Ask Fitz! Your Fitness Questions Answered - Love Handles & Man Boobs

by Fitz K. (Subscribe to Fitz K.'s posts)
Oct 3rd 2007 6:02AM

Categories: Ask Fitz!, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Men's Health

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Can you please tell me what work out exercise is good for those annoying love handles? I have a somewhat flat stomach, but can't get rid of the extra stuff on both sides of my belly. Thanks, Shirley

A. Hey Shirley. You didn't provide me with a ton of information about yourself, but since you said you have a flat-ish tummy.....I'm guessing you don't have a ton of weight to lose. However, the part of our bodies most people get really frustrated with is usually the last place we lose it. Obviously body type has a huge amount to do with our specific shapes, but if you simply have fat gathered on both sides of your belly....you need to lose some more weight. An exercise to make fat disappear from a specific place, sadly does not exist. To get rid of fat.....you'll need to lose weight. It could be those last five pounds that make all the difference.

Spot reduction is not a reality outside of plastic surgery. You can't crunch those love handles away, and I think you should ignore the knife. This sounds like something you can do on your own. Consume fewer calories and burn a bunch with frequent workouts and an active lifestyle. Dig in and improve your overall fitness. A tapered waist requires awesome effort, but it's well worth it. You'll love it when you have it. Keep me posted on your success! Fitz

Q. Hello Miss Fitz. I am a 28 year old male. I have been running a couple of miles a day, two or three days a week all summer, but I just can't get rid of my stomach or man boobs. I've had the same figure my whole life. Is there anything that I could focus on to shape up? George

A. Howdy George. I'm glad you wrote. So, you've had this figure your whole life, huh? You didn't provide a ton of detail, but I'm guessing you were the overweight child who became an overweight adult. Kids usually play a lot, so if you were chubby as a child your eating habits were probably to blame. Now you're an overweight adult who is participating in moderate exercise. That leaves me to believe you still have poor eating habits.

You're eating may not be as horrific now as it was then, but I suggest that you tighten up a bit more on your menu. Clean it up George! Aim to consume about 65% of your calories from fruit and veggies, add a bit of lean protein, a bit of lean dairy and a smaller bit of starchy carbs. The starchy carbs (rice, bread, potatoes) are high in calories, so keep them to a minimum. Cut the sugar. Shun caloric beverages too. By doing this, you'll never go hungry and you'll keep the calorie consumption low. Eat with the mission of weight loss.

Start training six days a week.Think I'm crazy? Too bad! There are 24 hours in a day and there is no reason you shouldn't be active for at least 45 of the 1440 minutes daily you have to utilize. Running two to three miles is fantastic. Run more if you like, or add other types of cardio. As for the "man boobs" and the belly....it won't hurt for you to train those muscle groups. For your chest, perform push-ups, the bench press, and flies at least three times a week. Find a challenging weight and go with it. As for abs....your options are endless. Start with crunches and then try some ab work you find in a men's magazine. Men's Health always offers a bunch of great training ideas.

Take your focus off of the boobs and the belly and start aiming for overall strength and leanness. Pretend you're an athlete and behave like one. I believe if you work towards becoming Mr. Fitness, you'll love all of your parts equally. Send photos when you get there!

Punches & Kicks,Fitz

Fitzness.com

To the teens who commented below, I've responded to many of you here. Thanks for writing.

Note: The content presented in this Q. & A section is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as medical advice or substitute for professional medical care.

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Comments (43)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Sam 10-03-2007 @ 10:18AM

Fitz is smoking hot.

FitBuff - Total Mind and Body Fitness 10-03-2007 @ 10:20AM

I also recommend HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), especially to Shirley since she seems to be more physically active already.

But George can benefit as well, as long as he works his way up the HIIT ladder slowly.

For instructions on how to do HIIT and why it can help, check out this article:

How to Burn More Fat in Less Time: The Secret to HIIT
http://www.fitbuff.com/how-to-burn-more-fat-in-less-time-the-secret-to-hiit/

Cory 10-10-2007 @ 10:00AM

Fitz, you don't know what you're talking about. If George runs 3 miles 6 days out of the week he is going to get a stress fracture, probably in the shins. I see it all the time. The user above is right, you should be careful to take advice from her.

genni 10-08-2007 @ 1:48PM

when does "baby fat" go away, and how do you know when you actually have to go on a diet???

Lawrence 10-08-2007 @ 11:59AM

I am pretty healthy and I exercise 6 days a week, but I can`t get a six pack. I have a nice body, but it is not toned. How can I get my muscles to really stand out?

Andy 10-08-2007 @ 1:50PM

Fitz does know what she is talking about. He will not get a stress fracture if he runs 3 miles 6 times a week. I'm a runner and I run 6 sometimes 7 days a week for a total of about 40 miles. He'll be fine.

will 10-08-2007 @ 1:53PM

hi mrs, fitz im only in high school and my weight is really starting to bug me freshmen year i was up to 200 and only 5,6 but now im a junior and im down to 165 but still at about 5,7 i lost alot of weight freshmen year about 65 pounds i got down to 130 but now i feel like im gaing the weight back exspecailly on the sides and the belly i do the crunches and i dont think the belly is that big of a deal but my question is how to i get rid of this lower belly the top of my belly isnt bad but the lower needs work any suggestions? please answere im in desprete help i dont wanna go through high school again with another joke towards me

Jessica 10-08-2007 @ 1:08PM

heyy. i know im a little young, but im 13 years old. im not a weight obsessed person i just hate the weight that im gaining. i was always the thinnist person in my grade and i didnt have to do anything to get rid of what i was gaining on. im 5 foot 6. i love to play basketball but thats only one season and i dont really practice outside of basketball season. i push myself to run, but its just not really my thing. how can i get back in shape and lose the extra fat on my tummy? can u help me out? i would love to be fit again!
-jessica

kelli 10-08-2007 @ 3:18PM

ok, im young......13 im starting to model, and im 128, 5 foot 1, and i have like ...4 boobs, can u plzz tell me how to get rid of them,

kris 10-08-2007 @ 2:55PM

how do you get rid of fat in these places? http://i20.tinypic.com/33m0dvp.jpg

Taylor 10-08-2007 @ 3:48PM

Hello Ms. Fitz I am only 16 years old female. But I have a problem. When I was a freshmen I was only 5'2" in height and weighed about 180 now that I am a junior I am only 5'5" and weigh about 124 pounds. So here is the issue, I reduced in breast size, and now I have this extra like skin that is really annoying me, how can I get rid of it? I would greatly appreciate you helping me out with it.

stephanie 10-08-2007 @ 3:31PM

hey fitz! im a sophmore in highschool, but i guess you can say im a little over weight. im 5,6'' and i weigh 170lbs. its mostly in my stomach and legs. i have tryed using diet pills and cutting my food in half. but i cant help not snacking. thats my problem. its also hard to put in time for excersize between school, vollyball, and homework, but i do situps every morning. i need some advise on how to lose the belly and my thighs. any tips?

neil 10-08-2007 @ 3:44PM

get off your rear ends and start running. get off the computer and put some head phones on and run around the block 40 times 5 times a week. ul see a difference

spaz 10-15-2007 @ 4:43PM

i have this problem with jeans,
whenever i wear them, they stick into my sides-
which obviously means i have some luv handels going on.
(which would be GREAT to get rid of.)
but i also have like a small gut, its not like its completly over lapping my jeans but it does stick out.
when i push this gut away from my sides, i look like i have a good body, or when i push it all together.

ive heard alot that situps and crunches arnt going to do anything but make your stomache stronger UNDER your fat, so iv'e given up on that.
i just would like to know a somewhat easy diet to stay on, especially since im in highschool, its hard to to a 5 meal a day thing when your in school.
so if you could please help that would be great.
-spaz.

Zonker 10-08-2007 @ 4:20PM

I think too much attention is put on appearance to the detriment of the whole health of a person. These people are sweating it and anxious over a few pounds. It would be better for them just to kick back and enjoy life.

Besides, many of us love those love handles, and I know that many women dig moobs... It's all a matter of individual preferences.

chaunty 10-13-2007 @ 4:45PM

i think is just a bunch of crap........to lose ur love handles there r certain exercise u have to do......1 thing that helps is lay down and lift ur body up slowly and lay it down slowly and then the same thing but opposite lift ur legs and then lower them the key part is SLOWLY! i tightens ur muscles....also there r special exercise tools to help with this....it tends to be like a rubber string that can be stretched. I find it works with some people but i just doesnt work for me so if u have a execrise u do and it works can u email me? THANKS!!!!