Why You Get Love Handles In The First Place
This side fat exists because of sheer physiologyand theres not much you can do to defeat that.
For men in particular, there are more fat cells in this region, making it a convenient depot for the body to dump excess triglycerides, the storage form of fat, says Jeffrey M. Willardson, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., a professor of kinesiology at Eastern Illinois University.
Put another way, fat wants to go to its houseto the fat cellsso thats the place where youre likely first going to put your fat, adds Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D., an instructor of exercise science at Quincy College in Quincy, MA.
Of course, love handles develop over time not overnight. Blame a lack of workouts, empty calories, lots of stress, and/or poor sleep, which can up cortisol and adrenaline levels, encouraging fat storage, says Willardson. And remember: Some people, due to age or genetic predisposition, will always have a little more fat in that area regardless, Willardson says.
Get In Some Low Planks
“I absolutely love the low plank exercise because it creates a lot of stability around the entire core,” says Brian Flynn, owner of Flynn Fitness Solutions. “This helps you run a lower risk of back pain. It’s also a fantastic exercise to help slim down your waistline.”
How to do it: Set your forearms on the floor with elbows directly under your shoulders and legs fully extended behind you, with your knees locked out. The trick to this exercise is to be as parallel to the ground as possible, so try not to let your hips drop or your head push toward the ground. The more aligned you are, the more effective it is. Draw your navel in, squeeze your butt and try to pull your elbows toward your feet . If you are doing this exercise properly, you will probably only be able to hold it for 20 seconds. That’s OKput your knees back down on the ground with your forearms in place, rest for a few seconds, and have at another rep.
How To Get Rid Of Stomach Lines: Takeaways
- Stomach creases are horizontal lines on the belly that appear when you sit down or lean over, so that the excess skin and fat in the area fold.
- There are a few causes for the creases: drastic weight loss, poor posture, and excess fat on the belly. This fat is known as visceral fat, notorious for its deleterious effects on a persons wellbeing.
- Having excess visceral fat can lead to increased cholesterol levels, heart conditions, type 2 diabetes, increased chance of stroke, Alzheimers, and high blood pressure.
- It is important to regularly measure the amount of visceral fat in your body, which you could do with the help of the following methods: hip-to-waist ratio, waist size, BMI, and imaging tests.
- How to get rid of stomach lines? All you need to do is:
- Eat fewer calories
- Exercise regularly
- Drink a lot of water
- Sleep 5-8 hours a day
- Do not smoke
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Ramp Up Your Cardio Exercise
You don’t have to be the next Usain Bolt in the making to enjoy some serious belly-slimming results from hitting the track from time to time. Even a moderate-rate jog a few times a week can blast through that belly fat in fact, a study conducted at Duke University Medical Center found that, over the course of an eight-month study, overweight adult study subjects who jogged 12 miles a week lost the most belly fat and burned 67 percent more calories than participants who did an equivalent amount of resistance exercise, or a combination of cardio and resistance work.
Eat Less Dairy Products And Nuts

Can you eat as much as you like and still lose weight? This often works well with a low-carbohydrate diet, as appetite regulation often improves.54
However, despite the fact that a low-carbohydrate diet generally makes it easier to eat just enough, there are foods classified as low carb which become a problem in larger quantities. If you find yourself having a hard time losing weight on a low-carb diet, you could try to be more careful with:
- Dairy products
- Nuts
Dairy products contain varying amounts of lactose , which could slow down weight loss when over-consumed. Consequently, cutting back on dairy products may help accelerate weight loss.
This applies especially to dairy products typically lacking in fat, such as regular milk and various yogurts.
However, if youre struggling to lose weight, you should avoid large amounts of full-fat dairy, such as cream and cheese. Remember that, gram for gram, fat has twice the calories of carbs or protein therefore, high-fat, highly palatable foods can deliver a huge calorie load before you know it.55
When it comes to butter, you dont need to worry about extra carbs, as butter is almost pure fat. But, like any other source of fat, if butter is over-consumed, your dietary fat will be burned for fuel instead of body fat.
Nuts, the second food to watch, contain a fair amount of carbohydrate in addition to a significant amount of fat, and its very easy to unwittingly scarf down large quantities.56
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You’re Doing Too Much
Your body needs a healthy balance of exercise and rest. And did you know? Doing too much prevents the body from shifting excess fat according to Dr Luke, aka, has the reverse result that you’re after. “Exercising without rest can impact our levels of the steroid hormone cortisol and cause an increase of stubborn fat stored in the belly. Not allowing your body to recover can increase the risk of injury too, so make sure you factor in rest days to your exercise plan.”
Diet To Get Rid Of Excess Belly Fat
Consuming more calories than you burn can make you more likely to develop visceral fat. It sometimes accumulates around the abdomen.
Eating the right foods may help aid weight loss. Avoid or limit foods that are highly processed and high in refined sugars and bleached grains. Theyve been linked to blood sugar instability and inflammation in the digestive tract.
Instead, focus on adding healthy protein and fiber sources to your diet. Cruciferous veggies may help keep you full for longer and contain many nutrients. These include:
- broccoli
- kale
- cauliflower
Protein can boost your stamina and energy without adding a lot of calories to your daily calorie needs. Some protein sources include:
- hard-boiled eggs
- beans and legumes
- nuts and seeds
Avoid or limit artificially sweetened drinks, including energy drinks and diet sodas. Stick to anti-inflammatory beverages, such as unsweetened green tea and water.
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How To Create A Calorie Deficit
Creating a calorie deficit boils down to a simple math equation: Are you burning more calories than youre consuming on a daily basis? If you are, youre at a calorie deficit.
Burning 3,500 calories more than you consume is equal to 1 pound of fat, according to the Mayo Clinic.
For most people, losing more than 2.5 pounds of fat per week involves extreme calorie restriction and isnt recommended.
What Is The Cause Of Love Handles And How To Get Rid Of Them
The question What is the cause of love handles is quite familiar to many men and women. This stubborn fat on the abdomens side can be quite frustrating to get rid of even to people who work out regularly. However, despite how frustrating love handles are to get rid of, you can still do away with them. It just requires some dedication and lifestyle changes on your part. A healthy diet that creates an adequate caloric deficit and regular workouts are the two most effective methods of banishing excess fat from all over your body, and love handles are not an exception. There are a whole lot of exercises that target the back, abs, and hips, tone your obliques and stomach, increase your energy expenditure and boost your metabolism. So, if you are wondering what is the cause of love handles and how to get rid of love handles, then this article is exactly what you need!
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Do What You Can To Reduce Stress Levels
“If you are working out consistently, eating healthy and still not losing the belly fat, I suggest having your hormones checked,” Tucker suggests. “Too much cortisol can be a result of adrenal fatigue and can cause weight gain and bloat around the lower belly.”
If the belly fat is the result of a hormone imbalance, you’ll also want to prioritize adding stress reduction activities into your day. “Try incorporating a daily meditation practice or yin yoga and limiting time on devices to reduce stress and calm your nervous system”.
Boutcher SH. High-intensity intermittent exercise and fat loss. J Obes. 2011 2011:868305.
Moyer AE, Rodin J, Grilo CM, Cummings N, Larson LM, Rebuffé-Scrive M. Stress-induced cortisol response and fat distribution in women. Obes Res. 1994 2:255-262.
Stanhope KL. Sugar consumption, metabolic disease and obesity: The state of the controversy. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 2016 53:52-67.
Lattimer JM, Haub MD. Effects of dietary fiber and its components on metabolic health. Nutrients. 2010 2:1266-1289.
Ellulu MS, Patimah I, Khazaai H, Rahmat A, Abed Y. Obesity and inflammation: the linking mechanism and the complications. Arch Med Sci. 2017 13:851-863.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation
How To Lose Belly Fat In A Week
This article was co-authored by Laura Flinn. Laura Flinn is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer, USA Olympic Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach and Certified Fitness Nutritionist, with an additional qualification as a TRX Suspension Trainer. Laura runs her own personal training program based in the San Francisco Bay Area and specializes in topics such as weight loss, muscle growth, cardiovascular training, and strength training.There are 20 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 18 testimonials and 87% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,325,129 times.
Belly fat, or visceral fat, is fat stored in and around your abdominal organs. It can increase your risks of cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, dementia, heart disease, and diabetes.XResearch source You cannot lose large quantities of weight or excess body fat within one week – especially visceral or belly fat. To get healthier and lose the dangerous belly fat, you’ll need to change your diet, exercise routine, and lifestyle over a longer period of time. However, during a week you can start to make some great, health-promoting changes to your lifestyle.
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Common Side Effects Of Wegovy
According to the Wegovy website, common side effects include:
- Nausea
- Stomach pain or upset stomach
- Diarrhea
There can also be more serious side effects, including:
- Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer
- Inflammation of your pancreas
- Gallbladder problems
- Increased risk of low blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes, especially those who also take medicines for type 2 diabetes such as sulfonylureas or insulin
- Kidney problems
- Change in vision in patients with type 2 diabetes
- Increased heart rate
- Depression or thoughts of suicide
Talk to your doctor if you have any medical issues or concerns regarding these side effects.
Using High Intensity Interval Training

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Cook At Home As Much As You Can
When dining out you rarely know exactly what ingredients are included in your meals, but cooking at home brings you a lot more control over what you eat. If you’re trying to eat a healthier diet to reduce fat, cooking at home is a big help. Another great part of eating at home? You’ll most likely save a bunch of money, too.
How To Lose Weight On The Sides Of My Stomach
Unfortunately there’s no magical side belly fat workout. If you want a sculpted, narrow waist, you can’t crunch your way there. According to the American Council on Exercise, spot reduction is a fitness myth, and isolated strength exercises can’t help you lose fat.
Video of the Day
However, cardio exercise does burn off enough calories to get rid of excess weight, no matter where on your body it may be as long as you don’t consume those extra calories in your diet. To get a defined waist and a slimmer, streamlined stomach, combine regular cardio with exercises for your obliques.
Read more:The Ultimate Guide to Fat Loss
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Boost Your Protein Intake
Adding high-quality protein to your meals can help you lose fat and maintain a healthy weight. Protein helps keep you full between meals and may even reduce the urge to snack .
Furthermore, studies have shown that diets rich in protein are more effective at reducing belly fat than diets that are low in protein .
Additionally, following a high-protein diet may help you maintain your weight once you have reached your goal .
Including high-quality protein sources like eggs, nuts, seeds, legumes, seafood, poultry and meats in your meals may help reduce excess fat, including love handles.
What Are ‘good’ Food Swaps
But there are some food that can help lower your blood sugar levels.
Dr Roxburgh said that snacks made from wholegrains are a good addition to the diet.
She added: “Potatoes are very high in carbs so arent usually counted as one of your 5 a day but if you want to eat potatoes, then new potatoes are better than old potatoes as they contain less starch.”
Dr Roxburgh also suggested keeping alcohol to within 14 units weekly with three or four days off drinking, and avoid alcohol on an empty stomach as this can also lead to hypos.
Dr Newman-Beinart said: “Reishi mushrooms are an important supper food to include in your wellness routine as they include beta-glucans and triterpenoids, which are compounds that can help lower blood sugar and blood pressure levels, reducing your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.”
You can use Reishi mushrooms in different dishes as a powder – ideal for any one not a fan of their veggies.
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Consume A Combo Of Calcium And Vitamin D
Say cheese! Adding some extra calcium and vitamin D to your diet could be the best way to get the flat stomach you’ve been dreaming about. Over just 12 months, researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville found that obese female study subjects who upped their calcium intake shed 11 pounds of body fat without other major dietary modifications. To keep your calcium choices healthy, try mixing it up between dairy sources, calcium-rich leafy greens, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds.
Do Love Handles Pose Risks
Yes and no. Before you get confused, here is why. Most of us want to get rid of love handles for aesthetic purposes. What most of us tend to overlook is how this fat is quite unhealthy.
Before getting into the risks posed by love handles, you must understand that the body has two types of fat subcutaneous and visceral fat:
As seen above, love handles can be considered subcutaneous fat, however, an expanding waistline is a sign of visceral fat . To know if your love handles are a sign of visceral fat, just measure yourself, 35 inches or more in women and 40 inches or more in men is a clear sign of visceral fat.
Some dangers of visceral fat include:
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