Carrying excess weight around your hips can wreck your self-esteem and be an indication of being overweight. If you notice that the fat on your hips pours over your pants or is more noticeable than you wish, you probably have what most people refer to as love handles. Getting rid of unsightly love handles relies on a healthy diet, strength training exercises and cardiovascular, also known as cardio, activity.
Step 1
Perform interval training five to seven days per week. According to Shape Fit, high-intensity interval training burns more calories than standard cardiovascular exercise and it helps to boost your metabolism throughout the entire day. Choose a cardio activity, alternate extremely fast and slow intervals for a total of 20 minutes. Each interval should last 30 to 90 seconds.
Step 2
Perform stability ball knee tucks to tone the muscle under your love handles. Lie on the top of a stability ball with your hands and feet on the floor. Use your hands to move yourself forward until your shins are on top of the ball. Curl your knees in toward your chest as far as you can, straighten your legs and repeat for a total of two sets of eight to 10 repetitions.
Step 3
Execute the side-straddle stretch for your obliques. Sit on the floor with your legs spread apart. Keep your back straight, bend your arms to form 90-degree angles at your sides and tighten your stomach muscles. Bend at your waist to lower your right elbow toward the floor, sit up straight, repeat on the left side and perform until you complete two sets of eight to 10 repetitions.
Step 4
Modify the fat and sugar content in your diet. Foods that have added sugar, which can appear on labels as glucose, fructose or glycerin, and a daily value of more than five percent of fat should be avoided. These foods will cause excessive weight gain and promote love handles.
Step 5
Consume organic, nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories. According to The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services your diet should be mostly vegetables, fruits, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, whole-grain breads and lean protein. Look for foods that have less than 400 calories per serving and more than 20 percent of vitamins and minerals.
References
- Shape Fit: Losing Weight After Having a Baby
- American Council on Exercise: Stability Ball Knee Tucks
- American Council on Exercise: Seated Side-Straddle Stretch
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity & Public Health Guidelines
- U. S. Department of Health and Human Services: Finding Your Way to a Healthier You
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