Workouts for back fat and love handles

jennacap91
jennacap91 Posts: 1 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Looking for lower back/love handle area workouts. I know a lot of it is diet but I would also like to exercise this area as well!

Replies

  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,068 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    You can't spot reduce fat with any exercise. No exercise is going to target back fat or love handles...doesn't work that way. You lose fat from wherever when you're in a calorie deficit...eventually, they will go away, but exercise won't do anything in regards to targeting fat loss in a particular area.

    THIS.

    It's not "mostly diet" it's all diet.

    Overall strength training has many other benefits, and I would highly recommend pursuing a well rounded ST routine, but there's nothing that's going to make the fat come off anywhere specific. Just have some nice muscles underneath that will be there to be revealed over time!
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    edited March 2018
    HoneyBadger155 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    You can't spot reduce fat with any exercise. No exercise is going to target back fat or love handles...doesn't work that way. You lose fat from wherever when you're in a calorie deficit...eventually, they will go away, but exercise won't do anything in regards to targeting fat loss in a particular area.

    THIS.

    It's not "mostly diet" it's all diet.

    Overall strength training has many other benefits, and I would highly recommend pursuing a well rounded ST routine, but there's nothing that's going to make the fat come off anywhere specific. Just have some nice muscles underneath that will be there to be revealed over time!

    I'd add the caveat, that depending on where you're starting, a quality ST program will move the goal posts. They won't move as far as they would for a man, but they will move.
  • mortuseon_
    mortuseon_ Posts: 257 Member
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    HoneyBadger155 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    You can't spot reduce fat with any exercise. No exercise is going to target back fat or love handles...doesn't work that way. You lose fat from wherever when you're in a calorie deficit...eventually, they will go away, but exercise won't do anything in regards to targeting fat loss in a particular area.

    THIS.

    It's not "mostly diet" it's all diet.

    Overall strength training has many other benefits, and I would highly recommend pursuing a well rounded ST routine, but there's nothing that's going to make the fat come off anywhere specific. Just have some nice muscles underneath that will be there to be revealed over time!

    I'd add the caveat, that depending on where you're starting, a quality ST program will move the goal posts. They won't move as far as they would for a man, but they will move.

    Could you clarify what you mean by 'move the goalposts'? Do you mean it'll be easier to reach your goals because you'll retain more muscle mass, leading to a more athletic body type after loss? Or something different?
  • mortuseon_
    mortuseon_ Posts: 257 Member
    Thank you for the clarification! :)
  • daltontf
    daltontf Posts: 63 Member
    This may be of interest:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/215503/tom-venuto-lyle-mcdonald-stubborn-fat-and-how-to-get-rid-o
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    jennacap91 wrote: »
    Looking for lower back/love handle area workouts. I know a lot of it is diet but I would also like to exercise this area as well!

    Fork put-downs and table push-aways are the best exercises to get rid of fat.

    Exercise can make the muscles stronger, but they do nothing for the fat covering them. Fat is inert, has no contractile properties and can't be exercised. You can't spot reduce from any particular area of the body - fat loss will take place according to your genetic fat distribution and for many people, the abdomen/midsection is the last, most stubborn place it will leave from.
  • Kasscade8200
    Kasscade8200 Posts: 2 Member
    When doing the cardio to lose weight is it smart to also do the weights and strength training? Or just focus on cardio to lose it. Does the strength training help tone as you go?
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,138 Member
    edited March 2018
    Kasscade8200 wrote: »
    When doing the cardio to lose weight is it smart to also do the weights and strength training? Or just focus on cardio to lose it. Does the strength training help tone as you go?

    Without going into discussions about aerobic and anaerobic workouts, strength training is really the only way to build muscle tone and definition. Cardio will burn calories and increase heart/lung function, etc, but does not build muscle. You really want to have some kind of strength training to: a) get a calorie burn (you'll still be burning calories after you stop working out) and b) increase muscle definition so when the pounds come off you have something to show off!

    A lot of people incorporate both types of workouts into their routines, some just do strength only, etc. You will see a lot of posts here about people who did cardio only for years, ate clean, and could never get the last pounds off or were "skinny fat", but then incorporated strength/weight training and saw improvements.
  • jennacap0
    jennacap0 Posts: 1 Member
    Awesome advice from everyone, thank you! It seems to be more difficult for people who are already in shape and have the stubborn fat areas. I will keep working at it!

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