Understanding Love Handles
According to Urban Dictionary, “love handles,” as they’re often affectionately known, comprise the areas of extra fat that hang or slightly bulge from one’s sides and backs. Women and men alike may tote such extra baggage. Love handles may vary in size – from large to small, cute, and curvaceous, all the way to massive and obese.
The Calorie Battle Plan
There are many ways to combat the calorie conundrum, and the battle is on with these tricks. Burn calories painlessly and easily. The simple equation of burning 100 calories a day could add up to wonderful results: trimming off some 10 impeccable pounds per year!
The key to glorious results is in your determination. Stick to a plan, document daily results, modify as needed, and, for the days you might miss, make a pact with yourself that you will not give in to defeat. Determination takes, well, determination, so keep bloopers at bay. In the event, you do have an off day and fall into old habits, dive into your determination tank and come back even stronger! Stay the course and keep plugging away. Before you know it, those tiny changes will have set you on autopilot, and your love-hate relationship with the handles will be no more – they’ll be gone!
Here’s how it works. A pound of fat equals 3,500 calories. Knocking off 100 calories every day for 365 days adds up to 36,500 calories. That, in turn, equals 10 pounds of fat! You could double your weight loss to 20 pounds in a year by trimming 100 calories from your diet and burning 100 extra calories per day.
A nutritious diet with low calories not only will help you look and feel better, it can also improve your health. Choosing such power foods as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and lean protein will infuse you with an energy that will successfully take you through the day – with energy left over for more. Don’t forget to make water your drink of choice as well. The key is to at least drink half of your body weight in ounces daily.
Calorie-Burning Activities
The following activities offer a proven, safe and rewarding way to easily burn 100 calories – many of which may already serve as part of your daily to-dos. Your task, then, may simply be to amp up the intensity. Walking your dog 3 miles, instead of 3 houses, could turn into some measurable lost poundage over time – both for you and your pampered pet!
Additional Calorie-Burning Ideas
Additional means of burning calories include the following (some of which you may already do at a lower extent):
1. Jog for 10 minutes.
2. Tackle the stairs – energetically!
3. Weed the garden – even when not absolutely necessary
4. Catch up on soap operas – while in motion
5. Purposely climb the stairs – with or without carrying something
6. Swim for a half hour – no rafts necessary
7. Jump rope for 15 minutes
8. Dance – even if no one’s around!
9. Mow the lawn (for 20 minutes)
10. Save money and burn calories by carrying your own golf clubs
How to Cut 100 Calories from Your Diet
The following tips fuel the body in its ability to cut unnecessary and harmful calories:
1. Eat high-fiber, whole-grains like quinoa for breakfast instead of granola
2. Opt-out when it comes to mayonnaise or salad dressings
3. Replace junk food for fresh fruit or veggies
4. Water! Drink it often and in place of harmful, toxic soft drinks
5. Replace cream sauces with homemade marinara sauces
6. NO Bacon. – Enough said?
7. Replace oil-based with water-packed
8. Use no-oil dressings. Oil is “fat” in a bottle.
9. If you must have popcorn, choose butter-less healthy brands
10. Leave 3 to 4 bites of food on your plate.
11. When going out to eat – ask for a to-go box and split your meal immediately.
12. Try an open-faced sandwich or better yet…Use Bibb lettuce as your “bread”
13. Don’t dress food with cheese, but if you must…use rice cheese! It stretches, melts, and even tastes good! Seriously, it does!
14. Switch from cow’s milk to almond, rice, or coconut milk
15. Eat 1/2 cup less of pasta or rice
16. Hummus makes for a healthy snack
Small changes leave lasting results. What can you change today that will impact your caloric intake, which will impact those love handles?
