Taming the love handles

The fitness journey you embarked on is in full swing, and you have managed to bring your weight under control. The energy levels and general mental and physical agility have improved too. All’s well except for that stubborn fat around the belly.

Love handles, as they are called, require handling with care and attention, say experts. They are the excess fat deposit in the waist region (sides) just above the hips.

Characterised by skin hanging loose on the side of the waist, love handles are considered stubborn fat since they are the last ones to disappear in the weight-loss and body-toning process.

Though diet plays an important role in ensuring fat burning, the sagging skin can only be reduced through targeted workouts.

Diet and exercise key to getting rid of love handles

“Love handles become evidently visible when results of workout and diet start to show in other parts of the body,” says Nagesh Rao, master fitness trainer at Rock Wall Fitness, Bengaluru. “They are stubborn fat which are the last to go. Normally, after someone has achieved weight reduction, they tend to stop following the discipline in schedule they had developed over a period of time. A proper combination of both diet and exercise is needed for reduction.”

The sagging skin on the side disappears after the fat deposition reduces. Regular strength and cardio training are key in cutting excess fat around the waist as they help in overall toning of the body and improving fitness levels.

Mistakes to avoid during love handles workout

The most common exercise for love handles is side bends. But working out the sides mostly leads to development of muscles in the region and not reduction of fat.

“It is seen that people do side bends by holding a dumbbell in their hand,” says Rao. “If someone is looking to reduce love handles then [using weights] should be avoided as that could lead to developing of the side muscles instead of reduction in fat. So, normal bodyweight side bends are best for reducing fat around the waist.”

Junk food, especially if made with maida (refined wheat flour), food rich in fat, saturated oils, cold drinks, sugar, excess salt and deep-fried food should be completely removed from the diet while taking on the love handles.

Exercises for reducing love handles

• Static overhead side stretches
• Side planks
• Cable oblique twists
• Fire hydrants
• Standing torso twists
• Side crunches.

Takeaways

• Love handles are considered stubborn fat and are generally the last to disappear in a weight-loss journey.
• A combination of diet and exercise can ensure belly-fat reduction and help cut love handles.
• Regular strength and cardio training help in reducing fat around the waist since they ensure overall toning of the body.