Love handles... Not that loveable

JBHawaii

Hi everyone,
So I started my paleo/diet and exercise adventure about three months ago and I am really feeling great. I am down 35lbs and everything about me is so much better. Now, I'm sure some of you out there are going to just flame the heck out of me for even suggesting the idea of a paleo diet but honestly, I really love it. I eat great food everyday and my system just works so much better that it ever has. Who knows, maybe I actually had a low level gluten intolerance that my new lifestyle is starting to really help out with?

Anyway, my big question is this... When will my love handles start to disappear? Everything about me is skinnier. Even my hands and fingers have shrunken and now when I am in the clinic I wear medium sized latex gloves instead of large! My legs are defining as are my arms and my shoulders have shrunken nicely. Even my belly is seriously smaller and I don't even have to 'suck it in' to feel comfortable in my clothes. I exercise regularly, I run more than I ever have in my life and I am in much better cardiovascular health that I have been in years. The only problem though is that my love handles are still huge!

Honestly, I look kind of weird... Every time I take an 'after' photo I hate it because my handles stick out and look ridiculous. Has anyone else had this problem? I am approaching 30 and I know that I may never have the body of an 18 year old again but I would really love to not have these damn things on my hips anymore.

So let me know about your experiences, k? Did this happen for you? Did this phase pass? We're they the last thing to go? Did the stay? Any exercises I can do other than the crunches and side crunches I already do? Thanks for the input and keep up the good work everyone.

(oh yeah, if you look at my profile pic you won't see them because they sit on my back more than my sides... Kinda weird really)

Megdmcda

umm well i have no idea what a paleo diet is.....but ....i started about four months ago.. and my love handles are almost completly gone. my opinion i think that helped the most was dancing. i mean the shaking ur booty in all different directions. flailing ur arms...having a blast.....i did that for about 2 and a half months and then i've been jogging in place. i have wore a waist trimmer belt. now whether that contributed or not idk, but it does make u sweat more in that area. so all this is my experience....hope it helps. also helps to not wear such a tight band there. some of my shorts have tighter elastic bands than others...so i see a more love handles than i do in the ones w/o the tight elastic bands. lol

Megdmcda

bahaha i so just answered thinking u were a girl until i actually looked at ur picture......so not sure if it will help lmao but there u go.

JBHawaii

Yeah, love handles seem to work differently for men than for women and I do know that we really do, traditionally, hold weight in this area more readily than women do... Thanks for the advice though!

Megdmcda

u could try side bends? maybe something that will work ur hip are basically. i'm sure anything that works the hip area will work.

Awkward30

Yeah, you can do side bends and sit ups, but please don't lose that butt!

Sir mix a lot aside, you can't spot reduce. Just gotta lose all over body fat. Lifting weights will help you maintain lean mass, and since you're a guy, maybe get some newbie gains.

jenniejengin

bump

wackyfunster

Abs/lower back are typically the last places men lose body fat. It sucks, but it will come off eventually. If you get down to 10%ish body fat and are still having trouble, hit me up.

LindaLouLu

Yeah, you can do side bends and sit ups, but please don't lose that butt!

:laugh:
Seriously though, you can't spot reduce but some nice exercises that work that muscle area include:

Wood chop (Grab a weight and make like you've got the worlds biggest pile of firewood to get ready)
I don't know the name of this one, but it's a similar motion to the wood chopping, but it's cross body and you hike your knee up (the one in the direction you're going). So you move your arms and that leg across your body at the same time.
Don't know the name of this either, but plant your feet a little past shoulder width, bend your knees a tiny bit. Lift your weight over your head to one side, then go across your body as you bring the weight to your toes. Slowly. Make sure your weight is either just right or a little too heavy so that you feel like you CAN'T get to doing 12. Then switch sides.
Inverted sit ups (doesn't do it a WHOLE lot, but that area is always sore for me after a round)
Planks are always good for whole core work.
And, silly though it sounds, try something similar to salsa moves. LOTS of hip/fanny moving going on.
Try them every other day and keep doing some serious cardio. It SHOULD start shrinking.


Good luck to you!
:flowerforyou:

DISCLAIMER* Not a professional. Not an expert. These are moves that have helped to reduce my husbands "handles"

sniperzzzz

Abs/lower back are typically the last places men lose body fat. It sucks, but it will come off eventually. If you get down to 10%ish body fat and are still having trouble, hit me up.

This^^ Just keep going, they will eventually diminish