How to Get Rid of Love Handles: The Simple Answer
How many thousands of people search the internet everyday for information on how to get rid of love handles or how to get rid of belly fat? I have no idea, but I do know that they are all looking for the simple answer...for the easy, tried and true solution...for the GUARANTEED way to lose those love handles for good. Are you one of them?
If you are, I've got great news for you. You have come to the right place because I am prepared to share the foolproof, 100% guaranteed answer to that question with you. Are you ready for the answer? Here it is:
Proper Nutrition & Exercise!
That's all there is to it. That is the "secret" to getting rid of love handles and getting washboard abs. Are you surprised? Probably not. Everyone knows this but tries to find an easier way. Are you disappointed? Probably so. You, like most people (even myself, years ago) were probably looking for the quick fix and were disappointed to hear what you have heard countless times before.
Well, guess what...the reason you keep hearing this is because it is 100% true! Eating the right foods, in the right amounts, at the right intervals while maintaining a consistent workout regimen consisting of both cardiovascular and, most importantly, weight training exercises is the ONLY WAY to completely get rid of your love handles and get in the best shape of your life.
So, what now? Are you going to go back to searching for a magic pill or super "5-minutes-per-day" exercise that will melt your fat and get you ripped in a record amount of time? Most people who read this far probably will...And that is a sad testament to our lazy, quick-fix, gotta have it now society. Seems like everyone wants something for nothing and doesn't want to have to work for it.
If you're still reading this then maybe you are different. Maybe you are one of the people who is willing to work hard for something they want. If so, then you have come to the right place.
Why "spot reducing" techniques don't work
We've all seen them, the late night ab producing, spot-reducing, gizmos that guarantee flat abs and a toned core. All of these "Ab-Master 9,000,000" gadgets prey on one simple misconception that the majority of people have. The notion that you can lose fat in an area by targeting it specifically with exercise. This is physiologically impossible. Here's why:
Body fat resides both in the muscles and underneath the skin...on TOP of the muscles. Strengthening, or toning the muscle will do nothing to remove the fat that is laying on top of that muscle. No matter how many crunches, side bends, leg raises, etc that you do, if you don't burn off the fat between the skin and the muscle, you could have the most ripped set of abs or obliques in the world, but nobody will be able to see them because of the fat.
Even worse, in some cases, targeting specific areas repeatedly can even bulk up the muscle which, if fat loss isn't targeted at the same time, can make the area look even larger. Definitely not the desired effect. Nope, if you want to eliminate your love handles, a good, clean nutritional program (notice I don't say "diet") and whole body strength training and cardiovascular exercise are the surefire way to trimming your waistline.
Get with the program!
So, it all sounds so simple, right? Just eat right and workout and you'll be in great shape in no time! It truly is a simple concept that should be easy to follow. Unfortunately, most people lack the knowledge to design an appropriate plan or the discipline to stick with one. This is often simply due to a lack of understanding of how the body works, both from a nutritional standpoint, as well as from an exercise and recovery standpoint.
Most people find that, until you truly understand WHY you are eating what you are eating, and WHY you are doing the exercises you are doing, it is all but impossible to stick with any program. To top it off, people often overlook the single biggest key factor for maintaining a consistent program…GOALS. Yes, goals. It may sound silly but, without setting up proper goals up front, you will be setting yourself up for almost certain failure.
Still sounds pretty confusing, right? Well, that’s because it is. It certainly was for me and I tried creating programs on my own over and over for years and never had any success. I found that, with my limited knowledge (at the time) of what and when to eat, and what exercises to do, I couldn't make any progress. Instead of banging my head (and love handles) against a wall, I decided to look for programs put together by people who know their stuff. In my searching, I have found several programs that are fantastic and that have given me great results. Additionally, I never pass up a chance to recommend them to friends or family members struggling to lose weight.
All of the best programs I have found are described in our Fitness Programs section, but the one I recommend most is Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, by Tom Venuto. This is the program that taught me the most about nutrition and fitness and I still follow the principles detailed in it to this very day.
