Geschatte leestijd: 3 minutenLove handles are annoying, ugly, irritating, and frustrating for many women. Whether you’re wearing a nice low-rise jeans, a skirt, or croc tops, you don’t want those annoying rolls of fat peeking out. And yet they have such a sweet-sounding name. Even if it’s just to soften the blow, because many women would rather be rid of the love handles. With summer approaching, we want to give you some tips for dealing with these lovely fat rolls. After all, there are many popular training programs, diets, and supplements to get rid of them, but what really works?
What are love handles?
The fat stored just above your hips is called love handles. Very irritating, they give your favorite jeans that edge that sticks out, making it a dream for many girls to get rid of them. The name is not surprising: the little bit of fat provides the perfect handles to grab onto your loved one during a salsa dance or when the person in front of you in line is so tall that you can’t reach their shoulders during a conga line. A third important application is making it easier to lift your partner during an obstacle run when you have to climb over an obstacle.
Unless you frequently salsa dance or climb obstacles and celebrate carnival every week, those love handles actually serve no purpose for you and you want to get rid of them. How to do that is what this article is all about.
Hoe kom ik van mijn love handles af
As mentioned, there are countless methods claiming to help you get rid of your love handles. Just look at the many websites, YouTube videos, and ads telling you they have the secret solution. In practice, most women focus on these 3 things to tackle their love handles:
1. Lots of cardio training
Running, standing on a cross-trainer for long periods, and other forms of cardio training burn a lot of energy and stimulate fat burning. However, focusing solely on cardio training is not the best approach. Cardio training, when done frequently, can lead to increased cortisol levels. Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, has the potential to break down muscles and promote fat storage.
2. Completely cutting out carbohydrates
Completely eliminating carbohydrates from your diet can have a counterproductive effect. You need carbohydrates for completing intensive workouts and for the proper functioning of (among other things) your thyroid. If you can train heavier and more intensively, it helps you reach your goals faster.
3. Exercises for the ‘side’ of the stomach
You can’t spot reduce fat. Just like with the other 2 methods, doing exercises for your ‘side stomach’ won’t help you lose fat in your sides any faster. So forget about all those abdominal exercises or side crunches in the gym.
The theory that the production of (too much) insulin leads to more fat storage creates the belief in many that they should eat fewer carbohydrates. After all, it is thought, consuming carbohydrates leads to an increase in blood sugar and this results in an insulin peak. As a result, carbohydrates are often chosen to be avoided, as mentioned in point two. Fortunately, we know that it’s not only carbohydrates that cause an insulin peak, but proteins are not so responsible for this.
How to actually get rid of your love handles
What is effective against the so-called love handles is lowering your body fat percentage. When your whole body contains less fat, the fat above your hips will also disappear. Focus on these 3 pillars to get rid of your love handles:
Eat fewer calories
Eat less and move more. It sounds simple and it is, but also focus on eating more protein. An article on this website about this topic was published last week.
Do strength training and move more
Building more muscle and moving more both improve your glucose metabolism and reduce the production of insulin. Exercise alone won’t help if you have a sedentary job; you’ll need to walk more throughout the day to lose more fat mass.
Be patient and don’t give up
If you’re unlucky enough to have a genetic predisposition to develop love handles, you’ll have to work a little harder than others. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t reach your goals. Getting a little closer to your desired result every day without giving up, and eventually you’ll get where you want to be.
Don’t be fooled by the countless commercials for the perfect fitness equipment to lose your love handles. Special drinks with berry concentrate or vacuum chambers won’t help you either. Hard work, both in the gym and in the kitchen, will give you the best results.
If you could use some help losing body fat and building a strong, feminine body with tight, round buttocks, I can help you with both your workouts and your diet and the right lifestyle.
When you’re ready to achieve real results, download the FITsociety app and choose me as your Personal Trainer or Coach.
