Lower back fat is notoriously hard to remove. No matter what you do and how hard you exercise, the fat just seems to stay there. Some go for liposuction as a last resort after they’ve exhausted all other methods. But there is no need to go under the knife.
A few tweaks to your gym routine usually does the trick. Proper diet and hydration also play a major role in the quest to get rid of the love handles that make you self-conscious. The following write-up gives you some tips and trick on how to get rid of lower back fat without visiting a surgeon.
But first, you should take a closer look at the likely causes of this frustrating problem.
Why Do Love Handles Appear?
The process of accumulating fat is well known. Excessive body fat means you’re burning fewer calories than you take in. Fat accumulation is not limited only to the lower back but there are certain reasons why some people are more likely to have it in this area.
Hormone levels are an important factor for retaining fat in the lower back and other parts of your body. For example, accumulating a lot of fat around the hips may signal low levels of progesterone. In addition, high levels of cortisol can contribute since they often induce overeating.
A well-though-out diet helps keep your hormone levels in check, but there are other factors you should keep in mind. With age, the body struggles to shed the excess fat. Add a sedentary lifestyle into the mix and fat is likely to pop up in all the wrong places.
Insufficient sleep doesn’t help either. Some studies found that sleep deprivation increases the chances of obesity for adults by staggering 55%. Luckily, there are things you can do to help.
It Starts With a Balanced Diet
Despite what some weight loss gurus say, there is no single diet which specifically targets lower back fat.
When you get started with a weight loss regimen, visceral fat is usually the first to go. This type of fat has an increased metabolic activity which makes it somewhat easier to burn. You should be patient and stick with your plan to lose weight. Lower back fat and love handles will follow soon after this.
It is advisable to steer clear from diets that significantly reduce calorie intake. The same goes for diets that entirely forbid certain types of food. These fat burning plans are hard to stick to and they might result in muscle mass reduction – surely the thing you want to avoid.
A sensible diet plan means you need to focus on whole foods but not be limited by them. Focus on low-fat dairy, lean protein, and an all-you-can-eat selection of fruit and vegetables. Certain types of fish have a lot of unsaturated fat, which is another key element for a successful fat-burning diet.
People often worry about choosing the right weight loss program but there is no need to overthink it. A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that some of the most common diets are equally effective for fat loss.
But if you want a general principle to stick to, this is the food ratio you should aim for: half of your plate should contain vegetables, a quarter lean protein, and the final quarter whole grains.
Don’t Forget to Exercise
Combine the aforementioned diet with a good workout plan and your lower back fat should be gone in no time. This means you need to focus on certain types of exercise that target otherwise difficult to reach areas.
Boost Cardio
An intensive cardio exercise is one of the best ways to get rid of lower back fat. Cardio routines need to be done between three and five times a week for at least half an hour.
Activities like swimming, boxing, and rowing are particularly good to remove excess fat from the lower back. For the best results, feel free to combine these activities with jogging, running or biking.
Keep in mind that there’s more to cardio than just getting your back in shape. It improves your cardiovascular system as a whole and keeps the triglyceride and cholesterol levels in check. What’s more, regular cardio is known to minimize the risk of osteoporosis as well.
Give Interval Training a Try
Interval training can speed up your fat loss efforts. It targets the lower back and any other problematic area to trim you down in no time.
A 20-minute run that includes a combination of moderate and vigorous intervals is a good exercise to start with. But taking up High-Intensity Interval Traning (HIIT) is a must for the best possible results. HIIT involves pushing yourself as hard as you can for a few minutes or more.
In other words, HIIT should leave you breathless and perspiring. This type of workout can be combined with regular cardio to amplify its effects but some prefer to do it separately. On its own, a HIIT routine usually doesn’t take more than 30 minutes. Five minutes to warm up followed by twenty minutes of intensive training, then take another five minutes to cool down.
Bodyweight Workouts
There are a few specific bodyweight exercises that can do wonders for lower back fat. You can do any of these at home.
The Bridge
Lie on your back with your feet on the floor and your knees bent at 90°. Lift up the buttocks to make a bridge and hold the position for a few seconds. Move the body slowly to and from the floor and do about twenty repetitions.
Lower Back Extension
Lie on your stomach with hands behind your head, then lift your legs and chest as far as you can. Doing a few sets of ten should be enough to start with.
The Plank
Hold your body straight with your forearms on the floor. The buttocks mustn’t be higher than the rest of the body. Stay in this position as long as possible and repeat the exercise a few times.
Note: Bodyweight workouts can be great for warming up, regardless of your usual routine.
The Final Push
Now is the time to take action since you know how to get rid of lower back fat. Remember, it takes stamina and perseverance to get your body beach ready.
Nevertheless, a healthy combination of balanced dietary habits and regular exercise can give you the desired results. And once your fat loss routine becomes a habit, don’t hesitate to push even harder to get a six pack that matches your lean physique.
References:
https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/pdf/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf#page=55
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3278241/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2398753/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/stress-weight-gain#1
https://www.naturalhealthmag.com.au/content/what-your-body-fat-trying-tell-you
https://www.americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/cosmetic-medicine/how-to-choose-between-liposuction-and-noninvasive-fat-reduction-procedures/
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