16 Exercises to Eliminate Love Handles

by Hannah Jaehnig · Published July 3, 2018 · Updated January 9, 2019

Fat that accumulates around the hips, on both men and women, is commonly referred to as love handles. At times, the fat may also be around the stomach. This article will focus on exercises that reduce fat around the hips. As you do these exercises, you are also likely to lose fat around your stomach. If you are looking for tips especially for belly fat, you can also read our article 23 Exercises to Burn Belly Fat.

Causes

While general weight gain and obesity (usually due to a poor diet and/or lack of exercise) can lead to fat around the hips, there are several other reasons why your fat might specifically be centered around your hips. Some of the most common causes are listed below.

Hormone Imbalance
Lack of Sleep/Sleep Disorder
Slow Metabolism
Thyroid Conditions (Hypothyroidism)
High Blood Pressure
High Cholesterol
Diabetes
Various Liver Problems

If you are concerned that any of the above-listed issues are the cause for your weight gain, then you will need to treat these, as well as do the exercises listed in this article. To learn more about some of these conditions, you can click on the linked words or visit our home remedies page.

Exercises to Eliminate Love Handles

Plank

Doing the plank is one of the best static exercises for building muscle around your abdomen. This can help to both reduce the appearance of love handles and build muscle.

If you are focused on losing your love handles more than gaining muscle, then you might want to try the side plank, pictured below. If this pose is too difficult for you, then you can try doing it from your knees instead. Hold this pose for thirty seconds and then switch to the other side.

If you want to make the side plank a little more challenging and effective, then you can try to do a side plank reach through. To do this exercise, begin by propping yourself up in the side plank position. Then, extend your arm (the one not holding you up) up into the air. Put the same arm under your body and then back up again. Repeat this movement for as long as you hold the pose.

A side plank

Bicycle Crunches

To do this exercise, begin by laying on your back. Put your hands behind your head, supporting your neck. Try to keep your neck lifted at all times like you would during an average crunch. Finally, follow the motions in the video below. Do this exercise for a minute at a time. Make sure to alternate your arms and legs throughout the exercise.

Russian Twist

The Russian twist is a fairly simple exercise. If you find that it is too simple for you, try adding weights. You can use dumbbells, kettlebells, or even medicine balls to add weight. While you will need to hold the weight (if you choose to use one), this exercise will work out your core more than it will work out your arms. The weight is there to provide resistance, which will make the exercise more challenging and effective.

To do this exercise, sit on the ground. Put your feet on the ground with your knees in the air. Recline on at least a 45° angle. The further back you lean, the harder the exercise will be. Hold your weight in both your hands or simply use your own body weight. Touch the weight, or your hands, to the floor on one side and then twist, using your abdominal muscles more than momentum, to touch your weight to the floor on the other side. Repeat this movement for a minute.

Mountain Climber

The mountain climber is possibly the hardest exercise on this list, which may also make it the most effective at melting away your love handles. To do this exercise, prop yourself in a high plank position. That’s the easy part. Next, step one leg forward as far up as you can. Put it back quickly. Repeat the motion with the other leg. Follow the video below to see how it’s done.

Yoga

Yoga is a milder exercise but this means that it is easier to do for longer periods of time than some of the more strenuous exercises on this list. This type of exercises usually involves many long slow movements, over many rapid movements, like some other exercises. Twists are common in many yoga moves, which can also help to eliminate love handles.

One of the most helpful yoga poses is called the bridge pose. Try to incorporate this pose into your yoga routine to optimize the effects of the workout. One variation of the bridge pose is shown below.

Squat Variations

Nearly any type of squat can be effective when it comes to eliminating love handles. When doing any kind of squat, make sure to stand with your feet hips width apart. Also, make sure that you bend first at the hip, not at the knees. This will reduce the risk that you will end up hurting your knees.

If you want to make the squats more difficult, you can try some variations. One way to make squats more challenging is to stand with your feet further apart or to bend lower when you do a squat. Another way to make squats more challenging is to hold a dumbbell or kettlebell. This will help to work out your arms, legs, and core.

The Wood Chopper

The wood chopper is another exercise that can be done with or without the use of a weight (a dumbbell or kettlebell). Of course, it is more effective when weights are used. To do this exercise, begin by standing with your feet hips width apart. Raise your arms over your head, slanted to one side. Swing your arms down and through your legs in a diagonal motion. Do several of these exercises on each side to get the best workout for love handles.

If this exercise is too easy for you, or if you want to get more out of it, there are two general ways you can improve the exercise. One of the ways to make the exercise more challenging is to use a heavier weight. Another way is to squat as you move your arms down. This will help the exercise to not only work out your core and arms but also your legs.

Lunge Twist

The name of this exercise pretty much sums up how it works. To do this exercise, begin by doing a lunge. The further down you go in your lunge, the more effective and challenging the exercise will be. While you are in a low position, twist your core to one side, so that you are facing either to the right or left. Move back to the top position. When you do your next lunge, twist to the opposite side. Make sure to alternate each time to effectively lose fat on both of your love handles.

Hula Hoop

Playing with a hula hoop is a fun way to get in some exercise. This works because you are constantly moving your hips and working your abs while playing with this toy. Play with this toy for half an hour a day (if you are not doing any other exercises) or incorporate it into your daily exercise routine to get the best results.

High Knees

The high knees exercise is probably one of the easiest exercises in this list (for most people). However, if you have limited mobility issues, then this could be more difficult. To do this exercise, begin by standing with your feet hips width apart. Next, raise one knee up, as though you are marching. To make this exercise more effective, pretend you are pulling something down so that your elbows almost touch your knees. As you do this exercise, remember to alternate knees to get the best results.

Side Crunch

While crunches are good for producing abs, side crunches work better for eliminating love handles. To do this exercise, begin by laying on your side. Put one knee in front of the other. Next, lift your head and shoulder up. Repeat this motion for a few reps. When you are done, lay on your other side and repeat to work out your opposite side.

Walking, Jogging, and Running

Walking, jogging, and running is effective for losing weight in general. This is also great because you can pick which one you want to do based on your fitness level. Simply go for a walk with your dog, jog with a friend, or run as fast as you can to get great fitness benefits from this exercise.

Swimming and “Swimming”

There are two ways that the motion of swimming can help you to eliminate your love handles. The first, and most obvious, way is to simply jump in a pool or a lake and get to swimming. Since swimming is a full-body exercise, it is sure to melt away love handles in a snap.

Another way to use a swimming motion to lose weight doesn’t involve water at all. To do this exercise, lay down with your stomach touching the floor. Put your arms in front of you, as if you were swimming. Finally, move your arms and legs up and down in a swimming motion. You may find that this exercise is harder to do on the floor than in the water, but that only makes it more effective!

Deadlift

The deadlift is a strength-building exercise, as well as an exercise that can melt away love handles…if done properly. For this exercise, you will need some sort of weight. Using either one barbell or two dumbbells (of any weight) will be perfect for this exercise. The more experienced you are, the heavier weight you can use.

Stand with your feet hips width apart. When you begin, make sure your weights are on the ground. With a straight form, pick up your weights and raise them until they are up to your hips. Slowly lower the weights back down. Repeat. Watch the video below to learn the proper form for a deadlift exercise.

Box Jumps

This exercise is pretty self-explanatory. To state it simply, it involves jumping on and off of a box. Make sure you have a sturdy box for this exercise! Do not jump on a cardboard box! If you do not have a sturdy box, then you may want to use a chair, bed, couch, or stair instead. Simply, jump onto the box and jump off. It sounds easy, but just wait until you try it! You are sure to feel the burn!

Dumbbell/Kettlebell Swing

This exercise can be fairly easy or difficult, depending on the amount of weight you use. You will either need one dumbbell or one kettlebell to do this exercise. The weight is up to you. Push yourself, but don’t hurt yourself.

Stand with your feet hips width apart. Hold the weight outward, in front of your chest. Next, swing the weight down and through your legs. You may want to have a slight bend in the knees, but most of the bending should come from your abs/hips. When you are on the upstroke, bring the weight back up to your chest and repeat.