Love Handles

Sometimes there is a just little too much to love. These "love handles" are actually excess adipose tissue that builds up above the external oblique muscles. Unfortunately, at this time of year, there is just no place to hide. A two-piece swimsuit is a challenge. And even if you're wearing the perfect pair of jeans, the excess fat may overflow your waistline (the dreaded "muffin top").  Remember that as you age, your spine shortens so you tend to lose the length through your torso.  So even if you have always been thin all your life and never have had a "muffin top", you just might begin to see one now!

The solution? A balanced combination of cardiovascular exercise and total-body strength training. For this particular problem, you can also add some external oblique-specific exercises to help speed up the reshaping process. Here are a few to get you started:

Side Planks

Every plank position works the entire core. But side planks place a particular emphasis on the obliques (because you're primarily using those external obliques to stabilize your body in the proper position). Side planks can be done in a traditional position on the palm of the hand, or on the forearm.  Place the right hand (or elbow) on the floor and lift up so that you are in a straight line making sure your top leg is in front as the stabilizer.  Reach the left arm straight up to the ceiling.  You can also perform a “snake and twist” reaching that left arm under your body and back up again.  Repeat on the other side.

Weighted Side Bends

Choose a medium-to-heavy dumbbell and hold it in your right hand. Stand shoulder-width apart in a square stance with knees slightly bent and shoulders down and back. Place your left hand behind your head, elbow wide. Lower the weight down towards the floor for two counts and then back up for two. To increase the range of motion — and the benefits — pass through the center during the "up" phase and side crunch to the left, leading with the left elbow.  Switch sides.

Hula Hooping

This is what works for me.  When you think of it, your success with hooping is all about sustained abdominal contraction. It is full-body cardiovascular exercise that results in dramatically slimming your waistline.  Grab a hoop and your iPod and get ready to rock the house!

Get to work so that you will be able to show off those well-defined abs this summer! Your jeans and swimsuit are waiting:)