Love handles or the cute pockets of fat that lodge themselves quite inconveniently on the sides of your waist are the banes of all shapes and sizes of people. The build-up of stubborn love handles is typically pinned to a spike in the stress hormone cortisol that triggers the accumulation of belly fat and tempts you to make unhealthy eating choices. Often times aggressive dieting and spot reducing efforts to tone up the waist and abdomen bear no fruit because the fat that deposits itself around the belly and hips is stubborn and impervious to the rigorous fitness efforts.

Burning off those love handles can be challenging but if you make necessary lifestyle changes and incorporate small but powerful daily habits and discipline in your daily routine, not only will you be able to lose the love handles but you can keep them off for good.

Here’s how:

EAT

Eating too much of the wrong thing and too little of the rights things are half the reason why weight loss is a struggle. As the saying goes—abs are made in the kitchen and unsurprisingly love handles can be lost there as well! By eating healthy at the right time and in the right portions can help you win half the battle. Maintain consistency in your diet regimen and the results will SHOW!

A rule of thumb is to always avoid unnecessary carb intake and consume fatty foods in moderation (if they can’t be avoided altogether!) coupled with high fiber, protein-rich meals consumed in small portions. Restricted eating-which entails eating all your meals within a certain time span in the day, it is another practice fast gaining popularity for helping greater fat oxidation and reduction of energy intake.

Snack on dark chocolate and nuts, let green tea and hot soup be your go-to beverage of choice and make breakfast power packed with fresh berries (high on antioxidants) oat bran and shredded wheat while lunch and dinner can comprise of steamed/grilled protein with a side of veggies or a wholesome salad. Omega-3 rich fish, nuts, and avocado should be consumed frequently to maintain a nutritional balance.

 EXERCISE

Spot reduction is probably the first tactic that comes to mind when battling unyielding belly fat and love handles. Targeting certain the waist and hips with specific work out routines accelerates the fat-burning, but such efforts alone will not stave off your love handles for good.

According to Piya Tony Vacharasanee, NASM, ACSM, of Body Space Fitness Larger movements that engage the full body help increase muscle mass, which then allows glucose to be used by the muscles instead of being stored as fat. Exercises like the dumbbell squat, the bent over row, and the reverse lunge to overhead press incorporates a variety of muscles which makes them very effective. Do eight reps of each exercise in order and you should feel the benefits within a couple of weeks.”

A 30-minute session of cardio coupled with weight training and stretches/asanas specifically focused on the sides will result in long-term weight loss in the hip/butt/waist area and will help retain your curves in those areas too.

MEDITATE

If love handles are the curse of the stressed, always strapped for time type of lifestyle you lead--meditate your way to a slimmer waist and reduce the reduction of cortisol in your bloodstream constantly signaling your brain to consume more energy than your body needs. Unecessary gains around your waistline are the result of over eating the wrong kind of foods.

SLEEP

Irregular sleeping hours or poor sleep quality keeps you reaching for sugary foods the next day to make up for the lack of energy your body is experiencing. 8 hours of sleep keep your hormone production regulated, balance energy levels and keep you off the complex carbs and sugar cravings.