How To Get Rid Of Love Handles Fast

When we are young, active, and full of that natural energy, we seldom worry about our shape and how to get rid of love handles fast, and simply focus on being a kid and enjoying life.

Once we start to creep up on and settle into our adult lives, we begin to notice some differences in our figure – We start to gain weight more easily, our energy begins to drop, and then we see the onset of bulges, weight, coming in on our sides, what we refer to as our “love handles.”

These love handles are some of the most irritating things about gaining weight – They slow us down, they’re uncomfortable, and our clothes don’t fit the way we would like them to.

“But this doesn’t have to be.” There are ways we can fight back, ways we can take a stand, ways we can destroy those troublesome love handles, and have the body’s we’ve always dreamed of.

Today we’re going to go over how to get rid of love handles fast, so you can start to move more fluently, be more confident and comfortable, and look as amazing as you’ve ever been, in whatever outfit you choose.

How To Get Rid Of Love Handles Fast

There have been many theories about how love handles develop, from sitting too much to sleeping too much or not getting enough exercise.

So to help clear up this confusion, we”re going to give you a clear reason on how love handles come about.

What Causes Love Handles

According to Dr. Mehmet Cengiz Oz (More commonly known as “Dr. OZ” – From the wildly successful television show of the same name) the fat, from what we refer to as love handles, does not actually start on our sides, above our hips, but begins in the center of our backs.

He says that when our muscles start to deteriorate (From 1. Lack of proper exercise and/or 2. The natural effects of aging), in the middle of our upper backs (near the right and left side of our spines) fat begins to form under our deteriorating muscles, in these sort of triangular shapes.

He said that the fat “then” starts to grow outward, towards our sides. Once this happens, he explains, the weight from the fat then begins to droop down and sag, and that’s when we see (what we non-medical personnel call) “love handles.”

Now that you know how love handles are formed, it is important to point out the particular foods that contribute to the fat that causes them. If you are someone who loves to cook at home, or you’re someone who frequently goes out to eat at 3 or 5-star restaurants, there are 2 types of foods that you will find on nearly all of their menus – Bread and Pasta foods.

These foods tend to be very delicious, but when it comes to your weight – “These foods are like kryptonite.”

According to fitness expert, and personal trainer, “Dolvett Quince,” bread and pasta foods, are foods that “strongly” assist in the building up of that unwanted side-fat (He says that these types of foods contain substances that tend to expand in your body, particularly in your back, front stomach and on your sides (love handles) areas).

It is imperative that you avoid these types of foods when trying to get rid of your love handles, he explains.

Exercises That Target Love Handles

Exercising on a regular basis is something that is recommended by doctors worldwide. There is a common theme in the medical world, which flows something like, “the more days you exercise, the fewer days you will find yourself in a hospital”.

This is advice that should not be overlooked by us non-medical, common folk.

Many different exercises can be done to target your love handles, some that take up a lot of time, and some that take minimal time, some that require weights, and some that require no weights.

High Knee Taps

The first type of exercise for targeting love handles, requires little time (less than 15 minutes a day), and no weights, or machines, and which can also be done in the comfort of your own home.

Chris Heria, the worldwide, respected, personal trainer from heriapro.com, has come up with many different workout routines that target specific areas of the body that each of his clients want to focus on the most.

He has a lot of clients that want to get in shape and tone their body’s but are pressed for time and other clients, who want to work on their stomach and get rid of their love handles, but would rather do exercises in the comfort of their own home, rather than go to a public gym.

Taking into account, both of these types of clients, Chris Heria developed a 5 minute, at home, weights free, intense workout, that’s designed to get rid of your love handles, and keep them off.

The workout starts by you doing an exercise, that has you standing in place, back straight up and then doing high knees for 1 minute straight, with your elbows bent at your sides, and your hands out in front of you, hitting your knees as you raise them.Think of someone running with intensity, but doing it in one spot.

For the full benefits of this exercise, you must raise your knees up, one by one, as high as you can.

Your focus here should not be on speed and doing the exercise at a fast pace, but on performing it a steady pace for 1 minute, in proper form, that suits your current body shape and weight (It should be challenging, but not feel impossible).

Mountain Climbers

After the High Knee Taps, you will go right into the second exercise, which consists of you getting down in a push-up position (arms fully extended), and then pulling your knees forward (one at a time), as hard as you can.

The name of this exercise is called – “Mountain Climbers,” and it resembles just that. You will perform this exercise for 45 seconds.

Bicycle Crunch

The third exercise will be followed immediately after the Mountain Climbers. For this exercise, you will lie down on your back, place each of your hands, on each side of your head, with your elbows bent.

You will then bend your knees in the air. Next, you will extend one leg down, as far as you can, while keeping the other leg, knee bent towards you.

When you pull one of your legs back, knee bent, you will slightly turn your upper body (as your back is to the ground), so that the elbow adjacent to that particular bent leg turns to the ground, while the opposite elbow points towards the air (You will have the bottom half of your back, steady on the ground, while the top half, you will have your shoulders, slightly off).

To explain it a little clearer, it will go something like this, “right leg bent back, right elbow turned to your right side, touching the ground, left elbow pointed up.

Left leg bent back, left elbow turned to your left side, touching the ground, right elbow pointed up. The name of this exercise is called – “Bicycles” and (with your leg movement) it resembles just that. You will perform this exercise for 30 seconds.

V-Ups

The fourth exercise is to begin right after you perform the Bicycles for 30 seconds. You will continue to lie on your back, but you will place your body in the shape of a “t.” Put your legs together on the ground (straight out), spread your arms to your sides (straight out).

Next, lift your legs off the ground (around 8 inches), and hold them there, then lift your arms off the ground around 4 inches, and hold them there.

Make sure that your body is still in the “t” shape. Next, you will lift your legs (still pressed together, against each other (it is important that your knees are not bent here)), up in the air (straight up), and you will lift your arms up concurrently.

You will do your best to bring your arms and legs as close to touching as you can (they do not actually have to touch) before allowing them to go back down towards the ground.

This is a resistance exercise, so it is imperative that you do not allow your legs or arms to touch the ground after you begin.

It of great significance that you focus heavily on form here, and not speed (Speed will come with time, with this exercise).

You will want to move a steady pace where you are able to keep a great form, but still push yourself. The name of this exercise is called – “V-Ups” and you will need to perform it for 30 seconds.

Plank Knees to elbow

The fifth exercise in the workout is very similar to that of the “Mountain Climbers” exercise, but with a few slight variations.

First, like all of the other transitions between exercises in this workout, you will begin it immediately after you finish with the V-Up.

With this exercise, the variations compared to the Mountain Climbers, consist of you getting in a push-up position, but then transitioning into a position, where you have each of your elbows and forearms pressed against the ground.

The leg motion will be exactly the same as when you did the Mountain Climbers. The name of this exercise is called – “Plank Knees to elbows” and it goes for 45 seconds.

Toe Touches

For the sixth exercise, you will begin right after the Plank Knees to elbows. For this exercise, you will lie on your back, put your feet together, legs straight.

You will then raise your legs straight up in the air and hold them there. Next, you will place your arms together, stretched out, on the floor, with the back of your hand the ground, above your head.

Next, you will bring your arms forward, and move them towards your feet, to try and touch your legs (it is alright if you do not actually touch your legs during the exercise, as long as you have your stretched-out arms moving towards them).

It is important that you keep your legs straight and not allow them to fall down and touch the ground during this exercise. It is alright if your arms happen to touch the ground when you bring them back down.

Low Plank to High Plank

For the seven and last exercise of this workout, once again, you will follow it immediately after the previous one.

You will get into the same position that you got in when you performed the “Plank Knees to elbows” exercise. The main difference here is that you will not be moving your legs around, but your upper body.

You will have to begin with your forearms and elbows pressed against the ground, and then you will raise up (one arm at a time) until you are in a “push-ups” position.

You will then go back down (one arm at a time) until you have both of your arms forearms and elbows down again.This time  you will need to perform it for 1 minute.

This workout, with all of these different exercises, can be done in less than 15 minutes, in the comfort of your own home, with no gym membership, equipment, or weights, while saving you time and money.

For all of the exercises from this workout, that require you to lie on your back, you will want to have a cushioned area to lie back on (A gym mat will be best, but you can use a couple of towels if that’s all you have (You just want to make sure that you are not lying back on a rock hard surface)).

If you have any type of heart or lung condition, it will be wise to 1. First, speak with your doctor to make sure that this type of workout is safe for you, and 2. Take a 1 – 2-minute break after each exercise (The total time will still be pretty short, even if your doctor suggests you take such breaks between each exercise)).

Individuals with underlying health issues

For a lot of people, getting into a great workout routine that gets rid of your love handles, and gives your sides a more relaxed, and comfortable, look and feel, is very fulfilling, but there are some of us with underlying health issues that may prevent us from doing the types of exercises needed to get rid of love handles and keep them away.

For everyone that falls into this category, it is important that you (as mentioned in the previous paragraph) check with your doctor, to make sure that it is safe for you to go on a consistent cardio workout plan, where you will be able to do fat burning exercises that focus on, and target your “love handles areas.”

A big health issue that is associated with weight gain, that makes it extremely difficult to get rid of your love handles, “is obesity.”

Obesity affects millions each year, and according to Dr. Barbara Mc Gowan, obesity has a negative effect on every organ in your body, which slows you down, and makes it that much more difficult to get rid of your love handles through exercising.

Dr. Barbara Mc Gowan also states that obesity leads to depression and anxiety, which can make you feel unmotivated from fighting off your love handles.

She suggests seeing some kind of obesity specialist if you are someone who suffers from this health issue so that all of your options can be put on the table so that you will not only be able to find a solution for getting rid of your love handles but will also be able to get into better shape overall.

Conclusion

Fighting off those irritating love handles can be difficult when you begin a workout routine, such the one listed here from Chris Heria, but as long as your doctor gives you the green light that your body can handle it, then you should be alright.

For your diet, it will be of great importance to follow the advice given by Dolvett Quince and cut bread and pasta out of your diet. So that you aren’t negating the progress that you’re workouts are making, with fighting against those troublesome love handles.

Most of all, remember to relax and smile and take things one step at a time. You will get to where you want to be as long as you set yourself up on the right path.