Love handles result from having excess fat in and around your midsection. Fat that is located in this area is made up of subcutaneous fat, the type that lies directly under the skin. If you have excess subcutaneous fat, you also have amounts of visceral fat around your abdominal muscles. Having fat in and around your midsection is not only frustrating, but can cause physical harm as well. Stomach fat interferes with normal hormone production and predisposes you to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Losing your love handles and reducing your risk of disease is easily achieved through a clean, natural diet and daily exercise.
Step 1
Take your measurements. Measure three areas of your waist: directly around your bellybutton, around the widest part of your waist and around the smallest part of your waist. Record these numbers in a small notebook. Make sure to write down the date and label each measurement.
Step 2
Tighten up your diet. Write down foods you normally eat throughout the day. Anything that is processed, baked, prepackaged or is red meat, cross it off. You may be left with nothing, or you could be left with exactly what your new diet needs to consist of: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, chicken and fish.
Step 3
Eat only healthy carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables will now be your main source of carbs, not cereal, bread and pasta. The Harvard School of Public Health states "easily digested carbohydrates from white bread, white rice, pastries, sugared sodas and other highly-processed foods may contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease." Avoiding these bad carb foods will help you shrink your waist and slowly trim down your love handles. Keep your carbohydrate intake to about 40 percent of your day's worth of calories.
Step 4
Eat healthy fats. Healthy fats come from avocados, nuts, seeds and olive oil. The fats found in these sources are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These healthy fats actually aid in sustained weight loss according to Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman, certified nutritionist. Bad fats, trans and saturated, like those found in baked goods and meat products, increase your risk for heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Keep fat consumption to about 30 percent of your daily calories.
Step 5
Eat lean meats. Get your protein from skinless poultry and fish. Protein is an important part of your diet as it aids in muscle growth, tissue repair and preserving lean muscle mass. Getting your protein from lean sources ensures you are not taking in more fat than your body needs. Get 30 percent of your day's worth of calories from protein.
Step 6
Determine your daily caloric needs. Use Nutriweb's online calculator to determine how many calories you need per day. Once determining this number, make sure to eat that many calories each day, and not more. To lose weight, cut about 500 calories off from your diet to lose one pound per week healthily.
Step 7
Exercise. Combine strength training with cardiovascular training. Lift weights or do resistance training three days a week, and do cardiovascular exercise such as walking, running, rowing or playing a sport at least twice a week. Toning your muscles while losing weight will make sure you do not end up with excess skin and flab, and instead have a tight, lean midsection. In addition to losing weight, the Harvard School of Public Health states exercise "lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and certain cancers." Burning 500 calories a day through exercise leads to an additional pound of weight loss per week.
Step 8
Track your diet and exercise with a notebook. Use the same notebook you took your measurements in and track down your eating and exercise habits. Writing down what you eat will help ensure you are getting enough calories and proper balance of macro-nutrients without going in to excess. Tracking your exercise will help keep you motivated, as well as keep you accountable for your success. Retake your measurements after one month.
Tips and Warnings
- One gram of protein and carbohydrates equates to four calories. One gram of fat equated to nine calories.
- Consult a doctor or physician before beginning any diet or fitness regimen.
Things You'll Need
- Flexible measuring tape
- Notebook
- Pen
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