Love handles, muffin tops and stomach fat all cause frustration and a feeling of self-consciousness. Through masterful marketing, one would be led to believe she can eliminate this fat by investing in a particular gadget and using it repeatedly. This notion, known as spot reduction, is a myth. The correct way to flatten your stomach and rid your sides of unsightly flab is by making dietary changes and following a strict exercise protocol. This is not complicated, but you do need discipline.
Step 1
Carry a notepad with you throughout the day to track your caloric intake. Do this for an entire week. Add up your totals and divide by seven to get a daily average. Cut back by 500 to 1,000 calories and make this your new intake. This produces about 1 to 2 lbs. of weight loss every week.
Step 2
Stop drinking empty calories. Sugary fruit drinks, soda pop, slushies and alcohol often get disregarded when people try to lose weight. If you want to wipe out your side and stomach fat, remove all calorie-containing beverages from your diet. Choose water instead because it is calorie-free and also keeps your body hydrated. Drinking water before your meals will also help fill you up and prevent you from overeating.
Step 3
Consume a healthy breakfast upon waking. Skipping breakfast puts you at high risk to overeat later in the day, and it also increases your risk for choosing unhealthy foods. Start your day with a vegetable omelet, cup of yogurt with granola, cottage cheese with fruit mixed in or some other healthy option.
Step 4
Select a type of aerobic exercise that appeals to you and work out three days a week. Aerobic training slims down love handles, muffin tops, stomach fat and fat throughout the rest of the body. Exercise for at least 60 minutes and alternate your intensity in intervals back and forth between high and low for faster results.
Step 5
Increase your muscle mass to reduce your midsection fat. Added muscle on the body raises your resting metabolism. This causes you to burn more calories around the clock, which contributes to reduced love handles, muffin tops and stomach fat. Perform exercises that work all of your major muscles and cause you to contract your abs, such as bench presses, shoulder presses, bent-over rows, dips, chinups and squats. Aim for 10 to 12 reps, do four or five sets and work out three days a week on noncardio days.
Step 6
Perform ab exercises to target all of your trouble spots. This will give your stomach and sides a flatter, more toned appearance as you lose weight. Do exercises like reverse crunches, tabletop crunches, side plank raises, Russian twists and bicycle maneuvers. Aim for 15 to 20 reps and work your abs three to five times a week. Make sure to execute proper form with your exercises. For tabletop crunches, lie flat on your back with your legs raised, knees bent 90 degrees and shins parallel to the floor. Place your hands on the sides of your head and lift your shoulders off the floor. Curl your torso forward and squeeze your abs forcefully for a full second. Lower yourself back down slowly and repeat.
Things You'll Need
- Notepad
References
- American Council on Exercise: Why Is the Concept of Spot Reduction Considered a Myth? Jessica Mathews
- American Chemistry Society: Clinical Trial Confirms Effectiveness of Simple Appetite Control Method
- American Council on Exercise: Don't Skip Breakfast to Cut Calories
- MayoClinic.com; Metabolism and Weight Loss --- How You Burn Calories; Mayo Clinic staff, October 2009
- Fitness.com: Table Top Crunches
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