Reducing your "Love Handles"

by Coach Briody
(Lattingtown, N.Y.)

By Coach Briody
www.briody-fitnessnhealth.com

"Love Handles", a name that was invented to make people feel better about that unwanted extra waist line fat. "Hate Handles" seems more appropriate. Lots of people like them in their partner because it gives them something to get a hold of, hence the name. But you are much less likely to admire your own handles. That extra roll of fat above the hips can be unsightly. My clients often say, “all I want to do is get rid of my love handles.” Spot reducing is not really an option and in most cases having “handles” goes along with carrying a little excess fat all over the body. So if you want to know how to get rid of love handles, the answer, is simple, diet and exercise.

Diet
Any kind of diet that results in losing fat is going to help get rid of that fat deposit on your sides. It is not possible to follow a diet that will get rid of fat in certain areas. You will find that you lose it all over. It may come off faster in some parts of the body depending on the focus of exercising you are doing. First, know your ideal body weight. Next watch your calorie and nutrition intake. You can do this most easily by eating more non-starchy vegetables to fill the stomach while cutting down on fat and sugar. Avoid late night eating as well as processed snacks and foods. Try to switch from refined grains to whole grains too.

Exercise
When it comes to exercise, you can target specific areas of the body, of course. But the focus here should be on compound exercises that use many muscle groups and offer a high calorie burn. Examples would be circuit training, burpees, or kettlebells. To tighten that midsection you want to concentrate on the core, that is the abdomen and lower back. The oblique crunch is a great exercise for working on the side of the abdominal muscles and should help firm your sides.. Dumb bell side bends are another good exercise for this area. Visit my ABS page for many core strengthening exercises. Working on the shoulders will give a better overall shape to the body. Stronger shoulders on either a man or a woman will draw the attention away from the midsection and make your spare tire seem smaller even if it is not.

Cardio
At the same time you do need to do some cardio and improve overall fitness. There is no point in developing firm, toned muscles if they are still hidden under a layer of fat. Cardiovascular exercise such as running or cycling will improve the body’s composition and can change the way you use and store fat.

By Coach Briody
www.briody-fitnessnhealth.com