“Love handles” should be a description of your favorite cookware. When it comes to your hips, however, “love handles” may be a very different story. What’s frustrating is that you can’t magically spot reduce fat in certain areas of your body. That being said, you can lose fat all over your body, which, in turn, will help slim down your love handles. We spoke with a trainer who outlines the best low-intensity exercises to lose love handles for good.
Low-intensity exercises can be very helpful in banishing love handles. “Low-intensity exercises (like walking or yoga) keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone, around 50-70% of your maximum heart rate,” explains Ronny Garcia, CPT, Blink Fitness. “In this range, the body uses a higher percentage of fat as fuel, as compared to higher-intensity exercise.”
In addition, low-intensity exercise is much more sustainable to keep up with in the long term, which translates to a substantially higher caloric output. This form of training allows you to perform active recovery as well, taking away the need for an entire rest day. “[This helps you] keep your body moving, increasing circulation and oxygen delivery, both of which help you burn more calories while at rest,” says Garcia.
Now, let’s dive into Garcia’s top-recommended low-intensity exercises to melt love handles.
Side Plank
- Lie on your side with your elbow positioned under your shoulder.
- Stack your feet, keep your core tight, and lift your hips off the floor so your body forms a straight line.
- Hold the side plank position for 20 to 30 seconds on each side. Repeat 2 to 3 times.
Russian Twists
- Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat.
- Lean back just a bit, maintaining a straight spine.
- Twist your body to the left, then to the right, all while keeping a tight core.
- Perform 15 to 20 twists on each side. Repeat for 2 to 3 sets.
RELATED: 7 Least Effective Exercises for Melting Love Handles (and What To Do Instead)
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Standing Oblique Crunches
- Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart.
- Place your hands at the back of your head.
- Lift your right knee, and at the same time, bring your right elbow to meet your right knee.
- Return to the start position.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Perform 12 to 15 reps per side. Complete 3 sets.
Seated Knee Drop
- Sit on the ground with bent knees.
- Slowly drop your knees to the right, lift them back to the center, and drop them to your left side.
- Keep your core engaged.
- Perform 15 to 20 reps on each side. Repeat for 2 to 3 sets.
Windshield Wipers
- Lie flat on your back with your arms extended out to your sides, forming a “T” position.
- Raise your legs to a 90-degree angle.
- Gradually lower your legs to one side of your body without letting them touch the floor.
- Lift your legs and repeat on the other side.
- Perform 12 to 15 reps on each side. Repeat for 2 to 3 sets.
Bird Dog
- Begin on all fours with your hands below your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Lift and extend your left arm and right leg.
- Hold this position momentarily, then return to the start position.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Perform 12 to 15 reps per side. Repeat for 2 to 3 sets.
