Are you looking to trim fat, lose love handles, and flatten your belly? We hear a lot about dieting and cutting back our calories to lose weight, but we don't just want to lose weight, we also want to lose fat... and fast!

In a nut shell, without exercising, much of the weight you lose will be muscle, not fat, and your metabolism will slow. To lose fat, you’ll need to add more exercise to your weight loss program. Try increasing your workout routine to at least 3 days per week for 1 hour each day. Aim to get your heart rate into that cardio fat burning zone of 60% - 70% of your maximum heart rate (max heart rate = 220 - your age) for at least 30 minutes each workout and do a variety of strength training exercises for at least 20 minutes.

Develop a healthy diet plan with fewer calories than your current daily intake. Then, increase the calorie deficit by burning more calories with both cardio and strength training and you will begin to see the fat melt away.

1. Strength Training. Lean muscle helps burns more fat in both your active and rest states. To gain more muscle, you must strength train regularly. Lifting heavier weights at lower reps will burn more calories and elevate your metabolism. Don't worry ladies, strength training will not make you bulky, you need testosterone for that.

2. Cardio Training.  Work up a sweat. Find an activity you can do for an extended period of time. Run, walk, cycle, and spin your way to less fat.  Try to go for 45 minutes to 1 hour with at least 30 minutes in the fat burning heart rate zone.

3. Circuit Training. An excellent way to burn fat is to circuit train. Perform a variety of strength exercises in a progressive sequence. To further increase fat burning, keep your heart rate up by moving quickly, or jogging, between exercises.

4. Know Calories Burned. Make the most out of your workout. Use a calories burned calculator to learn how many calories each exercise burns. Popular cardio machines also include a fat burning settings to ensure you’re working at a speed and intensity to target fat.

5. Know Your Daily Calorie Intake. So, how much exercise do you need to perform? A calorie calculator will establish your daily intake for weight maintenance. Eat fewer (but not too few) calories and burn a lot more with exercise to create an energy deficit.

6. Track Calories and Nutrients. Design a plan and stick to it. Stay within your calorie and nutrient target ranges. Utilize a calorie counter to track the foods and beverages you consume each day. Knowledge of the foods you eat will help you make better choices.

7. Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals. Distribute food energy into 6 small meals per day. Eat 3 balanced, portion-controlled meals with 3 smaller snacks as needed. You’ll feel more satiated, have more energy for workouts, and keep your metabolism revving.

8. The Right Stuff. What you eat is as important as how much you eat. A fat burning diet should be low in added sugar, lower fat, and higher in protein. Eat lean meats, low-fat dairy products, fruits, non-starchy vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid added sugars and processed foods.