It may sound “too cute”, but the term “Love handles” can be a serious problem. This is when fatty deposits accumulate on the back and sides of your waist. Not only do they not look good but they are also unhealthy. The good news is that you have the ability to get rid of your love handles by making some minor changes to your life style.

Lose Fat All Over

If you have excess stomach fat, you more than likely have love handles.  This type of fat is both dangerous and stubborn, and even worse, they can lead to metabolic disorders and even serious heart disease.  If you take steps to reduce this fat around your waistline, this act can also significantly decrease your chances of becoming diabetic or suffering from cardiac arrest.

One of the problems is that if you have ever considered targeting your belly fat and nothing else, this is really an exercise in futility.  There is no such thing as “spot reduction” where you can target only your stomach fat or love handles and nothing else.  It is much more healthy for you as well as your overall looks and appearance to get rid of fat everywhere else also!

To burn fat faster, the best method is doing cardio exercise.  You can also do strength training which will increase your lean muscle mass, which in turn helps you to burn calories faster.  If you eat at a slight deficit, this will prevent your body from storing extra calories as fat.  Ultimately, the best idea to get rid of those love handles is to do all three.

Build Stronger Obliques

The muscles that run down both sides of your stomach are known as your obliques. They frame the group of muscles that you may have heard called the 6-pack. Obliques give us the strength to twist and turn when we need to. Unfortunately, they are sometimes hidden by love handles.

Building stronger obliques will help you burn more calories, and will give you tight abdominal muscles to show off after the love handles are gone.

You can get rid of love handles faster by doing exercises that were found by the American Council on Exercise to be the very best ones for working your obliques: Bicycle crunches, captain’s chair leg raises, and vertical leg crunches.

Bicycle crunches involve lying down on your back and doing crunch-twists while pedaling your legs as if you were riding a bicycle. Captain’s chair leg raises require the use of a captain’s chair, which is a common fixture in most gyms. Vertical leg crunches are performed like regular crunches, but with your legs raised perpendicular to the ground.

Do a search for these exercises to find helpful step-by-step guides with photos.

Eat Fat-Burning Foods

Some foods, especially those high in sugar and sodium, add inches to the waistline. To get rid of love handles, you’ll need to eat more foods that fight belly fat. Doctors recommend heart-healthy fats, like those found in olive oil, nuts, and salmon; 3 servings of calcium from green, leafy vegetables or dairy products; and plenty of fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

These foods are digested slowly, so they leave you feeling satisfied longer. Add some green tea to your diet for an extra fat-burning boost. Three cups a day will speed up your metabolism and ward off diseases.

Check Your Clothes

One last quick and dirty trick to get rid of love handles: Make sure your clothes fit properly. Tight clothing can create the illusion of love handles, even on thin folks. If you’ve worked hard to lose your love handles, don’t ruin the effect by squeezing into jeans that leave you overflowing!

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