Love Handles Workout - Getting Measurable Results Sooner
If we are going to lose love handles or fat from any area on the body it will require not only the right exercises, but also an improved diet. Exercise only helps to firm and tone up the muscles which are beneath the skin; however, a reduction in calorie intake will ensure that the extra pounds you have gained around your waist will be lost.
If you want to eliminate those love handles for good then you need to carry out between 2 and 5 abdominal exercises at least twice a week to firm and tone up the muscles in this area of your body. Along with training the muscles the exercises will improve the stomach's appearance and with even a small reduction in your calorie intake, the fat will soon begin to disappear from your waist.
When you have decided which love handles exercises you are going to be using, you need to recognize that the abdominals require more repetitions to get in shape as opposed to other body parts, such as the biceps (arms) and pectoral muscles (chest). Plus it is crucial that you initially do each exercise slowly and deliberately so that you will create the habit of having great form and also place more force on to the muscles as you exercise. As you become familiar with exercises you will want to vary the speed so that the body does not adapt to the exercise and hinder your progress. Below we look at just a couple of the kinds of exercises you may want to consider trying so you can get rid of those unwanted love handles.
1. Basic Crunch - This exercise will tone and firm up the muscle that runs from the base of the breastbone to the top of the pelvis known as the rectus abdominis. Lie down on the floor and place your feet a hips width apart and your knees bent. Next take your hands and place these behind your head to cradle it, you can lace your fingers between each other and make sure that your elbows are rounded slightly inwards. Now tilt your chin just a small amount towards your chest and at the same time pull in the abdominal muscles. Once you are in a comfortable position very slowly begin to curl your head, neck and shoulders up and away from the floor and as you do this exhale. Then when you reach a position that you are comfortable with, remain in it for several seconds before gently lowering the upper part of your body back down and as you do so remember to inhale.
2. Twist Crunch - This exercise is designed for improving the condition of the rectus abdominis muscle and also the external and internal oblique muscles that wrap around your waist. As with the basic crunch exercise lay on the floor, feet apart and hands behind your head. Then as you begin to raise your neck, head and shoulders off the floor, twist them and your body towards the left breathing out as you do this movement. Hold for several seconds before lowering yourself back down to the floor and breathing in. Now you need to repeat this exercise again but this time you twist your body to the right. When doing this particular love handle exercise make sure that you are not just twisting your elbows but your neck, shoulders and head also. The only way you can really be able to tone and firm up the muscles that surround your waist and stomach is to concentrate as you do each exercise and make sure that you twist your body from the middle with this particular one.
Have you ever seen someone purposely suck their stomach muscles in to instantly become like an "after" picture? Here's a tip that you can use anytime, anywhere. Doing that actually is helpful. Now if you have ever done it before you should know that there are degrees to it. If you suck it in as far as you can, it can be very uncomfortable. And the longer you hold it there the more uncomfortable it becomes. But if you get in the habit of holding it in to a point where it is not all that uncomfortable, you'll actually be training those muscles and over time it will become increasingly more comfortable for you to hold that position. And you will not only look better and feel better, but your posture will improve. This can also work against you if you allow those muscles to be completely undisciplined and hang out as if your competing to have the largest beer belly in the neighborhood.
Do you ever pay attention to your self talk regarding your physical condition, your routine and/or your diet? Words are very powerful, especially when they come from you. Your subconscious mind is listening and recording every word you say. That is how you created your self image and you are continually recreating it everyday. Begin to praise yourself for anything and everything that you do to make progress. And if for some reason you fail to make any, find something positive to say to yourself. Here's an affirmation I learned from Denis Waitley you might like to use in that situation. "That's not like me. I'll do better next time".
One of my favorite books is by James Allen called "As a Man Thinketh". Your thinking will determine your success so make sure you stay positive. Here's a quote from the book. "The body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the orders of the mind whether they be deliberate or automatic".
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
About the Author
Are there really specific exercises you can do to rid love handles from your life? Or is spot reducing a myth? To find out how you can reveal the muscles hiding below that layer of fat, visit John Winaby's website by clicking here now: http://www.lovehandlesexercise.com
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License, which means you may freely reprint it, in its entirety, provided you include the author's resource box along with LIVE links (without "nofollow" tags).
by: JohnWinaby
Total views: 29
Word Count: 947
Rating: Not yet rated