3 Ways to Lose Those Love Handles and Melt Those Muffin Tops
Are you a homepreneur who spends way too much time sitting in front of your PC and starting to put on some weight as a result of all that 
inactivity?
If so, I can relate. As someone who earns his daily bread online, I put in long hours at my desk by necessity. Although still in my mid-thirties, I have begun to feel the effects of all that enforced idleness and perhaps just as bad—show the effects, as well.
In all honesty, I must admit that I had noticed a small roll around my midriff where none was intended to be. But, since I work at home, I have a regrettable tendency to slouch around in my comfy old sweats that are nothing if not accommodating in fit and extremely forgiving of many physical flaws. Such as my little roll, for instance. Two things combined to wake me up to the cold, hard truth about my expanding figure:
- I couldn’t button my favorite blue jeans
- A chance remark by my wife
A Rude Awakening
Although I was aware, in some dim corner of my consciousness, that I had gained weight; it didn’t really hit home that my expanding waistline was becoming a problem until my wife, catching me shirtless, playfully grabbed the overflow at both sides of my waist and affectionately referred to it as my “love handles.”
Love handles?
While I’m all about love and am grateful that my wife is tolerant of my imperfections and the pounds I’ve added to my once lean frame….I don’t want to have love handles. The discovery that I couldn’t fasten my jeans since they didn’t stretch like my sweat pants was a rude awakening, too.
Love Handles and Muffin Tops
What are love handles? They’re the rolls of fat that bulge out above the waistband of your pants or, if you aren’t wearing pants, where your waistline used to be. I say “used to be” because chances are if you have love handles your waist is nothing more than a distant memory. These rolls are also frequently referred to as “muffin tops.” This may sound cutesy and appealing because after all—who doesn’t love those delicious muffin tops that hang out over the bottom portion of a muffin?
Trust me, muffin tops at your waist are anything but cute or appealing. I had them, and when my wife called my attention to them even in a purely nurturing way, the truth hit me like a ton of bricks: I was overweight and out of shape.
The time I spent at my computer, happily hammering out articles as a freelance writer along with my work as an online marketer, was causing some unhealthy and yes….I’ll say it….unattractive changes to my formerly fit self.
From Conan to Creampuff
Where once I had a flat tummy and well developed, muscular biceps; now I had love handles and slightly flabby, weak arms that cringed in fear at the thought of lifting anything heavier than a soda can or bag of chips.
Okay, maybe comparing my former physique to that of Conan the Barbarian is a slight exaggeration, but before my sedentary lifestyle turned me into a creampuff, I was a lean machine of muscle without an ounce of fat anywhere on my tightly toned body.
I vowed to turn things around, add some exercise to my daily routine and do whatever was necessary to lose the handles and melt the muffin tops.
Here are 3 ways that I found to combat the effects of being inactive while working from home:
1. Walk the dog. If you have a dog, get into a habit of taking it out for a walk every day. The dog will love it and you’ll both receive the benefit of exercise and fresh air. If you don’t have a dog—walk yourself. It’s probably a little more fun to walk with a companion such as Man’s Best Friend, but if you go alone you won’t have to stop while the dog anoints every tree and fire hydrant, either.
2. Cut calories. This may seem like a no-brainer, but when I sat down and took a long, hard look at my dietary habits; I realized that I was eating like a linebacker without expending any energy to burn the calories before they turned into fat. So, swap those chips for celery sticks, trade the sodas for good old h2o and exchange sugary sweets for fresh fruit.
3. Last but not least, consider setting up a home gym. To find one that will suit your needs and budget, get online and research the best home gyms and exercise equipment.
It’s all too easy to gain weight and get out of shape when you work at home, but with a few lifestyle changes and a good exercise regime, you can bust that beer belly, lose your love handles and melt those muffin tops!
Rick Mercado, is a very active outdoor oriented man who loves any type of hiking, biking and anything adventurous. He works at home as a writer and marketer and is currently working on a series of articles on health for www.homegymadviser.com. He loves his own home gym and needs the break from sitting at the computer for long hours. It really helps keep his weight in check and gives his brain a rest.
Further Reading
