Want To Get Rid Of Love Handles: Don’t Try To Spot Reduce

Women are often asked what part of their bodies they are most dissatisfied with, and they often answer that it is their stomachs. Everyone loves to see a woman with a strong lean stomach. Men love a woman that has a small waist and accentuates an hour glass figure. Women like to admire and emulate other women who are taking care of themselves.

Doctors are thrilled to see their patients with strong abdominal muscles because they usually have good posture and strong backs. This gives women a better overall appearance. They look taller, leaner, and have fewer back problems and discomforts associated with weak abdominal muscles.

Spot reduction of the abdominal area is one of the most marketed, studied, and taught topics in the weight-loss field. Machines have been designed to specifically tone the abs. Aerobic classes have been purposely designed to tone, shape, and make the abdominals fit. Special diets have been developed for the express purpose of ridding the abdominal area of fat so that people can show off their six pack abs.

Spot reduction of the stomach or love handles is not possible. The only way to get rid of fat in this area is to get rid of fat in the entire body. By reducing fat in the entire body you will reduce the fat in your love handles. This is accomplished by eating a balanced diet of nutritious foods and participating in regular strength training and aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is necessary for cardiovascular health.

If you do only abdominal crunches and aerobics specifically targeting the abs you will develop shorter abdominal muscles. The shorter muscles will pull your shoulders and head forward giving you a hunched appearance. This is not the look that most women or men want. You must do exercises that will target the abs as well as the lower back. This will give your workouts balance and you will achieve good posture, a lean stomach, and great appearance.

Here are some guidelines to doing your stomach exercises correctly:

1. When doing crunches make sure that your head is horizontal to the ground and centered through the shoulders.
2. As you bring your chest up the work should be done through the abdomen and not through the shoulders and the neck.
3. Relax the shoulders and focus the eyes on a point in the ceiling while also focusing on using the abdominal muscles to pull the body up.
4. Don’t go past 45 to 50 degrees to protect the lower back.
5. Keep the knees slightly bent and the feet spaced about hip width apart. The knees should align with the second and third toes.

Crunches are not the only way to strengthen your abs. Crunches work only the upper abdominal muscles. The lower abdominals must be worked in order to achieve a six pack and maintain it. You can work the lower abs by doing some standing exercises that contract the abs. You can use a standing aerobic machine or do exercises with a medicine ball. This will work the lower, upper and oblique abdominal muscles.

One of the easiest aerobic exercises for the abs that can be done anywhere is the stomach vacuum:

1. Exhale and suck in the abs.
2. Hold that contraction for 10 – 20 seconds and release.
3. Repeat this 10 – 15 times thought the day (this can be done anywhere).

Another aerobic exercise that can be done, and most women are familiar with, are Kegel exercises. These exercises help women to tighten and contract the lower pelvic floor to improve the ability to remain continent (not dribble urine) as they grow older. Kegel exercises also exercise the lower abdominal muscles. Kegel exercises can be done anywhere at anytime. Both men and women can enjoy the benefit of these types of exercises for the lower abdominals. These exercises use the same muscles that would be used if you were attempting to stop a stream of urine.

Aerobic exercises are perfect for helping to get rid of love handles. Although you can not spot reduce the abdominal area you can do exercises to specifically strengthen the abs and the lower back. A good balanced diet, daily and consistent strength training and cardiovascular exercise will help you reduce overall body fat. By reducing your overall body fat you will naturally reduce the fat in your love handles. Once the fat is gone from your love handles your natural six pack abs will show up in all their glory.

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