Excess belly fat and love handles wreak havoc on self esteem and puts the body in jeopardy of gaining visceral fat. Visceral fat grows close to organs such as your kidneys and liver, potentially increasing your risk for heart disease and diabetes, according to the "Ladies Home Journal." The best way to rid yourself of this adiposity is through better eating habits and exercise.
Dietary Adjustments
Step 1
Track your calories for five days to get an average intake and reduce it. Include food and liquid calories and add all your amounts together. Divide by five and reduce your intake by 500 to 1,000 calories. Utilize a free online resource such as The Daily Plate if you need assistance (see "Resources").
Step 2
Choose foods that are nutrient dense. Stop eating pork barbecues, cheese-steak hoagies, fries with gravy, chocolate covered pretzels and doughnuts. Stick with foods that are lower in fat and calories such as fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, lean meats, low-fat-dairy and fish.
Step 3
Eat more times during the day but keep your portions small. This will keep your appetite under control and metabolism lifted. Include protein and complex carbs in each meal and eat every two to three hours starting as soon as you get up. A bison burger on a whole wheat bun with lettuce and tomato is a meal example.
Step 4
Drink water in place of liquid calories. Eliminate the beer, wine, soda, sweetened teas, lemonade, slushies and processed fruit drinks from your diet. By drinking water instead you will keep your calories regulated and also hydrate your body. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women get approximately 2.7 liters a day and men get approximately 3.7 liters.
Exercise
Step 1
Step into the gym to do cardiovascular exercise. Cardio will burn the fat in your belly, your love handle area and the rest of your body. Do any exercise you enjoy, such as running, elliptical training, rowing, stair climbing, indoor cycling, step aerobics or swimming. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 60 to 90 minutes of cardio for weight loss. Work out three days a week on alternating days for this time frame.
Step 2
Perform weight training to build muscle throughout your body and increase your resting metabolism. Do exercises such as bench presses, shoulder presses, bent-over rows, dips, curls and lunges which work all of your major muscle groups. Aim for 10 to 12 reps, thee or four sets and work out on three noncardio days a week.
Step 3
Grasp a pull-up bar with a shoulder-width, overhand grip to do alternating knee raises. These work your abs and obliques, which are found under the love handles. Keep your upper body still as you pull your knees up toward your right shoulder. Lower your legs back down and repeat to your left shoulder. Alternate back and forth in a steady motion.
Step 4
Execute a set of bicycle crunches while lying on your back. These work your entire stomach area. Lift your legs, bend your knees 90 degrees and parallel your shins to the floor. Place your hands on the sides of your head, lift your shoulders off the floor and move your right elbow and left knee toward each other. Extend your right leg out straight when you do this and quickly change directions. Alternate back and forth in a steady motion.
Step 5
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart to do Saxon side bends. These specifically target the obliques. Hold dumbbells above your head with a slight bend in your elbows and your palms facing forward. Keep your lower body still as you bend laterally to your right. Bend back up, then bend laterally to your left. Alternate back and forth in a steady motion and feel the contraction on your obliques.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform 15 to 20 reps and three or four sets of your ab exercises. Do them after your weight training exercises.
Things You'll Need
- Pull-up bar
- Dumbbells
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