Do you like your waistline? Are you proud of your hip size? Chances are, probably not. Chances are your love handles are the cause of dislike. I mean, what an ironic name. No one loves their love handles. Everyone wants to look better in jeans, no one wants a muffin top. So, I am here to help you learn how to best get rid of your love handles!

Who loves their love handles? Here's how to get rid of them! Click To Tweet

What exactly are love handles?

Love handles are deposits of fat on the side and back of your waistline. Some reasons that cause love handles are a lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet that includes a lot of starches and sugars which are easily stored. Stress and lack of sleep also contribute to your love handle size. Sadly, women, our hormones also play a big part in our love handle creation, as well as plain old genetics. And for men, low testosterone also plays a part in love handles–because, yes, even men can have love handles!

Even men can get love handles! Here's how to get rid of them! Click To Tweet

Why are love handles so hard to lose?

Try as you might, you still have love handles. Why?

Well, if you are a man, one big reason is because that is where most of your fat cells are located, according to personal trainer and nutritionist, Jim White, RD.

One reason love handles are so hard to love is that you graze all day, even in small quantities, it may affect your love handles. My biggest weakness is my love of wine! Wine and sodas are big time love handle makers.

Or, you only do cardio. I know many people who love to run, but won’t ever lift weights or do other HIIT workouts. Cardio is great for burning calories, but it doesn’t target specific body areas. The fact that you aren’t pushing yourself is another big reason you may not be losing your love handles! Which is why it’s a great idea to join my next Beachbody challenge group!!

What can you eat to help get rid of love handles?

One big way to help you decrease the size of your love handles is to decrease the amount of calories you eat. You can figure out your caloric allowance with my calculator.

Avoid foods with starches and refined grains. Stop drinking those sodas and chilling with glasses of wine! Eat whole foods. That’s really the most important thing you can do: fresh fruit and veggies, lean meats, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. Try doing the 21-Day Fix, which focuses on helping you get your diet on a sustainable track!

According to Men’s Fitness, here is a list of the best foods to help you get rid of love handles:

Protein Sources: chicken, eggs, lean, ground turkey, all-natural chicken sausage, shrimp, tilapia, salmon, tuna, lean cuts of steak, whey protein powder, tofu, hemp protein, pea protein.
Recommendation: Eat at every meal

(Complex) Carb Sources: sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa, whole-grain pasta, wild rice, oats, Ezekiel bread.
Recommendation: 3-4 servings a day

(Healthy) Fat Sources: avocado, almonds, cashews, pecans, coconut oil, olives, nut butters, hummus.
Recommendation: 2 servings a day

Vegetable Sources: Feel free to eat whatever veggies you like! But some of the best for weight loss are kale, spinach, watercress, chard, and beet greens.
Recommendation: Eat at every meal

(Low-Sugar) Fruit Sources: Avocado, tomatoes, eggplant, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries, and watermelon.
Recommendation: 2 servings of fresh fruit a day. One serving of fruit is one piece of fruit, or 1/2 cup of berries or sliced fruit. Stay away from dried fruits because of their high sugar content.

What exercises can help get rid of love handles?

While you shouldn’t solely do cardio, definitely make it a part of your workout routine, but also add in HIIT workouts, anaerobic exercises, and lifting. The most important thing is to switch it up and do whole body exercises.

Any exercise that focuses on your core and moving from side to side will help. Mason twists, Woodchoppers, Side plank hip lifts, Bicycle crunches, and compound lifts (squats, deadlifts, hang cleans, etc) will really help to target those love handles.

Try to have these pieces of equipment in your home gym: BOSU balls, dumbbells, exercise ball, and yoga mat.