Nubella News 

The term “love handles” may sound cute, but for most people, these pinchable rolls of fat are anything but endearing. To make matters worse, losing them can be a challenge. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize your love handles and achieve a slimmer waistline in time for summer. Follow these five easy steps to get started.

1. Leave stress behind. When you’re stressed, the brain produces cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones, in turn, trigger a chain reaction that causes cells to retain more fat. In addition, a recent study conducted at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney suggests that stress may stimulate obesity by "unlocking" the body's fat cells. The researchers found that when people are feeling frazzled, their bodies release the "stress molecule" neuropeptide Y (NPY), which unlocks certain receptors in fat cells, causing them to grow in both size and number.

2. Do the twist. Although it’s impossible to “spot tone” problem areas away, certain exercises can help you firm your abs and create the appearance of sleeker midsection. To get started, stand with your feet shoulder length apart, and pull your abs inward. Bend a few inches at the knees, and bend both of your elbows up and in front of you so they’re waist high and both palms are facing right. Pulling your abs inward and keeping the rest of your body rigid, twist to the right, and sweep your arms as far across your body as you go. Immediately afterward, turn your palms to the left, and sweep your arms to the left, twisting from the waist. Continue, alternating sides.  

3. Get enough sleep. Getting your Z’s can help keep your waistline in check, according to a study conducted by Columbia University and St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York. The findings revealed that those who got less than four hours of sleep a night were 73 percent more likely to be obese than those who got the recommended seven to nine hours of rest.

4. Play ball. When it comes to losing your love handles, stability- and medicine-ball moves can help work your obliques without creating extra bulk. To get started, place your feet on the floor, lie back on a stability ball, and hold a medicine ball at chest level, extending your arms. Slowly rotate your torso to the right, keeping your buttocks on the ball, until your knuckles are pointing toward the wall. Return to starting position and repeat on the left side.

5. Eat more often. Consuming smaller meals and snacks throughout the day can help to jump-start your metabolism, allowing your body to process calories more efficiently, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. Your reward? A leaner stomach. Regularly consuming belly-flattening foods such as almonds, soy, and salmon can improve your abs as well.

6. Ditch the salt.  In addition to increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke, too much sodium in your diet can lead to water retention, making problem areas, such as love handles, appear even more prominent. Make it a point to reduce your consumption of sodium-rich, processed foods, and avoid adding salt to the foods you prepare yourself. For a healthy alternative, experiment with basil, cumin, and red pepper. Also be sure to drink lots of water, as this helps flush salt out of your body.

7. Work your whole body. Many people who are looking to trim their waistlines make the mistake of only doing ab exercises while ignoring all other areas. It’s important, though, to work your entire body (in addition to your abs, of course.) Performing full-body strength and resistance exercises will increase your overall muscle mass and quicken your metabolism. As a result, your body will be able to burn more fat, even while you’re sleeping.

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