No matter how many oblique crunches you do, you won’t lose those love handles. Here’s really how to get rid of love handles and belly fat for good.

In 2017, more than 70% of Americans were either overweight or obese.

And when it comes to losing weight, there’s always one area where the fat is hardest to shift. Hundreds of obliques and thousands of sits up seem to have no effect. We just can’t lose those love handles.

This is because spot training won’t make the fat disappear. It will only strengthen the muscles underneath. 

So read on to learn how to get rid of love handles the right ways.

Healthy Eating

You earned those love handles in the first place by eating too much of the wrong types of food.

One of the most effective ways to get rid of unwanted fat is to start eating healthier. Doing this in combination with the right kinds of exercise can offer real results.

Cut Down on Sugar

Sugar is finally being recognized as a serious threat to health.

It has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes, and there are suggestions that it may increase your risk of depression, acne and other skin conditions, and even cancer. And too much sugar has been shown to be a direct cause of weight gain.

Cutting down is easier said than done, with sugar added to a huge proportion of the things that we eat and drink. But making an effort to try and minimize your sugar intake can have a noticeable impact on your love handles.

Opt for Healthy Fats

As crazy as it sounds, not all fat is bad for you. 

Healthy fats from natural foods such as avocados, nuts, olives, and oily fish can actually help you to lose body fat. That’s because these healthy fats make you feel full, reducing the number of calories you are likely to consume. 

And as a bonus, these foods are also high in HDL cholesterol, known as “good” cholesterol. It is so-called because it helps to remove the “bad” LDL cholesterol from your system.

Increase Soluble Fiber

Foods that are rich in soluble fiber can also help you to feel full and reduce your calorie intake.

Fruits, vegetables, and beans are all great sources of soluble fiber. This is why eating oranges instead of drinking juice is a better option, as juice contains very little of the soluble fiber.

Foods high in soluble fiber are also shown to reduce cholesterol.

Exercise

Eating properly is only part of the solution.

If you want to remove the body fat that you have already built up, then you’ll need your body to burn it off. And for that, you’ll need to exercise.

Keep Moving

One of the simplest changes you can make is to keep moving throughout the day.

Many of us have jobs that involve sitting behind a desk for hours on end. This has been shown to be incredibly bad for our health. By getting up and moving around more during the day, you will be using more calories. Once you start using more than you consume, your body will begin to turn to your fat stores.

Do Cardio

The more you can get your heart pumping, the more fat you can burn.

Aim for 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every week. Brisk walking, cycling, and swimming are all activities that would fit the bill. It is also better to do some exercise every day rather than two hours in one day with none at all for the rest of the week.

Try HIIT

High-Intensity Interval Training involves doing short bursts of exercise at really high intensity in between longer periods of much lower intensity. 

HIIT has been shown to increase your heart rate for a significant time after the session is completed, which means that the body continues to burn fat even when you have stopped exercising. Research shows that HIIT can significantly reduce body fat.

Before starting HIIT we would recommend speaking to your doctor as it is not suitable for everyone.

Fat Removal

If diet and exercise don’t seem to be working for you, then fat removal is another option.

This involves removing your body fat either via surgical procedures or even better, by causing the fat to break down inside your body. It is an effective and proven way to remove the fat causing your love handles.

Liposuction

The most common surgical fat removal procedure is liposuction.

Liposuction uses a narrow tube to suck the fat out of your body. This is an invasive procedure which means that incisions must be made in your skin so that the tube can be inserted. As the surgery is invasive, you will need to be put under anesthetic.

Not everyone is suitable for liposuction, and there are risks involved as with any form of surgery. You will likely experience pain and swelling after the procedure.

Non-Invasive Fat Removal

If invasive surgery sounds a little offputting, there are non-invasive procedures that are also effective.

These procedures work by causing the fat to break down inside the body. There are a number of different methods for how this can be done. Some procedures apply cold to fat cells, freezing them to death. Other systems use lasers or radio waves to produce the same effect.

You can also use gentle ultrasound to break down the cell walls. This method is practically pain-free. It also leaves no visible signs of treatment whatsoever, unlike the other methods. That means no bruising or swelling and no numbness.

You choose how to get rid of love handles

Now you have a number of options for how to get rid of love handles. 

If you’ve tried healthy eating and exercise with no luck, and you don’t like the idea of invasive surgery, then our non-invasive fat removal treatment could be a great choice. Gentle ultrasound technology destroys the walls of fat cells. The released fat is then naturally processed by your body. 

If you’d like to know more or want to book an appointment then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.