5 Ways to Eliminate Back Fat

You won't miss it at all.

 BY POPSUGAR FITNESS

This article was written by Lizzie Fuhr and repurposed with permission from POPSUGAR Fitness.

Back bulge around the bra area or a pesky muffin top aren't fun to deal with. But you can feel more confident in your own skin with just a little extra effort. Sure, targeting specific body parts to burn fat doesn't work, but these healthy tips can help you get the results you want faster!

Turn Up Your Cardio
If you're serious about getting rid of fat, you've got to start getting serious about cardio. According to the USDA, you should perform 60-minute sessions five times a week.

For even more intense cardio, opt for interval training that alternates between periods of pushing your body and recovery, since it offers an "afterburn effect." This means that after exercising, your body can burn more calories—an extra 200 calories throughout the day even at rest or sleep—than you would after completing a steady-paced workout.

Focus on Toning
Add moves that sculpt your back, shoulders, and obliques to reveal the strong muscles that lie beneath. Posture-improving exercises can also do wonders! This five-minute back workout and these body-balancing back exercises are great ones to try!

Practice Yoga
Quality strength training and cardio are key, but yoga can help you take off back fat, too. This heart-pumping yoga routine is just what you need!

Eat Smarter
Choosing healthier foods and cooking up cleaner recipes are essential in your battle against back bulge. Check out the best fat-burning recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks that can support your goals.

Shop Your Shape
Okay, this won't really get rid of fat, but it'll certainly help you feel more comfortable in your skin. If you're concerned about the bulge around your bra or a muffin top, it simply might be time to go up a size in your bra or jeans. Flattering clothes will help you feel more confident so that you feel less stressed while dressing. Instead of getting caught up in the size you're wearing, always focus on how you feel in the clothes you're in.

Comfortable Sleep for Two

Find a sleep position you'll both enjoy.

BY GABRIELLE GAYAGOY

Is two a crowd? Resist the urge to send him packing to the couch. "Sleeping in a pose that lets you both stay comfortable and also allows for body contact helps strengthen your bond," says Evany Thomas, author of The Secret Language of Sleep: A Couple's Guide. She suggests these four sleeping positions, which will let you snuggle up and sleep better all night long:

Excalibur 
Back sleeper + side sleeper
If you're the side sleeper, face your partner, but roll toward your back slightly to avoid waking up with an arm that's still dead asleep. Back sleepers should keep their arms by their sides, not overhead, to reduce stress on the shoulders, says Scott D. Boden, M.D., a professor of orthopedic surgery and director of the Emory Spine Center in Atlanta.

Sidesaddle
Stomach sleeper + side sleeper
You love to cuddle; he complains that full-body contact makes him heat up like a toaster oven. With this setup, he gets space while you get skin-on-skin benefits. The stomach sleeper should place a small pillow under his tummy to take pressure off his back, Boden says.

Paper Dolls
Back sleeper + back sleeper
Two back sleepers don't have a lot of opportunity for snuggling, but a simple brush of the hands or a game of footsies can keep you connected. Facing each other makes this pose more romantic, Thomas says. "The daily last-glimpse exchange of drowsy eye contact creates closeness."

Classic Spoons
Two side sleepers or people with lower back pain
Sleeping on your side helps ease pressure on the spine, making this a good position for couples with back problems, says Todd Sinett, D.C., co-author of The Truth About Back Pain. Bending your knees and sticking a small pillow between them will also keep you from waking up with a stiff back and legs.

What Your Sleep Style Says About Your Relationship

Look out for this random bedroom behavior.

BY KATE MORIARTY

Are you an all-night snuggler or a keep-your-distance kind of sleeper? The answer may reveal subtle clues about your relationship. Couples who sleep less than an inch apart are more likely to be happy in their relationships than couples who sleep on opposite sides of the bed, according to a surveyconducted at this month's Edinburgh International Science Festival.

For the study, researchers from the University of Hertfordshire surveyed 1,000 people about their sleeping habits when snoozing next to their partners. Looks like cuddly couples have the upper hand: 86 percent of couples who slept within an inch of one another were happy with their relationships, while only 66 percent of couples who slept more than 30 inches apart were content with their bond. Plus, touching played a huge role in their happiness; 94 percent of couples who spent the night in contact with each other were happy with their relationships, while only 68 percent of those who kept their hands to themselves said the same.

Now, this obviously doesn't mean you should panic about losing your partner or rethink your sleep style if you typically stick to your side of the bed—sometimes you just need some space! It makes sense that couples who are feeling less-than-thrilled about their romance are less likely to snuggle at night, which could account for some of the statistics. Plus, only 12 percent of couples actually slept within an inch of each other (let's be honest, that's pretty close) and only two percent slept over 30 inches apart, so chances are you are your partner are somewhere in the middle—of the bed and the happiness scale. Still, there's no harm in adding a little spooning action now and then if it'll boost your bond.

Can Lemon Water Really Help You Lose Weight?

...Or have the people who swear by it been feeding you b.s.?

 BY JILLIAN KRAMER

Celebs such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dina Manzo guzzle hot water with lemon as if the liquid was bottled at the Fountain of Youth itself. They're certain it aids in weight loss—but is the claim too good to be true?

"Hot water with lemon in and of itself does not cause any actual weight loss," says Alissa Rumsey, R.D., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. However, if this drink is replacing a beverage that is higher in calories, like coffee with sugar or fruit juice—and that results in a calorie deficit—then it can help you lose weight.

Drinking water—whether hot or cold, infused with lemon, or plain—also helps keep your metabolism humming. "Staying hydrated is an important component of a healthy diet because it boosts your metabolism," says Rumsey. "For those that don’t enjoy plain water, adding some lemon is a great way to boost the flavor without adding calories."

In the short term, drinking water with lemon can also reduce bloating—it acts as a mild, natural diuretic, says Rumsey. However, if you're experiencing bloating in the long-term, it’s best to figure out what is causing it and work to stop those habits: Eating too fast, drinking through a straw, drinking carbonated beverages, consuming too much salt, and consuming foods with sugar alcohols are common culprits.

You also don't want to chug water with lemon religiously if you experience heartburn or acid reflux, as the citrus in the lemon will only exacerbate your symptoms, says Rumsey. Now you know!

The Absolute Best Workout to Combat Belly Fat

Stomach pooch, you're going down.

 BY ESTHER CRAIN

Crunches, balance boards, yoga for your core—you could devote your life to exercises that supposedly target your abs, yet still watch your waistline spread. So what’s the smartest approach for targeting this trouble spot? A new study suggests daily weight training. Harvard University researchers found that men who did 20 minutes of weight training a day packed on the least amount of belly fat, compared to men who did cardio workouts or steered clear of the weight room completely, according to the study, published in Obesity.

Ab fat carries some pretty big health risks: The larger your waist circumference, the higher your odds of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. With this in mind, the research team set out to discover how different types of physical activity change a person’s body weight and waist circumference over time, especially for older adults, who tend to lose muscle mass and gain fat with age. They accessed data on 10,500 men age 40 and older collected during a previous 12-year study. The findings: Men who added 20 minutes of weight training a day to their cardio routine gained less belly fat, compared with men who did no weight training but boosted their time doing cardio, outdoor work, or just being sedentary.

While weight training was the determining factor when it came to lower waist circumference, lead author Rania Mekary, Ph.D., said in a news release that weight training and cardio is the best anti-pooch combo. “Engaging in resistance training or, ideally, combining it with aerobic exercise, could help older adults lessen abdominal fat while increasing or preserving muscle mass,” said Mekary, a researcher in the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health.

Why did weight training lead to the smallest gain in stomach fat? The research team theorized that working out with weights builds muscle mass and decreases fat levels all across the body, which gives metabolism a boost—and thus results in less belly fat. The study had its limitations: It included only men, and it focused on prevention, not how to get rid of stubborn stomach pooch you may already have. Still, it’s welcome news if you’re hoping to avoid belly fat in the future. And yep, it’s more backup that crunches alone aren’t the answer.

The Small Steps I Took to Shed More Than 100 Pounds

Steal these totally doable weight-loss moves for yourself.

 BY THE EDITORS OF WOMEN'S HEALTH

Before: 265 lbs.
After: 155 lbs.

Growing up in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Hanna Preston played soccer and took dance. But that wasn't enough to offset her after-school snacking. By her junior year of high school, Hanna stood 5'10" and weighed 265 pounds. Following a family member's diabetes diagnosis, Hanna knew in the back of her mind that her size put her at risk for the disease, especially if she kept gaining. Hanna searched for yoga and body-weight workout videos online and committed to doing one each night, even if it was only 15 minutes long. With her family physician's supervision, she overhauled her diet, building her meals around lean proteins like fish and skinless chicken, skipping second helpings, and cutting way back on junk food. Over the next two years, she dropped nearly 100 pounds. By the summer of her freshman year of college, she'd reached her goal weight of 155. "My biggest motivation was knowing I had a shot at a new beginning," she says.

Here's how Hanna was able to turn her life around:

• Don't overdo it. "Every one of your workouts doesn't have to be extreme. Even just taking the stairs instead of the elevator is better than nothing."
• Be prepared. "I try to cut up lots of veggies in advance so there will always be some handy when I'm hungry."
• Make smart swaps. "My go-to for a savory fix is steamed edamame—crunchy, but so much better for you than chips."

For more on Hanna's incredible weight-loss journey, pick up the March 2015 issue of Women's Health, on newsstands now. In the meantime, check out more inspiring weight-loss success stories and healthy ways to lose weight.

5 Ways to Lose 5 Pounds—From the Guy Who Gets A-Listers in Shape

Celebrity fitness pro Harley Pasternak shares his top tips for melting stubborn fat.

BY FITBIE

This article was written by Cathryne Keller and provided by our partners at Fitbie.

When you first started to overhaul your food and fitness habits, it probably felt like you were slimming down faster than a new celebrity mom. But now that you're getting closer to your goal, the scale is no longer cooperating. What gives?

Part of the problem is that bigger bodies burn more calories, so the smaller you get, the harder you have to work in order to drop pounds. But that doesn't mean you have to starve or kill yourself at the gym to lose more fat.

We called up celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak (responsible for such impressive slim-downs as Jessica Simpson's) to find out how to push past your plateau and finally reach your weight-loss goal. Here are the 5 Poundsauthor's top five tips for losing those last five pounds:

1. Stop working out so much. 
Yes, you read that right. There's nothing wrong with intense workouts, but if you're focused solely on traditional exercise, you may be getting less activity than you think. 

"There are 168 hours in the week, says Pasternak," so if you're exercising for only three of those, then there are 165 hours of the week that you're not active—sitting at your desk, sitting in the car, sitting at dinner. That shows you the importance of staying on the move all the time." Pasternak's recommendation? Invest in a fitness tracker. "I tell all my clients to get aFitbit to monitor how much—or how little—hey move throughout the day," he says. "There are several studies that show that people who take at least 10,000 steps a day have more success losing weight than people who actually go to the gym."

2. Go to bed. 
You've heard it before, and Harley will say it again: Getting quality sleep is essential if you want to stay slim and happy. In fact, in a recent study from Columbia University, scientists found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are heavier, gain more weight over time, and have a harder time dropping pounds than those how log more than seven hours of shuteye. 

Pasternak recommends aiming for seven to eight hours per night since research has also linked spending too much time in bed to a higher BMI. But we all know that can be much easier said than done. "There are so many reasons we have intermittent sleep or don't get enough sleep or have trouble falling asleep," says Pasternak. Here's his list of the four biggest sleep disrupters (and what you can do about them). 

3. Rethink your pre- and post-workout snacks. 
"If you're talking about doing exhaustive, long aerobic bouts—like running a marathon or half-marathon—then pre- and post-exercise nutrition is more important," says Pasternak. "But for regular exercise under 90 minutes, you're not going to deal with severe glycogen depletion or blood-sugar fluctuations."

If you're hungry and low on energy, then by all means eat a pre-workout snack—but don't force extra calories because you think you need them. "I tell people who are exercising just to look and feel good to plan your three meals and two snacks a day and then put your workouts in wherever you want," says Pasternak. "And make sure that whatever meal or snack happens to follow your workout contains good-quality protein—like from abalanced smoothie—to help your muscles recover. 

4. Watch your sugar intake. 
"Many people found the original, very-low-carb version of the Atkins diet to be radical and too extreme, but in its essence, it told an important message that the key to slimming down is really just getting rid of the sugar," says Pasternak. "And though a strict low-carb diet may be difficult to follow for most of us, the messaging was right." Added sugars have been linked not only to obesity, but also to diabetes, heart disease, and even death. "I recommend keeping an eye on your carbs if you're trying to slim down, and one easy way to ensure your diet isn't too carb-heavy is to ditch the sweets and processed grains," says Pasternak. (This sugar-saving supermarket guide will help you fill your grocery cart with foods that are better for your waistline).  

5. Stop trying to lose the last five pounds. 
For one thing, you may be  pursuing an unhealthy ideal and don't really have five pounds to lose. But even if you do need to shed a little to be healthy, the best way to get to yourhappy weight is to focus on your health, not the scale. "I'll never forget that when I moved to the U.S. from Canada and I had to get health insurance, the insurance companies were charging me a premium because according to the height-weight charts I was morbidly obese," says Pasternak. "I was 5'11 and weighed 235, and according to the charts, I was 56 pounds overweight—I was lean and healthy, but I just had a lot of muscle mass, which weighs more than fat."

So how can you stay on track without weighing yourself? Focus on your habits, not the number. Pasternak recommends making some daily health goals (like the ones he outlines in 5 Pounds) and asking yourself every night if you've completed them. "If you can answer yes, then that's success because you have direct control over your behaviors, whereas you don't have direct control over the scale," he says. "You're hoping that your healthy behaviors will show up on the scale, and quite often they do, but not necessarily on our schedule." And as long as you're feeling better and looking better, what does it matter what the number says?

"When I use the term 'five pounds,' it's more of a symbolic five pounds," says Pasternak. "It's like, you want to look five pounds lighter, you want to feel five pounds lighter, you want to move five pounds lighter—but that doesn't necessarily always equate to the scale being five pounds lighter."