How do I get rid of the "love" handles that I hate.

Options
I have been losing weight consistently since I started myfitnesspal in March, 2012. I lose in my stomach ( where is the same area that I gain). The problem area are those darn love handles that seem to hang on to me. Any ideas will be appreciated. Thanks
«13

Replies

  • kkmarie11
    kkmarie11 Posts: 114
    Options
    not sure i have the same problem though
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Options
    You'll have to keep losing weight overall to see them diminish, assuming you aren't genetically predisposed to have them. If so, at least they'll be smaller.
  • Josteyn
    Josteyn Posts: 44
    Options
    When you lose enough weight, your shape will have sorted it all out. If you are carrying fat around, then it has to be somewhere.

    So lose the fat, and your body will be the right shape.


    Exercise, instead of just dieting, helps.

    If you exercise, then the weight goes off faster AND the proportion of unsightly fat shifts as well.


    Don't be fooled by measuring and thinking, oh, my waist is the same even though I've lost 5 kilograms... It's gone from somewhere, after all. Just not somewhere where you've been measuring.

    I lost 6 inches off the waist and hips then stopped - thought I was doing something wrong. But it was coming off the thighs, as I found when I looked at my trousers. But I hadn't got a base-line measure for that, so I hadn't noticed.
  • odell47
    odell47 Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    Thanks. I can see and tell the difference from how my clothes are fitting. Just seems like those love handles are going to take longer to shrink.
  • Laura8603
    Laura8603 Posts: 590 Member
    Options
    You may never lose them. If they bother you, look into liposuction.
  • xElineeee
    xElineeee Posts: 29 Member
    Options
    I heard sideplanks help for the tonight part :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
    Options
    You dont need to lose weight, you need to lose body fat. You lose body fat with a small caloric deficit (20% less than tdee) and do heavy resistance training. And when i talk heavy, i mean you fail at 8-12 reps. If you RT 3-4 times a week and eat fairly clean, then you can cut fat.
  • Striving4Fit_MrsOrtiz
    Striving4Fit_MrsOrtiz Posts: 410 Member
    Options
    BUMP
  • mellynat
    mellynat Posts: 345 Member
    Options
    side crunches, any oblique excerises with weights. I know u can't "spot reduce" but those excersises helped me! herers a link that will give u an idea.. www.sixpacknow.com/obliqueexercises.html
  • bunny1006
    bunny1006 Posts: 325 Member
    Options
    You'll have to keep losing weight overall to see them diminish, assuming you aren't genetically predisposed to have them. If so, at least they'll be smaller.

    Darn! You mean there's no quick fix!?! :laugh:
  • Swedenjenny
    Swedenjenny Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    Theres one execrise I find helps. Lie on your stomache, raise your upper body of the floor keeping eyes focused on the ground. Raise it no more than a hand or two. Hold for a couple of seconds and lay down, repeat 10 times or so. Then raise the upper bodyand lung one hand forward and one hand backwards down your sides at the same time focus eyes onto the floor to keep position. keep hands tight to the sides, keep lunging 10-10 repetitions. Anyone with back problems should speak to their doctor or physio before doing this exercise. Hope it helps!
  • Krisgren
    Krisgren Posts: 95
    Options
    I disagree, I do think you can make them go away. That's been my first area that I have noticed a big change. I know that you can't 'spot reduce' per se but I do believe emphasizing certain excersises can help. I do a lot of oblique exercises in almost every workout. I just googled 'love handle exercise' and obliques and stomach etc to get a lot of ideas. I know that mostly to lose it you have to lose overall fat and hope for the best but I do think that you can help things along.
  • walkner88
    walkner88 Posts: 165
    Options
    You may never lose them. If they bother you, look into liposuction.

    This is terrible advice and very discouraging. Love handles are difficult to lose because most people do not property train their core. Focus on true core exercises especially those that engage your inner and outer oblique and you'll start to see them go away. Strength training and building lean muscle around your body will help to get rid of those stubborn fat reserves
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Options
    You may never lose them. If they bother you, look into liposuction.

    This is terrible advice and very discouraging. Love handles are difficult to lose because most people do not property train their core. Focus on true core exercises especially those that engage your inner and outer oblique and you'll start to see them go away. Strength training and building lean muscle around your body will help to get rid of those stubborn fat reserves

    I don't think that's terrible advice, even if I wouldn't do it. The idea that you can mold your body into any shape you want merely through diet and exercise is inaccurate. I think the OP should keep losing weight and exercising to see if she can get rid of the fat without surgery. But she may not be able to. Some things bug people a lot.
  • walkner88
    walkner88 Posts: 165
    Options
    You may never lose them. If they bother you, look into liposuction.

    This is terrible advice and very discouraging. Love handles are difficult to lose because most people do not property train their core. Focus on true core exercises especially those that engage your inner and outer oblique and you'll start to see them go away. Strength training and building lean muscle around your body will help to get rid of those stubborn fat reserves

    I don't think that's terrible advice, even if I wouldn't do it. The idea that you can mold your body into any shape you want merely through diet and exercise is inaccurate. I think the OP should keep losing weight and exercising to see if she can get rid of the fat without surgery. But she may not be able to. Some things bug people a lot.

    You can mold your body into a certain shape when it comes to losing fat. She isn't talking about making her hip bones more narrow or changing her bodies tendency to hold fat. She needs to change the amount of fat in her body and these reserves will disappear leaving only the muscles to show. This happens at around 15-17% body fat for women. For people to say its impossible or needs surgery they are just leaning on the fat disgusting lazy lifestyle of today's western world and trying to blame genetics for their flaws instead of their lack of ambition and hard work.
  • katemme
    katemme Posts: 191
    Options
    Don't eat extra calories...or plastic surgery.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Options
    You may never lose them. If they bother you, look into liposuction.

    This is terrible advice and very discouraging. Love handles are difficult to lose because most people do not property train their core. Focus on true core exercises especially those that engage your inner and outer oblique and you'll start to see them go away. Strength training and building lean muscle around your body will help to get rid of those stubborn fat reserves

    I don't think that's terrible advice, even if I wouldn't do it. The idea that you can mold your body into any shape you want merely through diet and exercise is inaccurate. I think the OP should keep losing weight and exercising to see if she can get rid of the fat without surgery. But she may not be able to. Some things bug people a lot.

    You can mold your body into a certain shape when it comes to losing fat. She isn't talking about making her hip bones more narrow or changing her bodies tendency to hold fat. She needs to change the amount of fat in her body and these reserves will disappear leaving only the muscles to show. This happens at around 15-17% body fat for women. For people to say its impossible or needs surgery they are just leaning on the fat disgusting lazy lifestyle of today's western world and trying to blame genetics for their flaws instead of their lack of ambition and hard work.

    Some people do have a predisposition to put more weight in places than conventional beauty standards dictate. I have no idea if the OP is one of those people. I told her she should keep losing weight and exercising. But if she does that and can't lose them and is still bothered by them, that's a decision for her to make. As I said, I wouldn't do it. Not everyone who decides to have plastic surgery is lazy.
  • callmecaptain
    Options
    Thanks. I can see and tell the difference from how my clothes are fitting. Just seems like those love handles are going to take longer to shrink.

    Build muscle in your mid section, it will help flatten them. You can lose all the weight but your muscle determine how the skin and fat above look. There are all kinds of core toning vids, get one that will work the sides aso not just the front abs. It will go away but make sure part of the look is not just the shape of your hips contributing to the wider look.
  • Laura8603
    Laura8603 Posts: 590 Member
    Options
    You may never lose them. If they bother you, look into liposuction.

    This is terrible advice and very discouraging. Love handles are difficult to lose because most people do not property train their core. Focus on true core exercises especially those that engage your inner and outer oblique and you'll start to see them go away. Strength training and building lean muscle around your body will help to get rid of those stubborn fat reserves

    I don't think that's terrible advice, even if I wouldn't do it. The idea that you can mold your body into any shape you want merely through diet and exercise is inaccurate. I think the OP should keep losing weight and exercising to see if she can get rid of the fat without surgery. But she may not be able to. Some things bug people a lot.

    You can mold your body into a certain shape when it comes to losing fat. She isn't talking about making her hip bones more narrow or changing her bodies tendency to hold fat. She needs to change the amount of fat in her body and these reserves will disappear leaving only the muscles to show. This happens at around 15-17% body fat for women. For people to say its impossible or needs surgery they are just leaning on the fat disgusting lazy lifestyle of today's western world and trying to blame genetics for their flaws instead of their lack of ambition and hard work.

    You are the offensive one here. Women are lazy and need to beat themselves up for having fat pockets in places that may NEVER disappear. Women stay away from this guy.

    As Dolly Parton said in the movie "Joyful Noise", "God did not create plastic surgeons for them to starve to death!" I stand by my original reply. If something bothers you, fix it.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    Options
    You dont need to lose weight, you need to lose body fat. You lose body fat with a small caloric deficit (20% less than tdee) and do heavy resistance training. And when i talk heavy, i mean you fail at 8-12 reps. If you RT 3-4 times a week and eat fairly clean, then you can cut fat.

    This is the answer, though I'd change that to 5-8 reps personally.