Love handles are perhaps the toughest part of the body to alter without extreme fitness or dieting methods. And if this describes your struggle, you're not alone. The love handles are the body's first choice to store excess body fat. We are genetically predisposed to putting on fat there first, and taking it off there last. And unless you have an extremely high metabolism or a very active lifestyle, odds are your body doesn't want you to give up this special source of energy.
First of all, let's discuss exactly what the love handles are. They are excessive fat stores on the side of the body used for hugging. They also keep us from feeling comfortable at the beach. They are not muscle however, and so should not be treated like muscle. Muscle can be exercised. It can grow and it can atrophy. Fat on the other hand cannot be exercised. It is stored energy and it will only disappear when our body requires more energy than it consumes. This leaves us with two options for losing them. We can increase our energy needs through exercise, or decrease our energy intake through dieting.
The best way to attack the love handles through exercise is through a combination of resistance training and interval training. Resistance training builds muscle and ups the metabolism. It ought to be performed in a fast paced circuit fashion, where exercises are performed back to back with little rest, 3 to 4 sets, three days a week. Interval training is a combination of moderate and intense exercise, typically lasting 15 to 25 minutes. A typical interval might be two minutes of jogging followed by one minute of sprinting. Interval training is great for tightening the midsection and burning fat.
Dieting doesn't need to be super strict or uncomfortable. A good diet will involve 5 to 6 meals a day, and one or two cheat days a weak where any and everything can be eaten, even in excess. During diet days however one should stick to fruits, vegetables, and lean meats, as well as healthy sources of unsaturated fats like almonds or salmon. Eating frequent and well balanced meals is essential for both staving off hunger and for keep our metabolism from slowing down throughout the day. One or two cheat days a weak are not only good for our mental health, they keep our metabolism from adjusting downward to our regular lower calorie diet.
A diet of fruits, veg, and meats may not seem like much of a diet, and that's the point. These foods contain far fewer calories than your typical pastas, rice, bread, French fries and candy. You may even feel like you're eating more than normal, all the while consuming fewer calories. This powerful combination of fitness training and a proper diet will shed the pounds and attack those love handles quickly. There are no magic bullets. The love handles are the most stubborn place on the body to lose fat, and they require extra effort and different lifestyle choices.
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