While there is no “miracle” exercise to help you get rid of the extra fat on the sides of your body, there are ways to reduce it and build muscle in its place. In order to help your love handles, you’ll have to work to decrease overall body fat.
Here are five methods to reduce body fat and strengthen the muscles under your love handles.
Eat clean!
Nutrition is number one in reducing belly fat. No amount of crunches in the world will do anything if you don’t get serious about nutrition first. But don’t worry—eating clean doesn’t have to be boring. Ensure your diet is rich in fruits, veggies, meats and fish (or protein-rich substitutes like legumes and nuts if you are vegetarian or vegan). The main key here is to reduce fatty/bloat-causing foods like soda, fried food and bakery items. You don’t have to “give up” these items by any means, but reducing your intake will definitely cause a noticeable difference in your waistline.
Do a plank challenge
There are plenty of resources online, but the main gist is to challenge yourself for a whole month to do planks every day, increasing the duration of your plank each time. By the end of the month, you will feel stronger and feel the difference in your abs. And the best part is, there’s no equipment needed and you can do it anywhere.
Use a weighted ball
Whenever you do any sort of crunch work—whether it is Russian twists, woodchoppers or toe touches–-use a medicine ball to add more heat to the exercise.
Drink a detox tea
Tea alone will not burn all your fat, but detox teas can be helpful in improving digestive health. The right detox teas can reduce bloating/intestinal gas, speed up your natural metabolism and reduce cravings. (There are many options out there, but some of my faves include green tea, peppermint, ginger and oolong!)
Don’t forget cardio
Cardio, particularly interval training, is very effective at burning fat. If you are running or walking, try varying your speeds and levels of incline to get the most effective workout.
Sources:
http://www.health.com/fitness/a-10-minute-love-handle-workout
https://greatist.com/move/core-exercises-medicine-ball
https://www.webmd.com/diet/tea-and-weight-loss#1
https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fat_loss_with_interval_cardio.htm
