Love handles are an accumulation of fat around or on the side of your stomach. The term "love handles" actually refers to your front abdominal muscles and your oblique abdominal muscles, which are on the side. While they may be a comfort in the winter, when summer arrives or when that special event is just around the corner, they are not so lovely. Love handles may seem to appear overnight but this accumulation does occur over time. Changing your eating habits and exercise regimen can help you to lose your love handles without using diet pills.
Step 1
Reduce your intake of fat. MayoClinic.com advises that if you eat a 2,000-calorie diet, you should not eat more than 78 g of fat each day. In addition, this amount of fat should primarily come from foods which contain beneficial amounts of fat such as nuts and fish. Avoid fried foods and foods that contain high amounts of trans fat. You should not consume more than 2 g of trans fat each day but if you are trying to lose fat, you should reduce or even limit this amount from your diet. Remember -- when it comes to fat, we are what we eat. The more fat you consume, the greater the likelihood that it will accumulate on your body.
Step 2
Increase your intake of protein. As your body builds muscle, it burns fat. Consuming beneficial sources of protein provides your body with fuel for energy and as the protein metabolizes, it will help you burn more fat. Opt for beneficial sources of protein such as fish, chicken, nuts or yogurt. In addition, it is essential to consume protein before and after a workout to help your body repair itself and replenish proteins that may have been lost while exercising.
Step 3
Perform some type of cardiovascular exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days. In addition to strengthening and conditioning the heart and cardiovascular system, cardiovascular exercise helps you to burn fat in areas such as your love handles. Contrary to popular belief, you cannot target a certain area to lose weight in. Once your body begins to burn fat, it will do so consistently in all areas of your body including your love handles. Running, jogging, biking or even a brisk walk are all acceptable forms of cardiovascular exercise. Aim for a quality workout; breaking a sweat while exercising is a sign that your body is working at a level that will help you to burn fat.
Step 4
Add a strength training component that focuses on the abdominals to your workout. While you cannot target the abdominals, you can perform ab-specific exercises to ensure that your abdominals are receiving proper conditioning that will help you to burn fat in that area a little faster. You can do this by adding standard and oblique crunches to your workout regimen. To perform a standard crunch, lie on your back with your knees bent. Without straining your neck, lift your torso up off the ground "crunching" your abdominals. Repeat 75 to 100 times or as many times as possible. You can perform oblique crunches by lying on your side and with your hands behind your head, forming a triangle. Bring your elbow to your side to crunch your oblique muscles. Repeat 50 to 75 times and do the same on the other side.
Step 5
Drink plenty of water. It is generally advised to drink 64 oz. of water each day in support of adequate hydration. If you are looking to lose weight, increasing your water intake is even more important because of the fluids you may be losing during a workout. In addition, water helps to flush fat from the body by promoting increased processing and excretion by the kidneys.
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