Love handles are a common name given to the body fat that gets deposited on the top of your hips. Although having love handles is very natural, and many people from both genders have it, this phenomenon has garnered a lot of hatred.
Many people dislike love handles and aim to get rid of them to increase their muscle definition. If you, too, are struggling with this problem, read this article till the end for we have decoded different ways and means to get rid of this stubborn fat.
How Can I Get Rid of Love Handles?
If you want to get rid of love handles, get ready to make some changes in your lifestyle. It includes exercising, changing your dietary habits, and other parts of your routine.
Exercise Regularly
Merely trying the below-listed exercises will help you tone this area to the maximum.
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Abdominal Scissors
Lay on your back having your hands at the side or under your glutes such that it supports your back. Extend your legs straight and cross them over each other similar to the shape of a scissor.
Do not let your legs drop on the floor. Let your legs over each other alternatively and repeat the movement.
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Plank
Plank is a fantastic exercise. Besides offering superb core strength, planks also help you reduce excess fat over the buttocks. Lay down on your belly while keeping the rest of your body straight. Engage your abdominal muscles and keep the body in a straight line.
Hold the position for a few seconds. Repeat and increase the time limit of doing this movement gradually.
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Mountain Climbers
Another efficient exercise that brings a noticeable change in your lower body and reduces love handles is mountain climbers. Start this movement in a plank position and bring the right knee up and across the body past the stomach to the left of the elbow. Keep your back and arms straight, and engage your core.
Return to a plank position and repeat on the other side.
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Side Plank
Lay down on the right side and prop your body up using the right hand and elbow while keeping your left foot stacked on top of the right foot.
Raise your hips and buttocks towards the ceiling. Hold this position for a few seconds before returning to the floor. Repeat the movement on the other side of the body. Side plank is also an incredible abs workout.
Performing these movements regularly will help you do away with love handles in no time. But ensure to be consistent with this routine to get the desired results.
Cut Down the Extra Sugar Consumption
If you want to stay fit and minimize the appearance of love handles and other unwanted fat accumulated in your body, you must cut down the extra sugar consumption. Ditching added sugar is one of the best ways to clean up your diet and stay healthy.
Added sugar is present in the foods and beverages like candies, cookies, sodas, and energy drinks. Keep these food items out of your diet, and you will improve your health by leaps and bounds.
Keep Yourself Active
Besides performing the exercise, it is essential to have an active lifestyle. Finding simple ways to increase the number of calories you burn throughout the day is a remarkable way to lose excess body fat. According to studies, people who lead a sedentary lifestyle are more prone to become obese as opposed to people who have an active lifestyle.
Merely walking regularly in the park or engaging in your favorite sports like badminton and swimming are enough practices to keep unwanted fat at bay.
Manage your Stress Levels
Stress has negative impacts on both your physical as well as mental health. Stressing too much may also make you gain belly fat, and love handles. It is because it triggers the production of cortisol hormone. Also known as the stress hormone, it is produced by your adrenal glands in a response to stressful situations.
Stress leads to unnecessary weight gain and other side effects, including anxiety, digestive issues, and headaches. Participate in anything that gives you peace, like listening to music, meditating, or performing yoga.
Get Good Sleep
Like stress, not getting enough sleep may increase cortisol levels in your body, thus leading to weight gain. According to studies, sleep-deprived people tend to weigh more and have more body fat than those who get enough sleep.
To lessen unwanted body fat, make it a point to get good sleep. Sleeping less than five hours a night also leads to other health issues. Ensure taking a good sleep of at least 7-8 hours per night.
Engage in a HIIT Workout
If you are a regular gym-goer and want to reduce the appearance of love handles, a high-intensity interval training workout can be your knight in shining armor.
High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, is considered one of the most effective workouts to lose body fat. It involves short bursts of intense aerobic exercise, each followed by a recovery period. The workouts are quick and effective.
Practice Mindful Eating
Focusing on what food you eat and paying more attention to how you feel when you eat may help you shed pounds from your midsection, thus reducing the appearance of love handles.
Mindful eating includes a practice to help you gain control of your eating habits. It may as well lead you to consume fewer calories. Such eating involves paying attention to hunger, eating slowly without distraction, and not filling your belly, but eating only 80 percent of what your hunger levels demand.
Mindful eating is a sought-after way to get healthier on physical and mental levels. It is also an effective remedy for weight loss.
We hope the above-listed remedies help you reduce your love handles and tone your lower body even more. We also urge you not to hate yourself merely because you have extra fat in your body. Love yourself the way you are. Body positivity is everything, after all.
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