Expert: Ken Alan - 5/15/2006

Question
I have so much trouble loosing weight in my stomach and around my hips.  What is a good way of getting rid of love handles? I'm about 5'3 and 117lbs and I'm 22 years old.  I'm not sure if im over weight  but I am happy with my body except for the stomach area.  I've been doin about 100 crunches every night but its not seeming to help at all.  Is there any way of sliming up that area without changing my eating habits ( I love my food too much!:) )  

Answer
Hillary,

Good question. You kind of answered your own question. Despite your love for food (hey, I like it too), the way to slim down that area is changing your eating habits. Gotta take in less calories than you're currently taking in. That's not so hard, really. One less regular soft drink per day is good for one pound of fat per month.

There is one other option. Be more active. Doing crunches is good for toning up the muscles. It doesn't do much at all for getting rid of fat. Burn more calories up during the day. Take stairs, park farther away, purposely do things that make you walk more. Those extra few minutes every day really add up over a years' time.

If you really want to burn calories, start aerobic exercise. That is any exercise that makes you breathe harder than normal but not so hard that you can't do it for 15-40 minutes... walk, jog, skate, bike, hike, swim, row, dance, jumprope... you get the idea.

You happen to carry your fat around the waist and hips. Some carry their fat in the upper body. Doesn't matter where it is, the way to get rid of it (and it takes time, it ain't going to come off in 3 easy weeks), is to be more active and/or consume less calories.

Hope this helps, and glad you're motivated to do something. Now do something. Okay? If you do, in a year you'll be much happier. (I know, that's so far away. You want it off in a few months. The slower it comes off, the more likely it will stay off.)