Love handles: This extra stomach/back fat can crop up seemingly out of nowhere, especially if you’ve just had kids or are dealing with menopause.
The first thing to know is that no matter what your body type is, spot-reducing fat doesn’t work. You can’t spot-reduce body fat because you store fat cells all over your body where your fat cells happen to be concentrated is often a genetic predisposition.
If you want to lose your love handles, you need to lose weight all over by making dietary and lifestyle changes, and then tone up your stomach with targeted exercises.
How Women Can Get Rid Of Love Handles?
Since love handles are made up of basic body fat, don’t pay attention to fad diets, extreme cleanses, or any contraption that promises “6-pack abs” by Sunday.
The change you’re looking for will happen once you follow these basic lifestyle changes can be the catalyst to achieve your weight loss goals, and help you lose those love handles:
1. Get Enough Sleep
Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature. Remove electronic devices such as TVs, computers, and phones from the bedroom. Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime. Don't use tobacco.
When you’re overly tired, you’re more likely to reach for sugary snacks and extra calories to keep you going. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
2. Manage Stress
If you’re always stressed out, there’s a chance stress is contributing to your belly fat. When chronically high levels of cortisol exist in your body, it can increase the amount of visceral fat your body stores belly fat.
We can’t get rid of stress altogether, but using meditation, yoga, and other relaxation techniques can help you manage your body’s response to it.
3. Eat Clean
Your diet matters just as much as what workouts you do when it comes to getting rid of love handles. You can’t out-train a bad diet.
Be sure you’re eating nutritious, well-balanced meals that are full of vegetables, protein, and complex carbs like whole grains. Eat more plants, eat less junk- period!
4. Get Your Cardio In
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Some great aerobic exercises to consider include running, biking, swimming, and even walking at a brisk pace. It's also important to gradually increase the intensity of these activities over time to ensure that you are challenging yourself and pushing your body's limits regarding endurance and performance.
The CDC recommends you get 150 minutes of heart-pumping cardio per week. If you want to lose or maintain weight, you’ll need to do cardio in addition to the toning exercises listed below.
And no matter what you hear out there, weight loss is still mostly science. You need to expend more calories than you take in, and doing cardio exercise really helps you up your daily calorie expenditure everyday!
5. Train Your Whole Core
The love handles might seem to sit off to the side but training your entire core will best results for a tight tummy.
While your body sheds lose the fat through the aforementioned clean eating and cardio, the following moves will tighten and strengthen the area around the middle for those real results we’re talking about!
The Best Love Handle Workout
Now that you understand the diet and lifestyle changes that need to occur, we’ll move onto the workout. These five exercise for love handles are toning exercises specifically to target love handles, and will have you feeling the burn!
Are you tired of those unwanted love handles that seem impossible to get rid of? Don't worry, because we have got you covered! In this article, we will share with you the best love handle workout that will help you blast away that stubborn belly fat and achieve a toned and sculpted midsection.
Frequently Asked Questions!
Can you lose love handles in 2 weeks?
You can't banish the bulge in two weeks, but you can make a good start. It's tempting to want to make drastic changes in our bodies in a short amount of time, especially when an important event or a vacation is coming up.
How long does it realistically take to lose love handles?
Ward explains that a healthy fat loss is around 0.5 - 1% body fat per week, which means, 'You should see a noticeable difference to body fat levels within 8-12 weeks if following a structured exercise and nutrition plan.
How do I shape my love handles?
To target love handles and reduce fat around the hips, consider incorporating exercises like side plank dips, bicycle crunches, Russian twists, and leg raises into your routine. Cardio workouts like running, cycling, or swimming can also help burn overall body fat.
Do love handles ever go away?
Make fitness your lifestyle. Once you've established a new pattern of eating and training while minimizing alcohol, the love handles will disappear and it will be easier to keep them off. Try it for 30 days but don't look at it as a temporary fix. Instead, see it as a lifestyle overhaul.
Can love handles go away without exercise?
One way to lose love handles without exercising is to follow a healthy diet. Try to eat foods that are low in calories and fat, and high in fiber. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet. Avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and excessive amounts of saturated and trans fats.