Losing Weight But Gaining Love Handles

WHEN YOU THINK about a lover’s touch, your brain might jump to a pair of hands lingering around the hips—which explains the origin of the term love handles. It’s a cute nickname, but you’d probably describe the love handles themselves as anything but cute.

The term has become associated with the unwanted fat that sits on top of your hip bones. Some people don't mind the extra poundage—more to grab onto, as the saying goes. For others, housing extra fat in this area might make you a bit uneasy—not to mention uncomfortable if you often wear dress pants or jeans.

If you’re looking to nix those pesky bundles of fat that lie atop of your hips, that's okay. If losing your love handles is what will help boost your confidence and make you a healthier, happier version of yourself, you do you. Know, too, that you’re not alone in feeling this way. While fat distribution is inherently genetic, it’s common for men to gain weight along their midriff. “Many men are concerned about how to lose weight in their midsection. I let them know that their body has an android distribution, or male-like, weight distribution, ” says Fatima Cody Stanford, M.D., M.P.H., obesity medicine physician and Men's Health advisor.

Everything You Need To Know About Love Handles And How To Get Rid Of Them

While there’s no way to lose fat only from your midsection without medical intervention, there are several ways to bring down your overall body fat which will pull from all areas. It’s going to take a bit more than just adding in an ab routine to your workout plan, though. Here's how.

Love handles are what most people commonly call the bundle of subcutaneous fat that lies just above your pant line, sitting directly under the skin. That’s actually good news, because it means it’s not the dangerous kind of fat, called visceral fat, that can sit on your organs and put unnecessary (and life-threatening) pressure on them. Adipose fat, such as the love handles, can act as energy deposits. When our bodies lose other energy intake (food), we can use these deposits to power our bodily functions.

Even though our bodies have good intentions when collecting these love handles, it doesn’t mean they’re impossible to lose. But it will involve a solid calorie deficit and some effort in the gym.

Great Tips To Lose Love Handles Fast

There are a few shortcuts you can take, but they're extreme, and not something that we'd generally recommend. Liposuction is one of these options. More recently, men have turned to non-invasive treatments, the most popular of which feature either freezing or heating the stubborn fatty areas off the body. These treatments are expensive and might be a bridge too far, unless you're really desperate.

Besides, by cutting corners, you'll miss out on the fitness gains you'd make along the way using other methods, which will hopefully become a reason you're training, regardless of the aesthetic payoff. If getting rid of love handles without special treatments is your goal, you'll have to work hard—but you'll have to work smart, too.

Work is spot reduction. The theory is that if you focus all of your attention on one specific area in your training (for instance, doing hundreds of crunches for you midsection), you'll be able to burn off the fat in just that area. But that's not how your body works. What you

What Causes Love Handles And How To Get Rid Of Them

Do is lose fat more generally, then build up muscle where you might not have had it before—but for that to work, you'll have to do that smart, hard work.

Studies have shown that interval-based exercise programs, most specifically high intensity interval training (HIIT), are more effective for burning off your love handles than steady state cardio. Instead of running for miles on end without any clear goal, fine tune your work and rest periods to strip away the fat.

So what type of interval program should you use? You can use a jump rope, or apply the principles to running or weight room work. Ballantyne recommends this setup to banish that pesky midsection fat:

What Body Fat Percentage Do You Need To Reach To Lose Love Handles In Men?

After a thorough warmup, alternate between 20 seconds of hard exercise and 40 seconds recovery. Repeat that pattern 6 to 8 times. Afterwards, finish with 5 to 10 minutes of cooldown exercise.

Even though Ballantyne recommended cardio for a cool down, he's wary of its effectiveness when performed alone. Extended periods of steady state cardio, like jogging, won’t do much to cut down your spare tire. It's not going to work as well as interval training, Ballantyne said.

This is related to another issue, according to Ballantyne: Many guys don't have enough muscle in the first place. Losing love handles, like bodybuilding, is a game of illusion. Muscle on your chest and back can essentially hide excess fat in your love handle area.

Six Ways To Get Rid Of Your Love Handles Without Exercise

So most guys are “skinny-fat, ” and then try to lose love handles with cardio only, and basically become even smaller versions of themselves—but still skinny-fat, Ballantyne said. It's better to use intervals and weight training to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time—which IS possible—and change your body's overall appearance.

Ab exercises like crunches are generally a waste of time, Ballantyne said. The problem is, you’re only working the muscles around your lower spine with crunches and situps.

Instead, you should build up your core with moves that focus on spinal stability, like planks and hollow body holds. Check out this quick video about the way your core muscles function for an idea of what you should be aiming for:

Surprising Ways To Lose Fat Without Losing Weight

Want a smarter core workout in general? Check out Epic Abs, the program from MH fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. that inspired this video.

While you're cutting down your midsection, do yourself a solid and work on some other areas of your body that can take attention away from your ample hips. Build up your pecs, lats, deltoids, and traps to create the illusion of smaller love handles.

Most guys don't have enough muscle to focus on just losing weight, Ballantyne said, so every guy must build some muscle in these areas.

Love Handles: Causes, Exercises And More

Lose fat at the same time? You're hoping to culk, so you should start by training hard, eating properly, and sticking to a consistent program.

Ballantyne also recommended a plan based around two to three total body workouts per week. Use five exercises per workout (one lower body, one upper push, one lower body single leg, one upper pulling, one total body ab exercise). Do that as a circuit three times through, with eight to 12 reps per exercise. Finish with interval training.

You can't neglect nutrition if you're looking to lose fat. Luckily, there are easy eating hacks you can incorporate into your daily routine to cut calories while still enjoying yourself and staying satisfied. Eliminating foods you love is an unsustainable way to live. Negotiate with yourself on what you are willing to do without or do with less of, says Leslie Bonci, R.D., sports dietitian for Kansas City Chiefs.

Love Handle Removal

Prioritize and optimize protein, fiber, healthy fats, and produce to fill up. Protein and fiber help you stay fuller, longer—which may reduce snacking in between meals. When choosing grains, pick the higher fiber choices like quinoa, oatmeal, and whole wheat pastas. Incorporate more beans into your salads, soups, and even blend and add to sauces. Include a fruit or a veggie at every occasion.

When it comes to snacking, focus on foods that will make you chew longer and eat slower, like jerky or apples. Bean dips with veggies are also a quick and easy snack that will load up the fiber and protein with little calories.

We don’t need to tell you that losing weight is no walk in the park. Accomplishing your goals will take a balance of overhauled nutrition, exercise, and recovery practices to complete the equation and finally shed some of those pounds. You might find it tough to do any of those things on your own.

How To Lose Fat

Working with a professional can help provide some much needed accountability and guidance. Doctors who specialize in weight loss, nutritionists, dietitians, and personal trainers can all help you get to where you want to be. They can tailor your workouts and meal plans to better match your genetic makeup and goals. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if the task feels daunting.

Sorry to break it to you—doing loads of side bends and Russian twists won’t melt away your love handles. It’s impossible to lose fat on one portion of your body by exercising the muscles in that area. The concept is called spot training, or spot reduction—and it doesn’t work.

Work is incorporating high-velocity compound movements into your workouts. Compound movements are exercises that require multiple muscle groups working together. These kinds of moves will burn a lot of calories, aiding in creating the calorie deficit you need to burn fat all over. Here are 6 of our favorites.

Will These Love Handles Go Away If I Keep Losing Weight? Or Do I Have No Choice But To Gain Muscle To Make Them Look Smaller?

This move lights up your body head to toe, and ramps up your heart rate in the process. Not only will med ball slams aid in the fat loss process, but they’ll help you take a little aggression out on your worst days.

Aim for 2 to