are often packed with many other helpful ingredients, which has a positive impact on your overall health. Fiber also promotes the growth of good bacteria in your gut and that influences your digestion.
REDUCE STRESS LEVELS
High levels of stress can also lead to excess belly fat. Modern lifestyles can be chaotic so most people rarely have time to just relax. Constant levels of high-stress lead to mental and physical harm so it is important to attain proper work-life balance. Regular breaks, stress-busting activities, and proper sleep can help you avoid this problem.
Stress triggers cortisol hormone production in your adrenal glands, which can be helpful in some situations. However, excess cortisol production for an extended period of time can cause health problems ranging from chronic headaches to weight gain. Many studies have observed that more often than not, this weight is centered on the abdomen. You can reduce stress and lose weight through soothing exercises like yoga or tai chi.
KEEP MOVING
Most modern people have sedentary lifestyles so they spend several hours parked behind a desk. This isn’t good for health and can lead to weight gain around the waistline. According to one study, just 15-minute of increment sedentary activity can lead to around a 0.13cm increase in the waistline. This is very easy to resolve. Just set a timer for every 30 minutes and take a short five-minute walk around the workplace. This will have a marked impact on your belly fat and help you avoid serious health concerns.
SLEEP WELL
Lack of sleep is a stressful situation and can trigger cortisol release as well. This again leads to weight gain, especially around the abdominal region. A study conducted on over 1,000 individuals with similar lifestyles indicated that people who slept less than 5 hours a day were more likely to gain weight. Sleeping 7 to 8 hours a night helps reduce stress and stall weight gain. Lack of sleep is also linked to lifestyle diseases like obesity and diabetes. Regardless of how busy you are, organize your schedule so you get at least 7 hours of sleep everyday to remain healthy.
EXERCISE YOUR ENTIRE BODY
It’s tempting to focus on abdominal exercises and hope for the best but spot workouts aren’t effective. They only strain one aspect of your body and don’t provide significant weight loss. Studies have indicated that whole-body exercises are more effective than push-ups or pull-ups. They require more energy and burn more calories. Whole body exercises along with regular cardio will help reduce weight, tone the body, and remove belly fat.
With proper dedication and care, it is possible to achieve this and get the figure you desire. Experts recommend consulting with a personal trainer and nutritionist for best results.
