Shaping Your Silhouette: 4 Exercises Specifically Designed to Target Your Love Handles

Men and women with love handles know how difficult it is to remove this unwanted fat. Its location on the side of the abdomen leads many to believe their regular tummy workout will solve this problem and remove them for good. Sadly, as the fat sits on top of the obliques, the exercises needed to remove the fat remain very specific. A person must target this area and these muscles specifically to see the desired results.

People who work out will automatically point out it’s impossible to spot reduce fat. Targeting a specific area maximizes toning, but the only way to remove fat would be through diet and cardio exercise. For this reason, removing love handles requires the person to remove excess fat by following a healthy diet. Individuals who eat lean and clean see results in weight and fat loss. Thirty-minute cardio workouts every other day advance this goal, although many men and women engage in cardio more often.

Duke University carried out a study which found that a person who walked 30 minutes a day six day as week didn’t gain abdominal fat over a six-month period. Any person looking to lose weight and keep it off needs to keep this in mind. Finally, target the obliques during workouts to help tone these muscles and build the core. What exercises should a person do as a part of this workout? Would CoolSculpting at Donaldson Plastic Surgery be an option if this excess fat simply won’t go away?

Woodchoppers
Woodchoppers target the obliques. Stand with the feet hip-width apart and place all weight on one leg. Hold a hand weight in both hands up by the shoulder on the same side holding all the body weight. Twist the body down to the opposite side, making a chopping motion while doing so. The feet and knees should pivot with this movement. Return the weight up to the shoulder and complete 20 reps. Repeat on the other side for a total of 40 woodchoppers.

Russian Twists
Sit on the floor with the knees bent and the feet resting flat on the ground. Lean back until the torso sits at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Hold a hand weight between both hands and lift the feet off the ground. As the feet come up, cross them at the ankles and balance the weight of the body on the butt. Once in this position, turn the torso to one side and touch the weight to the floor before turning to the other side and doing the same. Repeat this 50 times, keeping the legs and torso off the ground while balancing the weight on the butt.

Hip Lifts in Side Plank Position
Begin in the side plank position with the hips and legs remaining on the ground and the upper body resting on the elbow. Using the abs, raise the hips and legs until the body is in a straight line. Slowly lower to the ground and repeat, engaging the abs throughout each rep. Repeat this exercise 15 times on each side.

Bike Crunches
Lie flat on the back and place the hands behind the head. Bend the knees while keeping the feet on the floor. Don’t cross the hands behind the head, but allow them to move freely. Using the abs, lift the upper portion of the body off the floor and bring the left elbow to the right knee until they meet. Repeat for the other arm and leg. Repeat these motions as rapidly as possible, keeping the torso off the ground throughout the workout. Do 30 bike crunches in total.

Repeat this circuit three times without taking a break between the different exercises. Do the entire routine a minimum of three times a week. Men and women who do so find their love handles become less of an issue. If this fat hangs around even with this workout routine and a healthy diet, it may be time to seek outside help. That is when a plastic surgeon needs to be consulted to learn if surgery becomes the only option. Some men and women find it is.

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