Ten Things You Need to Do If You Want to Get Rid of the Love Handles.
Dropping a few unwanted pounds is really a matter of common sense. For example, you can’t eat 1/2 of a grapefruit and a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, then reward yourself with a greasy, fast-food burger for lunch. Sorry, but the breakfast doesn’t cancel out the burger. Healthier living is a mindset. So if losing a little flab is high on the list, consider these 10 common-sense approaches:
1. Fast food is a no-no. Anything processed should be avoided as much as possible. While you might think they taste good, food and drinks such as candy, ice cream, Coke, Pepsi, cake, etc. often contain hidden sugar and fat.
2. Get off the sofa. The more idle you are, the more apt you are to convert those empty calories to fat. Even if your health prohibits anything too strenuous, a leisurely walk around the block will help. I’d ask my doctor first, though; especially if you have any concerns.
3. Be conscious of your fat and carb intake. Obviously, if both of these are high, you’re going to gain weight. You want to find the right balance based on your daily calorie intake. Cut back slightly on one until you see the results you want. You can’t cut both out completely. That’s not healthy either. You need to maintain certain fats in your diet to help break down others.
4. Reduce your fat intake. This is not as difficult as it may seem. A pair of kitchen scissors works wonders. Let’s say you have a passion for chicken. Skinless is better, especially if you like your chicken fried. Before you cook it, trim the visible fat. Reduce your intake of red meat and start buying lower-fat varieties of fish, turkey, pork, etc.
5. Scale back on the sweets. As I said earlier, a piece of cake or pie every so often certainly won’t do major damage. But if you have a sweet tooth, you have to discipline yourself to limit how much sugar you’re ingesting.
6. Watch your alcohol consumption. This relates to the previous paragraph. Lots of sugar.
7. Don’t starve yourself during the day. Don’t think that not eating will give you free reign at dinner. Not a good idea. If you do this, you’ll tend to eat more. Keep yourself satisfied during the day by eating several small meals, but make sure they contain lots of fruits and vegetables.
8. Occupy your time. Get yourself a hobby. If you have something that will divert your attention, you’ll have less time to think about food.
9. Switch to healthy foods. Eat raw fruits and vegetables as often as possible. Avoid fried and processed foods. Natural foods will provide you with the fat-burning qualities you need.
10. Eat less, but don’t go hungry. Eating low fat tends to make you less satisfied. Don’t give in to the temptation. If you have to snack, pick things that are low in fat or carbs. If you’re disciplined enough to follow these 10 rules, you shouldn’t have difficulty shedding the pounds.
Just be diligent in your efforts, and you should see drastic results in a matter of weeks.
