Losing Unsightly Back Fat

There’s no doubt about it that losing weight can be tough, particularly for those who are easily discouraged. A lot of people are concerned over the fat that has accumulated on their back and want to do something about it. There are things you can do to promote steady weight loss and to help get rid of back fat at the same time.

1. Incorporate upper body exercises into your daily routine. If you’re a walker, add a couple of small – 2 lbs. or so – dumb bells to your walk. Hold one in each hand, with elbows bent. When you start out you may think it is a waste of time, but when you are done, you’ll know that you’ve done much more of a workout. And strengthening the upper body is a great way to tone up problem areas like the back.

2. If you’re not doing any cardio exercise, you should start. Cardio doesn’t necessarily mean an exhausting half-hour aerobics workout (though that will work, too). It means getting your heart rate up a little by moving. Walking, skating, biking, or swimming are good ways to get your heart rate up to where you’re getting your heart in shape. The American Heart Association recommends one hour of cardio four days a week. If you’re like me, and not getting anywhere near that much, then even 15 minutes of cardio most days can make a difference. Cardio is not only good for your heart, it’s helps you lose weight steadily.

3. Make healthy changes to your eating habits. This does not mean throwing away everything in your refrigerator and starting from scratch. It means gradually adding healthy foods and gradually reducing or eliminating unhealthy foods. At some point, if you’re hungry and you have the choice of eating that fresh apple in the fruit bowl or going out to the store to buy a box of cookies, you’ll opt for the apple, if only to save yourself the hassle. Keeping the biggest temptations out of your home is a good idea. Getting rid of every single food you like, however, is a setup for failure.

4. Change your meal plans. People with blood sugar issues know two things: 1) eating frequent, smaller, healthy meals keeps blood glucose (and hence energy) levels steady; and 2) when you cut out simple sugars, you lose weight. Combine these two things and you have a good way to lose weight healthily. Though diabetics have to watch sugar intake all the time, if you’re eating frequent small healthy meals for eight days out of ten, then you can reward yourself by enjoying a treat or two over the next two days, before starting back on the mini-meals. Some of the weight lost will come from the fat you’ve accumulated on your back, particularly if you exercise regularly.

Often, one simple change like frequent, smaller meals or cutting out refined sugar can help weight come off quickly, which is very motivating when you’re faced with the next trip to the grocery or the next restaurant meal with friends. Remember: fasting doesn’t work as a permanent weight loss plan.