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What are love handles?

This is the stubborn fat. Although sounds cute but actually it is not, as it is really hard to get rid of it.  

“Love handles” are the term first originated in 1960s. These are the areas on either side of waist and above the hips. These area extend outwards from the hips. It looks prominent in a tight outfits. This is area where excess fats are accumulated around the abdominal and hips part. Fat accumulation above the waistline are also referred as Muffin top, which shows the shape of a muffin in a muffin case. 

There are many reasons causing love handles and also many measure to reduce these areas, though love handles cannot be reduced easily. These are not dangerous but over-gaining weight will cause many health related problems. 

Why are Love Handles so difficult to reduce?

To get rid of Love Handle is really hard than on the other areas because this is first point of fat accumulation and are the last places where you lose weight. It is found to be more stubborn in men’s because most of the fat cells are deposited in the belly area than in women, which is deposited in hip and waist both and highest concentration of fats are difficult to loose. The other reasons for making love handle is eating too much calories based foods and not doing exercises. 

What Cause Love Handle?

Fat retention on the specific areas of the body is the main cause of Love Handle. When a person consume calories more than they burn, causes the fat cells accumulation and with time excess calories consumptions leads to fat consumption in the areas like abdominal, waist and hips and also in other parts of the body. But these areas are more common for fat deposition making love handle. 

Many factors contribute to the development of love handles, such as:

Age

As you age, body composition changes, thus it is likely to occur love handle. As people age, fat deposition increases and body muscle mass will begin to decrease, resulting body fat accumulation around the hips and waist.

Hormones

Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate many process in the body like growth, metabolism etc. Hormones like insulin, growth hormone, leptin and sex hormones can influence metabolism, growth and body fat distribution.

People having obesity may have hormone fluctuations in their body, leading to accumulation of body fat.

Sleep deprivation and stress

Both sleep deprivation and stress can affect cortisol levels. Cortisol is a glucocorticoid that affects metabolism, boosts appetite, and causes an individual’s body to store more fat.

Physical Inactivity

This is the most common factor contributing fat accumulation. People who do not exercise or are not regular in some physical activities will experience more fat deposition and thus contribute to love handle development. Calories in these people are deposited more than calories burn out, making fats to accumulate in the body.

Unhealthy Diet

A diet high in fats, sugars, and high-calorie foods may also contribute to fat accumulation.

Medical conditions

There are many health conditions which contribute to weight gain at specific areas. For example: hypothyroidism. In this, thyroid gland produce thyroid hormone that help body to work properly. If a person’s thyroid gland is not functioning properly and left untreated, they gain weight and therefore develop love handle. 

Health risks: Love handles itself is not dangerous  but certain health conditions develop due to fat accumulation may lead to higher risk of certain conditions. Some of them are 

• Cancer
• Cardio-metabolic conditions
• Hypertension
• Heart, Liver and Kidney disease
• Obesity 
• Sleep apnea
• Type 2 diabetes

Exercise to lose Love Handle 

While reducing love handles or fat accumulation is quite difficult, but regular and a combination of exercises and targeting specific areas might help reduce weight and love handles also. 

Cardiovascular and weightlifting exercises: It may help to weight loss and calorie deficit also. 

Bicycle crunches: This exercise involve lying flat on their back with legs lifted and knees bent.  This exercise should be included in your daily life as it help in quick reduce of love handle.

Triangle pose: This help in reducing the fat deposited on your sides.

One hand toe touch: This simple exercise is most effective to get rid of love handle in a very short duration of time. This will help in stretching the side muscles of your abdomen and also the muscles of your waist.

Russian twists: This is the most effective exercise to reduce the love handles. 

Side planks: This is another great exercise to tone the muscle and reduce the love handles

Healthy Lifestyle changes

Keeping healthy lifestyle will help maintain body weight, reduce love handle and mood as well. Some of the changes in lifestyle includes:

Regular Exercise: This help in losing excess weight and thus can help an individual to eliminate their love handles. 

Reduce Stress: stress conditions increases the release of stress hormone k/as cortisol that increase anxiety, digestive problems and weight gain also. So stress should be reduced by doing meditation, yoga etc.

Drink enough water: Water helps prevent dehydration and, therefore, fluid retention but excessive fluid retention can make love handles appear worse.

Avoid alcohol and sugary foods: Sugary foods and alcohol intake increase weight and love handle as it increases calories intake. 

Balanced Diet: Include lean proteins, fiber rich foods, beans, and leafy vegetables, fruits, olive oil in your diet, which help to increase protein and fiber intake and reduce calories intake, which in turn help to maintain body weight and love handle. 

• Limit fried foods, cheese, foods that contain trans-fat and processed sugar (for example: sodas, cookies, candy). Eliminate fatty red meat, refined sugar.   

Don’t wear Fit clothes: If you wish to hide love handle, avoid wearing tight fit clothes. Rather wear flattering clothes, which can minimize the appearance of love handles. 

Summary

Who loves “Love handle”? Everyone wants to look maintained and fit. One can manage love handles by keeping healthy lifestyles like maintaining healthy diet and a regular exercises. Although Love handles are not dangerous, but excess weight around the waist may contribute many health complications.