Ugly “sides” in the waist and abdomen spoil the figure and make us feel complex. Moreover, they are often present not only in those who are overweight, but also in those who are quite slender, and only this physique feature is a problem. Of course, you can and should fight the sides. And this will require an integrated approach, which will include physical activity, diet correction, and additional procedures. Let's look at how to remove the sides and what needs to be done for this.
Reasons for the appearance of sides
Before you figure out how to remove sides at home, you need to understand why they appear in the first place. Most often, they are caused by overeating and consumption of junk food, a sedentary lifestyle, as well as hereditary predisposition. Moreover, the human body, especially the female body, is designed in such a way that the stomach is the first place where fat deposits are deposited.
Are you used to snacking on sandwiches or hamburgers on the go? Don't be surprised that you need an answer to the question of how to lose fat from your sides. It is these snacks that are the worst enemies of the figure. While not particularly satiating or giving the body anything useful, they are nevertheless very actively deposited in the lateral area. Another predisposing factor is alcohol consumption and smoking.
Lack of sleep, as well as stress, is another reason that the body will actively begin to put everything unnecessary on the sides. Everything in our body is interconnected. Lack of sleep provokes stress, which produces the hormone cortisol, which leads to the accumulation of sideburns. Determine which factors are relevant to you and try to do everything to eliminate them.
Proper nutrition against the sides
You need to start fighting fat deposits in the abdomen and sides by correcting your diet. Let’s say right away that strict diets, which many are accustomed to relying on, are not your help in achieving an ideal figure. They give very short-term results, and in the future the weight returns with triple force. You need to eat healthy and balanced, try to give up sweets, flour, fast food and other delights. Let's look at the basics of nutrition for those who want to quickly remove their sides.
- Be sure to have breakfast. Eating a full breakfast significantly reduces the risk of overeating during the day, fills you with energy and improves metabolic processes. The ideal option for breakfast is complex carbohydrates (porridge) and proteins.
- Eat often and in small portions. Small meals 5-6 times a day with breaks of 2-3 hours will help maintain the level of satiety and metabolism, and over time will narrow the volume of the stomach, which will also promote weight loss.
- If you want a snack, use something healthy. Fruits, boiled eggs, nuts or dried fruits, and fermented milk products are suitable.
- Eat enough fiber. It is found in grains, fruits and vegetables. You also need protein, which is the main building material for muscles and helps burn a large number of calories.
- Try to exclude sweets, soda and alcohol, fatty and pickled foods, mayonnaise and various sauces from your diet.
- It is recommended to have dinner no later than three hours before bedtime. The ideal option for dinner is low-fat protein products, fermented milk drinks, vegetables and salads. If you want to eat before bed, drink a glass of water or kefir.
- It is recommended to exclude animal fats from the diet and replace them with vegetable fats. The body needs vegetable fats, and completely abandoning them is one of the popular mistakes of losing weight, which leads to a number of health problems. Sources of healthy fats are vegetable oils, nuts, and fish.
Those who want to lose weight are advised to consider the need to cleanse their intestines. At home, you can use enemas for cleansing, as well as a mixture of cloves, wormwood and tansy. It is recommended to consume fruits and vegetables containing fiber. The most useful foods for cleansing the intestines: apples, pears, white cabbage, beets, pumpkin, eggplants, dried apricots and prunes, buckwheat, rice, millet, oatmeal.
What does weight loss depend on?
Weight loss depends on a number of factors, failure to comply with which will significantly slow down the achievement of the result or even cancel it out:
- Proper nutrition and compliance with the recommended ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates (KBZHU). When losing weight, it is important to remember that there are a number of foods that you should not eat. Excessive consumption of fats and carbohydrates also slows down weight loss. And a sharp decrease in calories, as with diets, can disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and provoke a failure of other body systems. The main thing in everything is moderation.
- Normal daily routine . When losing weight, your daily routine should be uniform. Sleep is at least 8 hours, since an insufficient amount leads to stress and impaired functioning of the body. This causes the breakdown of protein tissue first, fat deposits are affected last. For this reason, the body will lose weight, but due to the destruction of muscle, not fat. It is forbidden to eat food 3 hours before training. Very early rises and late sleep are not recommended. Physical activity on an empty stomach is also undesirable.
- The right balance of training . During the period of proper nutrition and training, loads should be evenly distributed throughout the week. Be sure to set aside 2 days for rest. Violent training for several hours every day is not recommended. This will remove not only fat, but also muscle, and there is also a risk of significantly harming your health. The amount of cardio and strength training is approximately equal.
Diet features
Nutrition for weight loss also has a number of features, the observance of which guarantees results.
In the first stages, calorie counting is important. This is necessary in order to know the amount of food eaten and how much to spend later. This is where calorie deficit comes into play. For example, a person’s daily norm is 2000 kcal, then you need to reduce your consumption to 1900-1800 kcal. The body will begin to take the missing energy from fat reserves, and if you add regular exercise to this, the result will come much faster.
Equally important is the calculation of BJU. When losing weight, the amount of carbohydrates in your diet should be reduced. Here's an approximate ratio:
- Fats – 30%.
- Proteins – 45%.
- Carbohydrates – 25%.
The amount of carbohydrates can be increased, but only if slow carbohydrates are consumed. They promote weight loss.
Expert opinion
Evgeniy Kislitsa
Practicing surgeon. Certified massage master. Two-time vice-champion and heavyweight champion of regional kettlebell lifting competitions.
Slow carbohydrates are those with a low glycemic index (GI). They gradually increase the level of glucose in the body and allow you to obtain energy for a long time during their absorption reactions. This is due to the slow breakdown of such carbohydrates. This feature gives rise to the name “slow carbohydrates”. “Fast carbohydrates” have the opposite properties and effect on glucose levels. Their name is due to the rapid absorption of energy during fission reactions. Fast carbohydrates, unlike slow ones, contribute to excess weight gain.
Portioned and frequent meals are another element of weight loss. Nutritionists have proven that frequent eating in small portions improves metabolism and dulls the constant desire to eat. You need to eat every 5-6 hours. For those who are actively involved in sports, you can reduce the breaks between meals to 4 hours, but you need to reduce portions.
Attention! The water-salt balance of the body is also important. When losing weight, the body should not experience dehydration. Although the effect of water on fat burning processes is not so active, its lack disrupts blood flow, leads to blood thickening, and can provoke the appearance of blood clots. The danger of dehydration lies in the likelihood of developing cardiovascular pathologies and kidney diseases.
When losing weight, exclude any fried or fatty foods from your diet. Allowed to bake, stew and boil. A large amount of oil and fat is also undesirable. Sweet foods are excluded. You can only have dark chocolate. The meat is chosen lean or lean. The diet is dominated by vegetables and fruits, legumes, and cereals. Eating fish is encouraged. It is a valuable source of protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which have a positive effect on metabolic processes. Drinks are drunk without sugar or sweet syrups. Fast food, soda, crackers and chips, cakes, donuts, etc. are prohibited.
Correct daily routine
The body is a system accustomed to order. Therefore, the process of losing weight should be orderly. Here is an approximate regime for losing weight:
- Sleep - at least 8 hours . This is exactly how much the body needs to restore energy and rest. Lack of sleep slows down metabolism and negatively affects the state of the cardiovascular, nervous, and endocrine systems.
- Hourly meals at equal intervals . The body gets used to hourly food intake and does not experience stress or starvation.
- Various physical activities . It is better to exercise either in the middle of the day or in the evening. But in both cases, training should take place at least 3-3.5 hours after eating.
The meaning of sport
It is recommended to exercise 3-4 times a week. The rest of the days the body rests and recovers from exercise. To effectively lose weight, you need to alternate between cardio and strength training. This combination will significantly speed up fat burning. Constantly changing exercises (about once a month) is also effective. This is done so that the body does not get used to the stress. After all, even in the initial stages, more calories are burned during training than in a month.
Important! Workouts should involve all muscle groups, not a specific area. Exercising every day for several hours will lead to rapid weight loss, but not due to fat, but due to the destruction of muscle tissue. They also greatly tire the body and often lead to injury.
How to remove sides quickly: exercises
Without physical activity, you will not be able to cope with excess fat deposits. If the diet is aimed at the entire body as a whole, then the exercises should focus specifically on the problem area. You can choose the type of activity that you like. Running, swimming, Pilates, and hula-hooping help to cope with excess fat.
There are a large number of sets of exercises aimed at combating the sides. Programs called something like “removing sides in 20 lessons” are really effective, but you shouldn’t focus on clearly stated deadlines, since everything is individual in each case. Don’t chase deadlines and quick weight loss - it’s better to get rid of everything unnecessary slowly, but safely and confidently.
You can read a separate article on the website about exercises aimed at combating the sides (LINK). Here we will suggest only some actions. There are general rules for those who plan to start training:
- You need to do the exercises 3-4 times a week.
- Exercises should be done in several approaches with short breaks.
- Do a warm-up beforehand to warm up your muscles.
- Try to perform the exercises smoothly, avoiding excessively sudden movements. Breathing should be smooth.
Now let’s look at a few basic exercises that will be useful for the purpose of removing fat from a woman’s sides.
Crunches
Thanks to this simple exercise, you can fully work out all the abdominal muscles, and additionally the arms and legs. You need to lie on the floor, stretch out your arms and legs. At the same time, raise your straight arms and legs. At the same time, it is important to keep your back straight and reach your chin towards your legs.
Scissors
“Scissors” are ideal for working out the lower abs. You need to lie on the floor, raise your legs at an angle of about 60 degrees and alternately pull each of them towards your face, without bending it.
If you lower your legs completely to the floor, the muscles of the buttocks, thighs and legs will be additionally used.
Side plank
The plank in general is a great exercise for working the entire body. Its lateral variation perfectly works the oblique abdominal muscles. Get into a side plank position, leaning on your elbow. Align your body completely and stay in this position. Then perform crunches with your body down.
Bike
A simple bicycle, which we have known since school, is a wonderful exercise for eliminating sides at the waist.
Pushups
Despite the fact that push-ups are aimed more at the muscles of the arms and chest, it helps to keep the stomach in good shape, the muscles of which work as stabilizers. If it’s hard for you to do push-ups in the classic version, you can do the exercise from your knees.
Dynamic bar
Dynamic Plank: 8 reps on each side or 30-45 seconds
Get into a straight-armed plank position, squeeze your glutes, tighten your core, and keep your back straight. First, lower yourself onto your elbow with one hand, then with the other. Return to the starting position in the same way. Don't swing your hips, make sure to keep your core engaged at all times.
This exercise is also good for your upper body. Perform 8 reps on each side or as many as you can in 30-45 seconds.
4 Exercise “around the world”
Exercise “around the world”: 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions on each side
Starting position: standing straight, legs wider than shoulders, pelvis tucked, toes slightly pointing to the side. Take a very light dumbbell in your hands (no more than 2 kilograms, or you can take a pillow - this is necessary so as not to feel movement in the lower back) and extend your arms straight above your head. Then, starting from the hip. lean as far to the right as possible. When you cannot bend further, turn your body forward. Then turn your body straight again and return to the starting position.
Watch your posture and technique, especially your knees. Slowly perform 8-10 repetitions on each side. It is better to alternate sides.
Moving the ball
Moving the ball: 30-45 seconds
This is a basic bicycle exercise with an increased level of difficulty. Lie on the floor, your abs tense, your stomach pulled in, your back pressed to the floor. Raise your chest up, pulling your right knee towards your chest, holding the ball in your left hand. With the ball under your right knee, move it from your right hand to your left and complete the twist.
Switch legs each time and make sure you are doing a crunch for each rep. Throughout the entire exercise, your shoulder blades should not touch the floor. Perform the exercise for 30-45 seconds.
Turn your knees to the side
Turning your knees to the side: 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions on each side
Lie on the floor, your abs tense, your stomach pulled in, your back pressed to the floor. Raise your legs up at a right angle. Squeeze a small ball between your legs. Keep your inner thighs and abdominal muscles constantly tense. Keeping your back straight and your abs tense, slowly move your knee to the right towards the floor. As you exhale, return to the original repetition, and as you inhale, repeat the movement in the opposite direction.
This exercise is also a great stretch for your lower back. By holding the ball between your legs, you make it easier for yourself to keep your legs together. Perform 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions on each side.
Crouching dragon push-ups
Crouching Dragon Push-Ups: 3 sets of 10-12 slow reps
Get into your starting push-up position (palms wider than shoulder-width apart). Do a push-up. Then bend your knees without touching the floor and push your hips back so that your knees are directly under your ribs. Keep your arms straight.
Then lift your hips up into a downward-facing dog position. Round your back and rock your spine slightly forward, starting at your lower back and ending at your upper spine, rolling down the rest of your body until you return to the starting plank position.
Pulling your hips back engages your lower abdomen, while gradually moving your spine forward works your abs and stretches your back muscles. Slowly perform 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
Massage against the sides
Those who decide to remove the sides in a week should not rush themselves into such a time frame, since achieving the result will be individual in each case. However, you can significantly speed up the timing of this if, along with proper nutrition, you resort to additional procedures. Massage helps to cope with the sides perfectly. It is better to entrust it to a professional, but if desired and possible, you can do it yourself at home. You can pay attention to these types of massage:
- pinch - used both as an independent technique and as the initial stage of other types of massage to warm up the muscles;
- vacuum – involves the use of special silicone jars that promote fat resorption;
- point – the effect is achieved by influencing specific points, as in the acupuncture procedure;
- water - involves exposing the problem area to a directed stream of water.
All these massages allow you to achieve the following effect:
- improves cell restoration processes;
- eliminates tissue swelling;
- helps normalize metabolism;
- promotes cleansing of waste and toxins;
- improves the respiratory function of the skin;
- increases muscle tone.
All these factors combined help fight excess fat on the stomach and sides.
Why is belly fat harmful?
Along with aesthetic unattractiveness, subcutaneous fat deposits entail other consequences:
Reduced level of intellectual capabilities
Many scientific studies prove the relationship between obesity and decreased brain mass. The consumption of foods that contain simple sugar also plays a significant role.
Decreased testosterone
An increase in the mass percentage of fat in a man’s body activates the process of converting testosterone into the female hormone - estrogen. Male breasts become similar to female breasts, muscle mass and libido decrease.
Chronic health problems
An impressive belly along with excess weight contributes to disruption of metabolism and the protective functions of the immune system. The changes also concern the position of internal organs, which are displaced. Increased stress on joints and bones changes gait.
Progression of obesity
Even a medium-sized belly triggers the process of further weight gain. The longer the problem with weight is ignored, the faster it grows, and, consequently, health deteriorates.
Wraps against the sides
You can support your comprehensive program of how to quickly remove sides at home with wraps. These procedures help improve metabolism and blood circulation, thereby promoting fat burning and skin tightening. They can be done both in a beauty salon and at home. If you also do massage, it is recommended to do it before wraps.
The essence of all procedures is the same: we prepare the mixture, apply it to the problem area (in our case, the sides and stomach), then wrap it in cling film and put on something warm or lie down under a blanket.
The holding time for the mixture when wrapping may differ in each individual case. If non-aggressive components are used, such as, for example, honey, you can keep them for about an hour. Aggressive substances, such as mustard, can cause a burn if kept for too long, so usually the exposure time is 15-20 minutes.
There are a large number of recipes for wrapping mixtures. Here are the ones that will be most effective against the sides:
- Seaweed wrap. Buy kelp seaweed, grind it into powder and soak in water, allowing it to swell. Add about 20 drops of camphor oil and 10 drops of any citrus ether.
- Honey wrap. Honey is an excellent remedy for weight loss. For wrapping you will need it in liquid form. Apply it to your waist and stomach on all sides. You can also add an essential oil that you like to the honey composition.
- Oil wraps. You need to take jojoba oil as a base and add a few drops of lemon, lavender and juniper essential oils to it. Use as usual.
You can also purchase ready-made products intended for wraps at the pharmacy. What exactly to use is up to you to decide.
It is worth understanding that fat on the sides and belly can be a sign that something is wrong in the body. Therefore, it is first recommended to determine what caused the problem and start working on eliminating it. Coping with this problem is quite simple: exercise regularly, eat right, lead a healthy lifestyle and use the additional procedures suggested above. Don’t set yourself goals like removing sides in a week - spend as much time on it as you need, without giving up halfway.