Exercises for Love Handles: How to Get Rid of Love Handles

The excess layers of fat deposited in the abdominal area are generally referred to as love handles. They are anatomically referred to as obliques. Love handles can form in men and women, are unsightly, and it is not so easy to get rid of them. Exercise and proper diet are the two ways for getting rid of love handles.

Workouts for Love Handles

Performing regular exercises and following a diet plan are the only ways to get rid of love handles. Exercises that concentrate only on reducing love handles are not very effective. Instead, exercises that tone up the whole body are more useful to get rid of love handles. The metabolism of your body should be elevated to burn the extra fats deposited in your body. In metabolism, chemical reactions take place in the body that help the body to grow, maintain structure, reproduce, and respond to the surroundings. Exercises meant for reducing love handles, help tone up the whole body by burning the excess fat deposited in the body. Additionally, only exercises will not help get rid of love handles, following a diet plan is also important. Exercises just tone up the body, but the fat still remains in the body; only a diet will help to reduce all the extra weight, including fats.

Cardiovascular Exercises

Cardiovascular exercises not only help to increase the metabolism in the body, but also help to get rid of love handles effectively. Cardiovascular exercises include outdoor as well as indoor exercises. Outdoor cardiovascular exercises are biking, running, swimming, jogging and walking. Treadmill, elliptical trainers, stationary bicycles, rowing machines, stair climbers and ladder climbers are indoor cardiovascular exercises. One should perform cardiovascular exercises for at least 20-45 minutes every day. Along with cardiovascular exercises, it is recommended that you perform regular exercises that include push-ups and crunches. Initially, it will take a few weeks to see the positive results of cardiovascular exercises. Regular cardiovascular exercises will also increase your mental alertness and metabolism.

Crunches

Crunches are ab exercises that can help you get rid of love handles, by reducing fats around the abdomen. Given below are the different crunches that focus more on the oblique area. It is recommended that you repeat each of the below crunches 25 times so that they help reduce love handles.

Regular Crunch

• Lie on your back and place your feet firmly on the ground with knees raised.
• Now, place both hands behind head for support.
• Keep the stomach tight and slowly raise the head and try to touch the knees.
• Now, come back to the original position.

Twisted Crunch

• Lie on your back and put hands behind your head.
• Bend your left knee, stretch the right leg and lift your head slowly and twist to touch the right elbow with the left knee.
• Repeat the same with the other leg.

Reverse Crunch

• Lie in the same position as for a regular crunch.
• Instead of raising your head, raise your knees to touch the elbows.
• The head and upper body should be positioned flat on the ground.

Other Exercises

Besides cardiovascular exercises and crunches, there are a few other things you can try to get rid of love handles. The exercises mentioned below will help you in getting rid of the fats stored around the abdominal area, but it should be kept in mind that these will only be effective if they are performed in addition to cardio exercises.

Trunk Twists

• Stand straight with a distance of one foot between your feet.
• Twist your waist to the right and try to keep the legs and knees stable, move the left arm in the direction of twist.
• Repeat the same for the left twist.

Leg Flapping

• Lie on your abdomen and lift your head slowly.
• Keep your arms straight at sides and lift your legs and knees and flap them back and forth one by one.

Important Tips to Keep in Mind

• Consult a dietitian and get your diet planned in way to reduce fats in your body so as to get rid of love handles.
• Reduce consumption of fatty foods and follow a low-fat diet.
• Keep a regular check on body fat percentage.
• Before starting these exercises, take the guidance of a professional trainer.

The list of exercises for love handles is unending and the above-mentioned exercises are some of them. So, if you are thinking how to get rid of love handles, go ahead and get rid of them by following an appropriate diet and exercising regularly.