No woman likes extra fat. In fact, nobody like excess fat on their body. Gone are those days when being on the fat/chubby side defines how healthy you are. If you see our celebrities and models in magazines, TV shows, blogs, you will notice that they generally look fit, slim and in great shape. While we don’t need to start comparing ourselves to those with more time and money than ourselves, it’s good to keep yourself in check and make sure you aren’t letting your body get out of control.
First off, the fat deposit of fat on the sides of your waistline is referred to as love handles. Love handles are not attractive and generally are a sign that your BMI is higher than it needs to be. When we talk about beauty and fashion, excess fat in the tummy area is not only unhealthy but hard to dress. You are stuck with hiding it under baggy clothes or wearing shapewear or girdles to hide the fact that it’s there.
Excess fat in the waistline and stomach is a dangerous risk to your health as well. Scientific research has reported that although it is unhealthy to have excess body fat throughout your body, it is particularly dangerous to have excess fat in your waist and stomach area.
If you have love handles, you will notice that most clothes don’t fit right, especially pants, and you probably don’t even feel healthy. This is a cause for concern and it’s better to do something now rather than later. Don’t rely on supplements that promise to help you burn fat because you are too lazy to exercise! Nor should you starve yourself to get rid of fat. There is a healthy way to deal with this issue them and this article is about the right diet and exercise for you to get the body shape you desire.
Diets to Eliminate Love Handles
Some of the key causes of love handles are improper diet, stress, lack of sleep, and excessive intake of sugar.
There is the right diet for everything. The right diet to add weight, the right diet for heart problems, diabetes and the right diet for weight loss. So, whatever you may be facing, there is always the right diet for you.
If you are having weight problems, especially if you are dealing with love handles, you do not need to starve yourself because you want to look slim and sexy. The key to a healthy and fit body is the right foods and exercise. One of the quickest ways to deal with this issue is eliminating added sugar from your diet.
Here is a quick list of foods to add into your diet instead that will help burn fat:
Oat bran
If you are used to starting your day with oatmeal, it’s time to upgrade. While oatmeal is a great breakfast, having 8 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein per cup, oatbran on its own packs a whopping 18 grams of fiber and 20 grams of protein, and for the same number of calories.Oatbran is produced from the outer husks of the oat, while oatmeal comes from the inner portion. Take your oatbran with low-fat milk or cinnamon instead of sugar or syrup.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a powerhouse seed that acts like a grain when cooked. Just a cup of this seed supplies you with 8g of protein and about 2.5g of soluble fiber. This helps you reduce blood sugar levels and increase fullness and both of this aid weight loss.
Cooking quinoa like oatmeal with some almond milk and berries is a great way to consume it. You can also add it to stir-fries, or even serve it with red sauce.
Lentils
To get a lean body and trigger weight loss, fuel your body with high-fiber foods that don’t contain a ton of carbohydrates.
Lentils (cooked) supply you 18g of protein per cup, 16g of fiber, and 24 grams of effective net carbohydrates – the one your body uses for energy.
Lentils are perfect for you to be filled up and trim down. They are high in folate, magnesium, and iron which aids in circulation through the body.
Chia seeds
Just two teaspoons of chia seeds can supply your body 4g of protein. So if you need additional protein, you can add the seeds to yogurt, green drinks, hot cereals, and your protein shakes.
Chia as a high content of fiber, healthy fats, and iron, which is vegans and vegetarians find difficult to get from their diets alone.
Chia contains anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids which are great for keeping you lean. It is also a hydrophilic food, which means it absorbs water helping you stay fuller for a long time.
White tea
This tea is a powerful brew that helps in stimulating metabolism, it is also a rich source of antioxidants which triggers the cells to release fat and assists the liver to convert that fat into energy.
Drink a cup of white tea after every meal. Do not drink it at night because it contains caffeine and you wouldn’t want to stay up all night.
Walnuts
Walnuts contain fat that assists in activating the genes that reduce storage of fat and improve insulin metabolism.
One Pennsylvania State study reports that a diet rich in walnuts can help the body to react better to stress. It also aids in keeping diastolic blood pressure levels down.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate can actually help melt the excess fat away. Dark chocolate is delicious and very healthy! Research now reports that consuming a reasonable amount of dark chocolate can help reduce the overall body fat and then, it can help shrink the waist.
3 Top Exercises That Helps Get Rid Of Love Handles
Targeting your love handles with diet alone cannot solve your problem. A combination of exercise and diet will help you melt your love handles fast.
Some exercises are meant to spot train the muscles surrounding the areas that has fat deposits- around the lower mid-section and lower back, which are called love handles.
Exercises for love handles should be performed three to four days a week, and you should rest at least one day in between.
Below are exercises that can help melt love handles;
Burpees
This kind of exercise is a combination cardio/strengthening exercise. Burpees target the triceps, upper back, shoulders, abdominals and legs, so it is considered a full-body exercise and it can be very beneficial to tone up your body.
If you focus on proper form and technique more, your muscles will benefit from this exercise more.
Do 10-20 reps and 3 sets. Increase the difficulty of the exercise by doing more repetitions and resting less in between sets.
Bridges
This exercise is one that helps to strengthen your lower back muscles, glutes, and your core muscles.
The process of squeezing and contracting these muscles when raising your hips off the floor will help you increase metabolism and give your muscles a good burn so the targeted muscles can become more toned.
Do 10-20 reps and 3 sets. To increase intensity, raise one leg and perform all sets on one side and then switch to the other side.
Standing Oblique Crunch
This exercise targets the obliques, transverse abdominus, multifidus, and rectus abdominus. Because it is a standing exercise, the standing oblique crunch makes your muscles activate so as to stabilize your body when you balance on one foot.
Perform 10-20 repetitions, then switch to the other side. If you want a lower difficulty level, tap the lifting foot down in between repetitions. Perform 3 sets on each side.
Conclusion
It takes patience and consistency. There is no magic pill that helps you love those love handles but with the right diet and exercises combined with a healthy lifestyle, you will be looking trim and fit in no time.
It is also important that you limit or avoid alcohol intake, stay away from junk foods, eat more organic foods, cut out all processed sugar from your diet, and drink lots of water.
