How to Tackle Trouble Spots After 50

By Linda Melone, CSCS –

Do you have a stubborn body part that doesn’t respond to anything you do to get rid of it? Whether it’s underarm flab, belly fat or excess thigh poundage, it can be frustrating beyond belief.

Problem is, a number of things come into play. The good news: you can control most of them. Plus, you can make the most of what you have by following a few, well-proven rules.

What you can’t control: heredity. If your mom gains belly fat you’re more likely to do the same. Ditto for saddlebags and underarm swing.

What you can control: body weight and muscle tone. Keep in mind when you lose weight you’ll lose it from all over, including your stubborn areas. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose where you want to lose fat. If only!

The one thing that can help: strength training. If you have a fear of building muscle you’re missing out on the best thing you can do to reshape your body. When you say you want more “tone,” keep in mind you can’t “tone” fat!

No woman has ever lifted weights and woken up looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger. (I curl 20-lb dumbbells and hear only compliments from other women about my arms, so trust me on this.) Pick a weight in which you can do 12 to 15 reps, where the last three reps are a challenge. If it’s too easy you’re not doing enough to challenge your muscles and you won’t see a change.

You want to include exercises that target your trouble spots but work hard on all your parts. Not sure how to tone those batwings? Check out my descriptions, below, and access my FREE video on the subject, along with ways to tackle the belly pooch and saddlebags on my website: www.LindaMelone.com. You will also receive my free newsletter on helpful topics like “best workouts for women over 50” “best fat-burning cardio” and much more.

Batwings (flabby triceps): stair dips

— Sit on the second step and place hands on the step behind you, palms facing the step. Keep feet flat on the landing, knees at a 45-degree angle. Lift your upper body by straightening arms and then lower body until upper arms are parallel to the step and then push back up.

Saddlebags (hip bulge): side shuffle

–Using exercise tubing around your ankles, stand in a semi-squat position, feet far enough apart to feel resistance, and walk sideways, maintaining resistance on the tubing with each step; walk out 15 to 20 steps and then reverse direction.

Belly pooch (lower belly bulge): reverse crunch

— Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair and sides with your hands. Bend your knees and pull them up towards your chest and then straighten them back down.

Please let me know if these exercises helped you! And if you have any questions I’d love to hear those, too.

Here’s to a fit, fab and feisty body!

Feel free to email me with your questions or comments at Linda@LindaMelone.com

Linda is a certified personal trainer and fitness pro-turned-writer whose work can be found on Prevention.com, Health.com, WomansDay.com and many others. At 55, she knows firsthand the struggles of keeping off weight after 50 and vows to help other women slay the belly fat dragon. Check out her website at http://www.lindamelone.com/ and sign up for her free, twice-monthly newsletter and free 10 Ways to Blast Belly Fat After 50 special booklet.