Health Check 101: 3 Surprising Reasons Your Love Handles Aren’t Going Away
Love handles sound sexy, but their appearance isn’t. The extra flabby skin lying comfortably at the side of the waist is undoubtedly an eyesore. But the curse does not end there – this layer of fat is one of the hardest to shake off. Sometimes, you’ve lost a lot already everywhere, but this area just doesn’t budge.
Believe it or not, the reason, in most instances, is your diet and workout. Yes, the very things that are supposed to help you lose it could be the very culprits for it. Take a look at these diet and exercise-related reasons you’re not shedding off those love handles:
You eat less
Everybody knows that eating too much is the primary reason for fats around the hip and abdominal area. But the opposite side of the coin, which is eating too little, can indirectly contribute to love handles, too. Highly restrictive diets significantly affect hormone levels.
When that happens, your metabolism acts up. Sleep quality suffers. Mood and strength dips. All of which increase the likelihood of retaining fat in problematic areas. Not to mention the fact that you’re not too inclined to work out when you’re running on no sleep and no energy.
That said, never ever do crash dieting. If you need to switch up your meal plans to slim down, better to consult a nutritionist. If you want to see results faster than a diet or to complement your healthy-living efforts, maybe you can consider fat freeze treatment here in Singapore from aesthetic clinics.
You run, run, and run some more
If you want to lose the stubborn fat, go for a good, steady cardio, right? Not so fast. The truth is, when you over train, especially in the case of aerobic activities, the body adapts to the strenuous routine. This means it will not use up as many calories as it did before.
The worst part is, you will need to run just as much to keep your current weight. Over-exercising also causes a shoot-up in the level of the hormone cortisol in the body. This makes you more vulnerable to weight gain and digestive problems.
This doesn’t at all mean abandoning running altogether though. What this points out rather is avoiding overdoing your fitness routines. Take a break every once in a while. Perhaps reduce the frequency of workouts. Switch up activities to expose your body to new movements.
You shrug off the stress
What’s stress got to do with diet and exercise? And love handles? Well, when you’re stressed out, you tend to give in to cravings easily, binge-eat at midnight, and skip workouts. The perfect recipe for love handles. Obviously, what you need to do here is curb the stress.
If you can avoid stressors, say, traffic jams on your way to work or the piles of papers on your desk, avoid them. But if you have no choice but to face them head on, practice stress-relieving techniques, like mindfulness or deep breathing exercises.
Pamper yourself after work. Or shake off the nerves by hitting the gym. You will not just lose the belly fat, but also experience a rush of happy hormones. Win-win situation.
Shedding the Love Handles
Are you struggling to shake off that pesky, flabby skin in your waist? Maybe you are doing these mistakes in your diet and exercise. Rethink your habits to get rid of those love handles, once and for all.
