I have been riding an exercise bike for about a month now and taking kickboxing for six months and I am seeing results. However, my problem area, the upper hips, seems to be getting bigger and not smaller. It's kind of like I have these two humps on the side of my hips that I just can't get rid of. These humps are preventing me from fitting into smaller clothing sizes. What exercise could I do to decrease the size of this area?

Do upper body exercises. It sounds strange, but your hips are just the place where you still happen to be storing fat. Meanwhile, you're already doing a lot with your legs, and I can't ask you to do much more.

Weight training exercises for your upper body will help you increase your overall lean body mass. This will help you burn more calories throughout the day by raising your resting metabolism. Weight training for your upper body will also help you pack a bigger punch. (Although the punching in kickboxing helps tone your arms, it won't make you that much more muscular there.)

Do bench presses: They're a good upper body strength exercise. Lat pull downs will make your back stronger, and begin to help balance your physique. Your lats (latissimus dorsi), are the wide upper back muscles. Flies with dumbbells are another exercise for your shoulders that helps "widen the triangle," as body builders say, helping lessen the appearance of wide hips. Do overhead dumbbell presses for your shoulders, as well; they are another good upper body strength-builder. With all the punching you do in class, I wouldn't worry about biceps and triceps exercises right now.

Okay, so you are already biking. If you're not on the bike for more than 30 minutes, increase your time on biking days. Kickboxing is an anaerobic sport (shorter bouts of high intensity activity that can't be performed continuously for very long). Steady exercise at a moderate level, like walking or riding the bike, has greater fat-burning potential, so make sure your bike rides are 45 minutes or longer. Only train that way on days you don't kickbox.

And, lastly, give yourself a chance. You're just getting into this. We always have plateaus in our progress. I hope these suggestions can help you move forward.

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