Love Handles

G

greenerdreams

Registered Users (C)
I know this is not immigration related, howver with the freeze, this forum has gone dead.
I have a question guys and I would appreciate your comments / help.
I am scheduled to roll off my current project in another week, it's been a 2 year long project and treated me pretty well. As a result of my laziness, I have developed (expanded) my love handles. I seriously want to hit the gym while on the bench and was wondering if you gus can suggest some effective exercises to deflate this tire.
I want my pant size to stay 34 and not inch up to 36....


HELP!!!
 
I have considerable experience here

Firstly spot reduction doesnt work! Crunches and other ab excercises make strong abs but doesnt reduce the fat. The accumulated fat aka love handles aka tires aka beer and plate holder... can be removed only by cardio workout. You have to work out more then your intake. So a reduced fat diet, a slight reduction in carbs and easy carbs (rice/pasta) is preferred. You can substitute whole wheat for flour bread or brown rice for white rice.

Stay off the beer and soft drinks. Try the diet versions. Use skim milk. Crash diets dont work. Atkins diet will ruin your kidneys! So reduce intake slowly... increase output in whatever way ;)

I have reduced about 4 inches but still a long way to go. You need a lot of determination ( I dont have much).

If you cant run, walk. Take aerobics classes (lots of chicks too), stair master or cycle. If a big belly is in your genes, its harder.

Hope that helps
 
Diet change a must

I agree that hitting the GYM alone will not reduce your handles all that much. Maybe it will give you bigger, stronger arms but you will struggle with your midsection.

Try becoming a customer of one of the mushrooming weight loss centers. I think the biggest ones are WeightWatchers, Jenny Craig, LA WeightLoss, or Physician's Weight Loss. They will work with you to regulate your diet (in some cases they will give you your entrees themselves as frozen food). The point is to reduce and keep your calorie intake to BELOW what is needed to maintain your current body mass. You can do this yourself, but you need to become educated about daily caoloric intake of each food you eat and what is your target and then keep daily track of how you did every day.

Combine this with a healthy excercise program which as Patience said includes cardio. If you happen to miss a day of workout, don't panic. Let's say it's 9:30pm, you just came home, you are too tired to work out. Then go for a 30 minute walk. Even that packs an incredible punch PROVIDED you are on a reduced-calorie diet.
 
3500 calories equals 1 lb. So, for your body to lose 1 lb, you should burn that much amount of calories by regulating diet and exercise. If you cut your intake by 250 from what your body needs + 250 cals from exercise, it will take a week to shed 1 lb.

Reasonable info at
http://www.howstuffworks.com/calorie1.htm

http://www.howstuffworks.com/sports-physiology.htm

Also, good info at http://www.menshealth.com. But, it will take a determined effort to achieve the looks and body. A conscious and consistent effort and also a change in lifestyle is what can give you health.

For approximate calorie info, checkout www.calorieking.com

Instead of beer, limit yourselves to 1 or 2 glasses of red wine daily which is supposedly good for the heart.
 
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Great

Thanks for your inputs.

I'm gonna go back to my 30 minute on the treadmill I guess. As regards the diet, with a primarily indian diet, how many chapattis is Ok to have? How is rice, I believe it is bad while trying to loose weight, how about the lentils? and potatoes?


any success stories?

I can't give up beer for sure.....I'll try the new michelob ultra light to help my case.......anyone tried this as yet?

Soda's ...no problem I'll give that up.


CARDIO...CARDIO....CARDIO.....
 
Look Buddy,

I have been trying for 6 months.

Reduced my diet by 25%.
I exercise 3 days a week for one hour each day.

jogging for 15 mins (3 laps on Tread).
50 Crunches. (Reduced from 100 becoz back pain started)
25 situps.
Weight lift 70lbs (20 times).
Weight lift 70lbs in sitting position (almost equal to situps with wt lifting)
Then Some Chest Exercises.

After 6 months, I could reduce about 6 lbs., which is peanuts. But got a good body shape. I did not build muscles like Silvestor Stallone but the body shape is better and also, I really feel good whenever I exercise. It is like a charged battery - good mood and confidence.

It takes more determination and more control of diet. If beer is your favourite, then that is a MAJOR setback.

I think you should put it aside until you reduce significantly. Then everyday you have beer - you should make it a rule to jog for 1 extra KM. That way may work out for you.
 
radmen

Liposuction is a very effective - but it is a surgery. I have seen in Discovery Health, they make a hole in the fat built area and insert a rod and pass some rays/electricity/something through the rod. In addition to that, they will keep raking the rod in and out of the required areas under the skin. All the fat will melt immediately.

I think controlling diet and exercise teaches many things other than physical and mental fitness.

1. Self Control.
2. Determination.
3. Decipline.

In addition to controlling diet there are some more precautions to be taken.

A person should keep warm all the time. If he swims or roams in cold temperatures, his body will build the fat for protection. Should not drink carbonated drinks etc.
 
awesome

that's what you guys are. Thx for your inputs. I was considering lipo however I guess I am not ready for cosmetic surgery just yet. Still have some determination left ....so will try the cardio routine.
No specific exercises.....right.....it seems like from your comments.
 
Here is what I did.

The first year that I got serious about losing weight, I lost about 31 lbs. Pants went down from a 36 down to 30. I did not use any crash diet. I did reduce the intake but not a considerable amount. Ate small portions every 3 hours. Avoided rice and flour. Stuck to whole wheat bread, bun, grilled chicken and subs. No mayo/cheese/oil. No pills/slim fast. But obviously that diet is not sustainable. So I slowly went back to a little rice. I am back to 32 which is okay cuz all my pants are 32! I still look at my 36s and smile!

Aerobics is a good way but anaerobic exercises i.e. weights burns calories much faster. So try to run for 15-20 mins and then do some whole body weights, if 30 mins is all you can spare if not add weights to your 30 mins. Beer must go! Try non-fat yogurt and milk. Do drink juices and eat fruits. Eat lots of veggies they are a good source of complex carbs and don’t add much calories. They also make you feel full. I think that’s the whole idea behind salads. But people eat salad with some rich fat dressing… I wonder what they think!

As for me I have gained back about 13 lbs but its good weight :-) I actually eat more cuz I need to increase some mass. I still work on abs but a visible six pack is not possible cuz I eat more. Once I get to where I want (if I ever do) to be I'll probably think about cutting down. I have been doing this for about 1.5 years now.

Do not go for pills or a high protein diet! They are not sustainable. Lipo sux (pun intended)! It gives you great satisfaction to see results from your work.
 
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It takes a long time to loose those tires

I was size 38 and inching towards 40 and then I decided seriously that I will workout. Started slowly on the tread mill. always run and not walk. I started with about 1.5 miles a day then after about 6 months or so gradually increased the distance to about 6 miles and an hour of non stop running on the tread mill. Initially thats all I used to do. One hour every day; running on the tread mill and then doing some Abs and crunches. I am happy to say that I am today at about 33 size. 34 fits me well but a little loose. Anyways now that I have lost my extra fat I am unable to loose the little stomach I have. Still going to gym almost everyday , atleast run about 3 miles and then do the rest 30 mins with the weights. I am happy with my progress. Now I am working out to stay this way and if possible loose the tummy a little bit. If I can tighten it I am okay with that too.

The key is set goals on regular basis and keep pushing yourslef. But set atainable goals and dont push it too hard that yu start hating it. I am glad that I am able to work out without break for last 2 years now. It took me that long to really say that I am satidfied. I am still not decided that if I need to build muscles. Staing fit was my goal which I am now. Byt the way I never stopped eating anything that I like. I still eat and used to eat everything that I liked. But eat it in limits and do not forget to workout and burn what you ate.
 
It depends on your metabolism

Different things work for different people, as you can already see in the mail notes. I will tell what worked for me (I went from 180 lbs to 155 lbs in less than 6 months). Feels great to be lighter, have more energy.

Eat whatever you want for lunch, but very very little for dinner. Whatever you eat for lunch gets used up since you are up and about any way. But if you eat a heavy dinner and go to sleep soon after, then guess where all those calories go to, your gut. Depending on what I eat for lunch, I sometimes just eat fruits for dinner. Baby carrots and apples are great to fill up your stomach at night. Taking a walk after dinner helps.

Drink at least 2 liters of water a day. This seems like too much, but buy a 1 liter water bottle at Wal-mart, drink it up before lunch and drink another bottle after lunch. Often people mistake thirst for hunger and hit the vending machines at 3pm, drinking water and keeping yourself well hydrated prevents this. There are numerous advantanges to driking water throughout the day, not to mention the exercise you get walking to the restroom every 30 mintues. :)

And exercise helps too. Aerobic exercises (cycling, running, aerobics, cardio, spinning) make you lose weight fast and you can see very quick results. Just 2-3 times a week should be good, overdoing it will take you to a slump very soon. If you can supplement this with about 15 minutes of free weights during each work out, you can build good muscle mass and increase your after-workout metabolism.

Good Luck.
 
It takes a long time to loose those tires

I was size 38 and inching towards 40 and then I decided seriously that I will workout. Started slowly on the tread mill. always run and not walk. I started with about 1.5 miles a day then after about 6 months or so gradually increased the distance to about 6 miles and an hour of non stop running on the tread mill. Initially thats all I used to do. One hour every day; running on the tread mill and then doing some Abs and crunches. I am happy to say that I am today at about 33 size. 34 fits me well but a little loose. Anyways now that I have lost my extra fat I am unable to loose the little stomach I have. Still going to gym almost everyday , atleast run about 3 miles and then do the rest 30 mins with the weights. I am happy with my progress. Now I am working out to stay this way and if possible loose the tummy a little bit. If I can tighten it I am okay with that too.

The key is set goals on regular basis and keep pushing yourslef. But set atainable goals and dont push it too hard that yu start hating it. I am glad that I am able to work out without break for last 2 years now. It took me that long to really say that I am satidfied. I am still not decided that if I need to build muscles. Staing fit was my goal which I am now. Byt the way I never stopped eating anything that I like. I still eat and used to eat everything that I liked. But eat it in limits and do not forget to workout and burn what you ate.
 
greenerdreams

Being fit is good for everyone.

In Yahoo search for "Waist Exercises" and you get a lot of websites for reducing these Love Handles. These websites are having some applets which can demonstrate on how to do the exercises.

Do not reduce your diet drastically. You will definitely bounce back. You should continue to eat everything that you used to. But you have to reduce the quantities gradually. Same rule for beer.

Keep warm and do not get exposed to cold weather and cold water. Also, try to sleep not more than 5-6 hours. Oversleeping is inactivity and is no good for weight loss.

Whenever you eat or drink, you have to be aware of your responsibility of weight loss program.

Jogging is the best of all exercices - but it is very easy to lose interest in jogging, just because it is very tiresome. So, join a gym and you will have a variety of exercises to altenate between.
For eg. I do cycling instead of jogging when I feel bored of joggind. The elliptical is a very effective fat burner.


Guys - any other ideas are welcome !!
 
Here's my two paisas

Cardio + weight training + sport + controlled diet = a fit body! That's my mantra! The important thing is to make it a regular feature of your daily life like eating or sleeping. I don't run everyday or lift weights everyday. But I see to it that I am at the gym sweating my ass off everyday for at least an hour. In addition to regular jogging/running/cycling etc, take up a sport like racquet ball, squash, badminton, volleyball, tennis, basketball etc. Running, cycling, stairmaster etc can induce the feeling of monotony and bore you easily. A sport on the otherhand tends to make you indulge in the activity with its inherent variations. It also gives you the competetive edge and people skills that you may often find useful at work.
Weight training is a must. As your muscle mass increases, you burn more calories even when you're not working out. Contrary to one of the posts in this thread, you need to make sure you get adequate rest. Seven to eight hours of sleep is a must for your body to recharge itself. The essence of weight training is that you constantly stretch the limits of your muscles by pushing yourself harder. The body needs substantial rest to re-build lost tissue.
And drink plenty of water. If you get dehydrated, you tire easily and you may feel lazy as well.
 
A remarkable success story

Guys I was not significantly overweight but I did manage to get completely rid of my love handles in three months! I struck to a very regulat diet (No carb/ low fat) and rigorous exercise.
Here is the deal, I stopped completely eating chapatis, rice, potatos and any variation therof. Not even tea or coffee (to avoid the suger). Instead I focussed on about 3/4 pound of fresh lean meat/fish everyday. In addition I ate a lot of green veggies (spinach, celery, broccoli, lettuce), beans/lentils and tofu. I minimised milk products, and only had milk w/o sugar.
Added to it was about 30/45 minutes of cardio (EFX) with about 30 minute of weight training everyday.
In about 3 months I became lean,mean and sexy!
And I know for a fact that its the diet that kicked ass, because one of my south Indian friend put in as much exercise as I did if not more, but continued to eat idlis and rasam rice (with some meat). He is very fit, but could not shake off his paunch. He acknowledged it as much, but it would have been really tough for him follow such a diet. In any case he did not seem to mind, because in spite of the slight paunch he is very fit.
 
Great

Now, after reading all your replies and success stories, it's got me all motivated.
While on bench, besides waiting for the GC and for the next assignment I will be...
1. Going to the Gym for an hour daily. Cardio and weights.
2. Watching what I eat....no beer, (will switch to JD instead)

All your comments were on general ways to loose weight, no on had anything to loose the damn love handles specifically. Guess no spot reduction is indeed possible, if that's true why is spot fat deposit possible. Unfair ..very unfair.

All the free chicken wings at work, the pizza's the chick parmesan for working long hours finally did it for me, before I could realize that the gym was being neglected and the calories were piling up.

Now its pay back time. I will you guys posted of my progress....hopefully loose 2 lbs the first week...

Thx guys.... great bunch y'all are
 
Excess weight

For men goes straight to the tire area

For women it either goes to thighs/arms or the butt

Of course anything more will spread all over the body and midsection

whats JD?
 
Diet is a must.... I am a woman. You have to make sure you burn more than you take in. MSNBC has a calculator, you would have to perform a search and it will tell you how much you burn everyday. Then make sure you take in atleast 300 calories less than that.
Cardio yes is important. Weight training is also important, becuase muscles burn more Calories. So you will become lean and mean.
This is for DryIce
In 6 months you lost excess fat but you lost only 6 pds because you substituted fat lbs by muscle lbs which is good. I do some weight training and my schedule allows for only 20 mins of Cardio 6 days a week. In 3 weeks I lost 2 pounds and 1.5 inches off my waist.
Make sure you keep your metabolism up. Eat you have to eat. The right stuff atleast 5 times a day. Else your diet is a waste as your body conserves fat assuming it is starving.
Count your calories. Have a light lunch. I substituted my regular lunch with those lean cusinies. I don't like them but they tell me how much I'm eating and I calculate my daily intake like that.
Looking ahead holidays are here.. time to put it back on till Jan when I start all over again.

In greens have a lot of cabbage, tomato & spinach. The body actually burns more calories trying to digest these foods than what the food's calorie level is. So you have your meal and yet you are burning calories for not doing anything.

In fruit Watermelon, grapefruit are the best.
 
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Good Stuff

Did I tell you, you guys are great. What a bunch....Thx I will keep you posted with the progress (if any.)

Patience GC: JD == Jack Daniels (The Scotch for me)

Burn you damn calories ...burn
 
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