How to Lose Your Love Handles Fast

There is a false belief out there among those who work out that you can somehow remove fat from targeted areas on the body. If that were true, dedication to the age-old sit-up would quickly give you the much desired six pack abs. Unfortunately, it’s just not that easy. There are no targeted exercises you can do to eliminate the “extra” from specific body areas.

Genetics determine regions of the body that tend to store more fat. There is only one way to reduce the fat stored in those areas, and that is to cut your body’s overall fat stores. Healthy eating that reduces caloric intake coupled with consistent calorie-burning exercise will aid in reducing body fat. So here is the most effective, and perhaps unsurprising, way to get rid of unwanted body fat:

Regular aerobic exercise consisting of 30-45 minutes per day, 3-4 times per week is one important aspect. Additionally, strength training that engages the entire body twice a week will aid in burning more calories, even when your body is at rest. The result is a reduction in your overall body fat, including the “problem areas.” Regarding diet, five to six small meals a day that are low in fat will keep your blood sugar regulated while increasing metabolism and controlling cravings.

If you want to define your waist, this can be done by spot training, which tones the muscles beneath the fat. Do 2-5 of the following toning exercise two times per week, and you will see the results while losing total body fat. Each set should include 8-15 reps. Make sure you are slow and deliberate with your movements so that you feel each and every rep. Here are a few examples:

Basic crunch: This exercise tones the rectus abdominis which is the wide flat muscle that spans from the top of your pelvis up to your breastbone.

While lying on the floor with your feet spread to hip-width, place your head in your hands. Be sure not to lace your fingers together. Round your elbows slightly inward. With your chin tilted slightly toward your check, flex your ab muscles inward.

While doing the exercise, breath out through your mouth as you lift your shoulders, head, and neck off the floor. Hold for a moment, then breathe in as you lower yourself down the floor, remembering to take it slow.

Twist crunch: This will work your rectus abdominis too, and also your obliques (both internal and external). These are the waist muscles.

Assume the same position as in the basic crunch, shown above.

Breathe out through the mouth while bringing head, neck, and shoulders upward at an angle to the left. Hold for a moment, and lower yourself back to the center. Lift again, this time toward the right. Alternate sides until you have finished your reps. Be sure while doing this exercise that you are not just twisting with your elbows from side to side. Use your core muscles to lift and twist your body.

Anchoring: By doing this movement, you will use all of your ab muscles; even the deepest muscle called the transverse abdominis. You will also feel this in your lower back.

Begin by lying on your back. Place your left foot on the floor and bring your right leg up with the knee bent. Your thigh should be in a perpendicular line to the floor, and also in line with your hip. While in this position, flex your heel and lift your arms upward, over your chest. Lace your fingers together.

Remembering to keep your movements slow and deliberate, bring your heel and arms down toward the floor. Be sure not to let your back come up off the floor. You can do this by making certain your ab muscles are pulled inward. Expect this to become more difficult as your arms and heel near the floor. When you come close to reaching the floor bring your leg and your arms back to their original positions. Do this again four times using your right leg, then four times with your left leg.

Please note: It doesn’t matter how many sit-ups or crunches you do if you are not using the other methods mentioned above to burn fat. Your best results will come from coupling aerobic exercise with full-body strength-training while targeting problem areas with specific abdominal exercises and cutting overall caloric intake as described above.