How to lose Muffin Top

Dreaming of a svelte figure and looking gorgeous in your tank tops and skinny jeans! Well, the dreams are not farfetched anymore. Read on to know more about the various workouts and the foods that will help you get rid, and keep off the wiggly fat from around your waist (also known as the muffin top).

Getting rid of the muffin top comes with a host of benefits which include increased self confidence and cutting down risks of diabetes and back problems.

Muffin top

Apart from lack of exercise, there are various other factors that contribute to the muffin top. Unfortunately, women are prone to acquire a muffin top when compared to men because of pregnancy, weight loss and gain. Aging and heredity also contribute to the accumulation of fat around and above the waist line. The muffin top also gets accentuated by a slouchy body posture or wearing ill fitted clothes, most often jeans of a smaller size.

Get rid of your Muffin top

The love handles or the muffin top cannot be banished just by targeting fat loss alone. One needs to incorporate lifestyle changes which include eating healthy consciously, consistent exercise and understanding your body.

Dietary changes: Diet plays an important role in shrinking your muffin top. Foods that need to fly off your kitchen shelf are all processed foods such as cheese, pasta, white bread, breakfast cereals and crisps of any kind. Avoid aerated drinks like colas, or chewing gums containing sorbitol as they tend to cause water retention. Keep consumption of excessive salt and sugar under check. Candies, chocolates, cream or any kind of trans-fat laden foods are best avoided. Try to avoid smoking and drinking to keep the body toxin free.

Foods to include in your diet: Plenty of fruits and vegetables, protein sources such as white lean meat like chicken. Ensure to get necessary fats from oily fish like sardines, mackerel etc. Short term diets do help in targeted fat loss but eventually the effects wear off and cause severe physiological imbalances in the body. The key is to make healthy eating an integral part of your life.

Muffin Busting Workouts

All cardiovascular activities which increase the heart rate target fat loss all over the body. Hence swimming, jogging, aerobics, cycling are ideal choices for banishing the muffin top. However ensure that the duration of any cardiovascular activity does not extend beyond half an hour every day.

Shorter and more productive workouts ensure easier burning of fat. When you train intensively for a long time, it pumps your metabolism rate and end up burning sugar or energy rather than fat.

Sample of perfect muffin busting workout on the treadmill

• Warm up by walking on the treadmill for five minutes. Ensure that there is no incline and the intensity levels are just enough to get your body moving. Avoid any kind of pressure on the limbs.
  
  
• Increase your pace for a minute. The pace should be equivalent to you running up stairs or a pace of 7-8 on your treadmill. You can increase the incline if you wish to.
  
  
• Cool down for one or two minutes and get back your breath. Get a sip of water if needed.
  
  
• Repeat the above steps for not beyond 20 minutes.
  
  
• Ensure you finish the cardio session by cooling down for 10 minutes.

Core Strengthening Workouts

Core strengthening is tightening the stomach muscles to get rid of the subcutaneous visceral fat in the abdomen. These crunches are to be done in tandem with cardio exercises to get rid of the muffin top. Regular yoga sessions help in strengthening the core and also busting the routine. Apart from yoga, doing 3 sets of crunches, reverse crunches; side twists will help in burning the fat around the torso and shaping your silhouette.

Resistance Exercises: Free weights or using self resistant exercises also help in toning the muscles after losing the muffin top. Performing sets of sit-ups or squats are good examples of resistance exercises. Therefore an ideal workout to get rid of the muffin top would be a combination of cardiovascular exercises, core strengthening workouts and resistance exercises. Ensure that you perform these sets on different days of the week regularly.

Understand your body: Healthy diet and workout help eliminate the muffin top; however pay close attention to the body. Before embarking on any diets or workouts, remember to consult your physician or get qualified help to avoid any injury to your body. Exercise caution and stop any exercise immediately if you feel any kind of discomfort. Always bear in mind that stomach muscles are crucial and you wouldn't want to strain them too much.

Commit yourself to a healthy diet and regular exercise to flatten the muffin top. Pick out your favorite music and mix your exercises for a pleasant and enjoyable experience. Always remember the golden rule to work with your body and not against your body.