Best exercises to lose love handles

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Love handles. Spare tire. Muffin top. Whatever you choose to call it, no one wants the fat that tends to settle around the midsection.

Love handles are fat deposits that gather around the middle of the waist. For many people, this is a problem area. Unfortunately, no one can "spot reduce," or target one area for losing fat without getting it surgically removed. You can, however, do a number of exercises that will eliminate stubborn love handles.

The best form of exercise for losing love handles is cardiovascular. This type of exercise is anything that uses the major muscle groups and elevates the heart rate for a sustained period of time. Cardio will burn fat all over the body, including the love handles.


In conjunction with cardio exercises, strength training is important as well. Doing ab exercises can help to strengthen the muscles underneath the fat in the midsection, but doing crunches and sit-ups alone won't eliminate the love handles; you must lose the fat.

When it comes to cardio, the following are some of the best exercises that burn the most calories. Aim to exercise 30-60 minutes 4-5 times a week. This regular exercise will help to get rid of love handles.

Running

It can be hard on the knees, but running is one of the best forms of cardiovascular exercise that burns a large amount of calories in a short amount of time, which equals fat loss. Running requires no special equipment other than shoes and a stretch of road. If you choose to run or jog as your primary form of cardiovascular exercise, make sure you get proper running shoes.

Swimming

Another excellent form of cardiovascular exercise is swimming. This full-body workout will also tone your muscles, including the obliques and back, where your love handles originate. Swimming is good for those with joint problems, as there is no impact, or those who don't like to sweat while they work out.

Walking

Walking is a good exercise for beginning exercisers who want to lose their love handles. Free and easy on the joints, walking is also a good way to lose leg fat. You can also tone up your entire body and increase the intensity, making it a better fat-burning workout, by speed walking or walking uphill.

Elliptical Trainer

If you have access to an elliptical trainer, you might want to consider using that to help get rid of your love handles. An elliptical trainer is especially helpful for those who have joint problems and don't want to run or walk. This is a full-body workout when you use the handles, so it tones all over while burning fat.

In addition to cardiovascular exercise, strength training is also important for losing love handles. Exercises like crunches, side twists, and hanging knee raises are all good ways strengthen the abdominal muscles and obliques, where fat gathers to create love handles.

If you have love handles and want to get rid of them, there are a number of ways you can go about it. When combined with a diet low in fat and high in lean proteins and vegetables and strength training to build muscle, cardiovascular exercises such as running, walking, biking, swimming, and cardio machines such as the elliptical trainer are the best ways to lose love handles.

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