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Feb 21

How to Get Rid of Love Handles – How Men Can Lose Weight Safely – Men’s Health

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WHEN YOU THINK about a lovers touch, your brain might jump to a pair of hands lingering around the hipswhich explains the origin of the term "love handles." Its a cute nickname, but youd 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 poundagemore to grab onto, as the saying goes. For others, housing extra fat in this area might make you a bit uneasynot to mention uncomfortable if you often wear dress pants or jeans.

If youre 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 youre not alone in feeling this way. While fat distribution is inherently genetic, its 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.

While theres 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. Its 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. Thats actually good news, because it means its not the dangerous kind of fat, called

Even though our bodies have good intentions when collecting these love handles, it doesnt mean theyre impossible to lose. But it will involve a solid calorie deficit and some effort in the gym.

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 hardbut you'll have to work smart, too.

One method that is not smart and won't 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 can do is lose fat more generally, then build up muscle where you might not have had it beforebut for that to work, you'll have to do that smart, hard work.

Here's a plan to ditch your stubborn love handles from former Men's Health fitness advisor Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S.

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:

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.

If you have extra time, do 10 minutes of regular cardio pace.

Jogging can only do so much.

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, wont 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.

"So most guys are skinny-fat, and then try to lose love handles with cardio only, and basically become even smaller versions of themselvesbut still skinny-fat," Ballantyne said. "It's better to use intervals and weight training to gain muscle and lose fat at the same timewhich IS possibleand change your body's overall appearance."

"Ab exercises like crunches are generally a waste of time," Ballantyne said. The problem is, youre 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:

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."

How can you build the muscle and 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.

Prioritize and optimize protein, fiber, healthy fats, and produce to fill up. Protein and fiber help you stay fuller, longerwhich 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.

To really find a custom nutrition plan that will work best with your body, talk to a registered dietitian.

We dont 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.

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. Dont be afraid to ask for help if the task feels daunting.

Sorry to break it to youdoing loads of side bends and Russian twists wont melt away your love handles. Its 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 reductionand it doesnt work.

What does 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.

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 theyll help you take a little aggression out on your worst days.

How to Do It:

Sets and Reps: Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 30 second sets, either as a warm up or programmed into your next conditioning circuit.

The dumbbell snatch is one of the best movements for building full body power and strength. Almost your entire body has to work to power the weight up and overhead.

How to Do It:

Sets and Reps: Aim for 3 sets of 3 to 5 reps with a heavy weight, or build it into a conditioning set by doing 30 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest with a medium weight.

Kettlebell Swing

The kettlebell swing is a fundamental core exercise that works practically every muscle in your body. Be careful about ramping up the weight too quickly thoughthis move has a ton of subtleties that are vital to the safety of the movement.

How to Do It:

Sets and Reps: Do 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps with a heavy weight, or build it into a conditioning set by doing 30 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest with a medium weight.

Burpees are infamous for a reason. It looks simple, but do it the right way and youll feel way more of a challenge than youd expect.

How to Do It:

Sets and Reps: Aim 3 to 4 rounds of 20 seconds on, 40 seconds off, or build it into a conditioning circuit.

Mountain climbers are a staple core exercise that will challenge your upper body too as you maintain that high plank position.

How to Do It:

Sets and Reps: Set a timer for 6 minutes and aim for 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest for a good core burn, build it into a conditioning circuit.

This multi-joint movement combines a front squat and a push press to incorporate the whole body to build power and strength.

How to Do It:

Sets and Reps: Aim for 3 sets of 6 - 8 reps, build it into a conditioning circuit for 30 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest.

Cori Ritchey, NASM-CPT is an Associate Health & Fitness Editor at Men's Health and a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. You can find more of her work in HealthCentral, Livestrong, Self, and others.

Leslie is a sports dietitian based in Pittsburgh, PA. Her clients include the Kansas City Chiefs. She also works with the XFL and USFL. Her company Active Eating Advicebe fit, fed and fearlessprovides performance nutrition consulting.

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How to Get Rid of Love Handles - How Men Can Lose Weight Safely - Men's Health

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