Diet & Fitness 

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Lose your love handles

Sorry, but you can't magically make those ‘love handles’ disappear. The belief that you can somehow spot reduce—or selectively zap fat from an offending area of your body—is a persistent misconception among exercisers. If only we could spot reduce, then doing thousands of sit-ups would melt away your spare tire. But as many have found out the hard way, this approach simply won't work. Specific exercises will not result in loss of body fat from specific areas.

‘Problem areas’ are genetically determined places on an individual's body where excess fat is stored. The only way to lose fat on any area of the body is to reduce your overall body fat. Sensible eating habits designed to reduce calorie intake and regular exercise designed to burn off excess calories will help do this. Here's the best approach to firming up your flabby sides:

Try to maintain a consistent schedule that includes 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week or more. In addition, doing a total-body strength-training routine twice a week will increase your muscle mass, which will help you burn more calories even when you're at rest. This in turn will further enable you to reduce your overall fat stores, including those love handles. As for diet, eat five or six small, low-fat meals a day to keep your blood sugar steady, your metabolism boosted and prevent cravings.

You can also improve the overall appearance of your waist by spot training to tone the muscles underneath the fat deposits. Doing two to five abdominal exercises twice a week will adequately train those muscles so they become visible as you lose body fat. Do eight to15 repetitions per set and move slowly and deliberately so you really feel every repetition. Here are a few exercises you might want to try:

• Basic crunch: Works the rectus abdominis, the wide flat muscle that runs from your breastbone to the top of your pelvis.
  • Lie on the floor with your feet hip-width apart. Cradle your head in your hands without lacing your fingers together and with your elbows rounded slightly inward. Tilt your chin in slightly towards your chest and pull your abdominal muscles in.
  • Exhale through your mouth as you lift your head, neck, and shoulders up off the floor. Hold at the top of the movement for a moment, then inhale as you slowly let your body down.
  
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