Love handles can be one of the most annoying forms of fat found on the body. Not only do they change the shape of your stomach and waistline, but they also can be obvious and embarrassing when you are wearing tight clothing or a bathing suit. Unfortunately there is no immediate way to get rid of love handles. Even do spot exercises for that specific area can only reduce them so much. But if you perform those exercises along with a regular aerobic routine and combine that with a healthy diet and lifestyle, you should be able to get rid of your love handles completely, and hopefully permanently.
Strengthening your lower back area is a good place to start for getting rid of love handles. Many of the abdominal exercises you will want to do to strengthen that area and build muscle there will work best if your back is strong and fit as well. An exercise that can help lead to this lower back strength has you lying on the floor on your stomach. Lift your legs off the floor and "flutter" them about for several repetitions before placing them back on the floor.
Two exercises that focus on the abdominal area as well as the stomach and related muscles include twist crunches and standing tuck twists. The twist crunches focus specifically on obliques and abdominals. Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows out. Come up and twist so that your right elbow touches your left knee and then straighten out your left leg. Release the position back to the floor with both knees once again bent. Bring your left elbow up to your right knee and straighten out your right leg. Release the position back to the floor again. Continue alternating these movements for at least 25 repetitions.
The standing truck twists are done from a standing position with your legs about a foot apart and your arms at your side. While keeping your hips and legs still, twist your body at the waist toward the left side and move your right arm so that it crosses over to the left as well in a "punching" movement. Twist the other way and bring your left arm across to punch toward the right. Continue alternating from side to side for 50 to 100 repetitions. This is more of an aerobic exercise than the twist crunches and will not only help build strength and muscle in the abdominal area but will also raise your heart rate and metabolism.
Exercise alone is not enough to cut down on love handles, however. You must follow a healthy diet as well that will help keep you from gaining fat deposits around your body. Sodium causes water retention which doesn't help if you want to maintain a smooth and flat stomach and waist area. It can also lead to an increased risk of heart disease. Alcohol can include a lot of sugar and other ingredients that are just empty calories. These calories can accumulate in areas such as the waistline and belly and help create love handles. Cutting back on the amount of alcohol you ingest can help decrease the chances of this happening.
One of the most important dietary things you can do is drink water. Water works to help keep your body running correctly. It boosts metabolism, flushes out toxins in the system, and even keeps your appetite suppressed to normal levels so you don't overeat. You are less likely to retain water if you are drinking enough water every day as your body understands it will always get more when it needs it. Be sure to drink at least eight cups of water every day to help keep away the chance of love handles.
Related Posts :
Tags :
Health And Beauty
Subscribe by Email
Follow Updates Articles from This Blog via Email
No Comments