Love Handles

 Muffin top, spare tire, midriff bulge, belt overhang … the infamous fat area around the mid-section has been dubbed with many different names with Love handles being the commonest of them all. Love handles occur when excess fat deposits on the hips. The anatomic term for love handles is Obliques. They are the first to appear when a person is gaining fat related weight; and also one of the last areas to disappear when a person is working towards weight loss. Love handles can hamper the look of an otherwise completely well toned mid region.

There are many misconceptions regarding exercises for love handles. A number of commercially available products exist in the markets that promise targeted approach in removing love handles. There are hundreds of exercises created just to spot-target this “difficult to lose” region that also promise to help you reduce belly fat. Experts hold that unless overall loss of body fat is achieved, it is almost impossible to get rid of specific sections or spot-reductions of fat from a body part. The bottom line is that one has to get the entire body into shape before expecting fair results.

When your calorie intake rises above the amount required for daily use, the excess calories get stored in the body in the form of fat. Fat is stored in cells known as adipocytes that are located in the whole body. This is a way for the body to bulk up on energy for utilization at the required time. Women generally accumulate fat in their hips, buttocks, and thighs while men accumulate it in their abdomen. If these adipocytes are stimulated through exercise to release the fat cells into the bloodstream, fat loss around these regions is possible.

To reduce love handles effectively, add a few exercises that target the mid region of your body to your general exercise regimen. Exercises such as crunches, sit-ups, and twists create increased metabolic activity. These exercises not only help in losing fat on the belly but also target love handles. Love handles quickly start to firm up once you increase your body's metabolism. This can be done by exercising three to four times a week for at least 30 minutes. Add any exercise that can help you keep your heart rate up in addition to the crunches and sit ups.  

Aerobic exercises like brisk walking, swimming, cycling, etc can help alleviate the loss of fat from the body. Anaerobic exercises such as weight lifting also helps in fat loss. A major advantage of weight training is the increase in the amount of muscles. Muscles burn fat even when the body is at rest contrary to aerobic exercises where repeated movements have to be sustained for a longer time span to achieve the desired fat loss.

When dealing with weight loss and fitness, patience is the key aspect. One should always be cautious not to overdo things. Therefore, guidance of a certified trainer or doctor is always advised. Instead of only love handles, if the target is overall fat loss and better fitness, an exercise regime should be persistently adhered to.