Do you want to get rid of love handles and lower belly fat? I’ll show you the best tips and tricks to help you do that in this article. Belly Fat
Advice like a balanced diet and exercise is probably familiar to everyone. But here, I will show you which steps you should take if you want to lose love handles and lower belly fat.
1.Little or no alcohol
There is no question that a glass or two of alcohol can have a relaxing effect. However, if you want to lose weight in a targeted manner, you should reduce your alcohol consumption significantly. There are several reasons for this.
For one thing, alcohol is very high in calories. A large glass of beer, for example, provides around 250 calories. But it doesn’t fill you up, or at best, it fills you up for a short time. It provides “empty calories,” so to speak, which you should save when losing weight.
Considering what people consume on average over a more extended evening, it quickly becomes apparent that alcohol consumption hurts your success.
Not only the high-calorie content of alcohol is a problem. Maybe you also know the cravings it triggers.
According to scientific studies, after drinking alcohol, you have a significantly greater appetite for unhealthy, high-fat foods. ( 1 ) So the logical consequence is that you consume more calories in addition to the alcohol. In this way, you achieve a calorie surplus and will therefore gain weight instead of losing weight.
Scientific studies have also shown that alcohol consumption is linked to increased abdominal fat. ( 2, 3 ) So avoid alcohol entirely while losing weight or consciously treat yourself to glass now and then and leave it.
2.Getting enough sleep
Sleep has a very far-reaching effect on our health and well-being. So it’s no wonder that too little sleep can hurt weight loss.
It has already been established in several scientific studies that short sleep duration and reduced sleep quality can cause obesity. ( 4, 5 )
This is mainly because lack of sleep promotes appetite, and thus one eats more. Too little sleep can lead to more hunger hormones and fewer satiety hormones. ( 5 )
Another reason you should try to get enough sleep is that if you are tired, you are not as motivated to move. On the one hand, this relates to sport, but on the other hand to movement in everyday life.
When you’re exhausted from lack of sleep, you’re almost certainly moving more minor than you would when rested and energized. So if you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll have a more challenging time burning calories.
It is best to create an evening routine to help you fall asleep better.
Find out what exactly is good for you in the evening. For example, many people fall asleep and stay asleep better if they don’t eat too late. Avoiding bright displays (smartphones) before going to sleep can also help.
3.Reduce stress
Stress is a factor that can have a significant impact on health and also on the weight loss process. Especially long-term stress and too little time for relaxation can hurt body weight.
This is because the body produces certain hormones when it is stressed. If the level of these hormones, primarily what is known as cortisol, is too high in the body, this can significantly impact eating habits. The long-term excess of these hormones leads to increased hunger and appetite, especially for high-energy foods such as sweets, pizza, or burgers.
Studies have already shown that chronic stress is a factor that promotes obesity. Stress also causes fat to accumulate in the abdomen and hips. ( 6 ) So if you want to lose love handles and belly fat, keep your stress levels to a minimum.
If you are very busy professionally and privately, you may well be chronically stressed. It would be best if you took countermeasures here.
Understandably, escaping the stresses of everyday life is not easy. But it would be best if you thought about what is good for you and what helps you relax. This will help you lose weight and will generally have a positive effect on your mental and physical health.
The following things could help you reduce stress:
- Sports, such as running, strength training, tennis, …
- Long walks
- meditation
- Yoga, Pilates
- Read
- Hike
Take time for yourself! It’s not selfish in any way. Because if you are doing well, you can deal with friends and family in a much more relaxed and relaxed manner, and you are also more productive at work.
4.Strength training in the gym or with your body weight
Strength training is beneficial to lose lower abdominal and hip fat. While it’s debatable whether you can lose fat in a specific area, strength training positively impacts.
Exercising can make your stomach look tighter and flatter. In addition, intensive training also consumes some calories, which is, of course, very beneficial when losing weight.
Strength training also has numerous health benefits. Among other things, it promotes a correct, upright posture and positively influences countless other factors.
ou can do strength training with weights or equipment at the gym.
If you’re not a fan of working out in the gym, try these effective home workouts:
- Abdominal workout at home
- Bikini boot camp
- The 7 best exercises for losing weight
5.Cardio or endurance training
In addition to strength training, cardio training is also efficient if you want to lose lower belly fat and love handles. This has already been shown several times in studies. ( 7 )
The significant advantage of endurance training is the high-calorie consumption. In an hour, a 70-pound person can burn around 700 calories jogging at about 10 km/h. ( 8 )
So running is a good choice if you want to lose belly fat. If you want the best tips and a 6-week running plan, check out our detailed plan for losing weight by jogging.
But don’t worry, if you’re not a big fan of jogging, other cardio workouts, such as HIIT, are also great for losing weight. These are high-intensity workouts that burn many calories and have a curbing effect on hunger pangs. ( 9 ) So you’re killing two birds with one stone.
On Tasty Weight Loss, you will find a HIIT cardio training plan at home and the best HIIT exercises you can use ideally for a crisp workout.
So also include endurance training regularly in your sports routine – your body will thank you for it. You also benefit from other advantages, such as improved condition, more energy and can thus reduce stress.
6.Eliminate unfavorable carbohydrates from the diet
You don’t have to avoid carbohydrates if you want to lose weight. However, it does matter which carbohydrates you eat.
You must avoid foods with short-chain carbohydrates if you want to lose weight. These are suspected of causing more abdominal fat. ( 10 ,11 )
Foods high in short-chain carbohydrates include sweets and cakes and products made from white flour, such as rolls, white bread, and pasta. You should also avoid drinks sweetened with sugar.
There are several reasons why you should avoid these foods when losing weight. On the one hand, short-chain carbohydrates do not keep you full for longer, and you will consume more calories because you are hungry more often. In addition, this type of carbohydrate causes blood sugar levels to rise quickly and then fall again soon. ( 12 )
This can lead to cravings, preventing fat loss from eating too many calories. It would be best to keep in mind that products with short-chain carbohydrates hardly provide any micronutrients that are important for your body.
So mainly use long-chain carbohydrate sources. These keep you full for a long time, do not allow the blood sugar level to rise and fall as quickly, and provide more vitamins and minerals.
You should include the following products in your diet:
- Products made from wholemeal flour (pasta, bread, pastries, …)
- Legumes (lentils, beans, peas, …)
- vegetables
- oatmeal
- fruit, especially berries
You can eat your fill of these foods without taking in too many calories.
7.Calorie deficit and adequate protein intake
These two factors are crucial for reducing abdominal and hip fat. It’s imperative to remember that the only way to lose weight is by being in a calorie deficit. That means you have to take in fewer calories than you expend.
You can find out more about this topic and how to calculate your calorie deficit in our article on a calorie deficit.
In addition to your energy intake, you should always keep an eye on your protein intake. Eating enough protein can help you lose weight.
Protein is the macronutrient that fills you up best. Research has shown that increasing your protein intake helps you consume fewer calories, leading to weight loss. ( 13 )
Good sources of protein for weight loss are:
- Lean dairy products ( low-fat quark, yogurt, skyr )
- Fish
- legumes
- Lean meats (chicken fillet, turkey breast, beef fillet, pork fillet, …)
- eggs
Conclusion
It is possible to reduce excess belly and hip fat – with the right approach, and you can do it! Follow the tips above as much as possible, and you will soon see your first successes.
But be patient simultaneously; belly fat can often be stubborn. However, if you stay motivated, you will be able to lose weight on your stomach with a balanced diet and exercise.
If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments.
Kind regards and see you soon, Nazmul.