Even though having love handles means there’s more of us to love and cherish, most people don’t like having them. Love handles not only make it difficult to wear tight clothing without being noticed, they can also indicate certain underlying conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure.
” Fat can accumulate anywhere on the body, but there are certain factors that increase the likelihood of retaining fat in the hip, lower back, and abdominal areas .” Factors that contribute to the formation of this type of fat include:
- Hormones, especially too much cortisol
- Age (accumulation of fat on the belly and sides is particularly common as one ages)
- lack of physical activity
- Diet rich in fats, sugars and high-calorie foods
- sleep deprivation
- Undiagnosed or untreated conditions that slow your metabolism (hypothyroidism – or an underactive thyroid – for example, makes it difficult to burn extra calories)
Fortunately, you can get rid of side fat by doing certain exercises consistently, and also by eating a diet full of fresh, natural foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. In this article, we’ll go over how you can get rid of side fat with just 5 exercises. Let’s get down to business!
THE 5 EXERCISES THAT MELT LATERAL FAT
1. LUMBERMAN
Using a hand weight of your choice, stand with your feet hip-width apart and carry the weight in both hands over your left shoulder. Next, twist your body toward your right hip as if you were chopping wood (hence the name of this exercise!) Rotate your feet and knees as you twist. Then bring the weight back to your left shoulder and repeat for 20 reps, switch to the other side and repeat for 20 reps.
2. RUSSIAN TWISTS
Most of you have probably heard of this exercise. You will definitely feel your abs on fire after this. To perform it, sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat. Lean your torso back at a 45-degree angle. Take a dumbbell and hold it on each side. Then, lift your feet up and either cross them at the ankles or lay them side by side. Put all your weight on your butt for balance. Then twist your torso to the right and touch the dumbbell to the ground. If this is not possible, simply reach as far to your right side as possible without losing your balance. Then repeat on the left side and keep twisting back and forth until you’ve done 50 reps, making sure to keep your feet off the ground and your torso leaning back.
3. HIP LIFTS WITH SIDE PLANK
The only weight you will need for this exercise is your own body weight. Get into a side plank position with your elbow, legs, and hips flat on the floor. Keep your body in a straight line and raise the lower half of your body into a side plank. Lower your body and repeat for 15 reps, then do 15 on the other side.
4. BIKE crunches
Oh yeah, another exercise that seems to be in every ab video, and for good reason. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your hands behind your head. Raise your shoulders and upper back off the ground and simultaneously move your right elbow toward your left knee until they meet. Quickly switch to the other side so that the left elbow meets the right knee. Keep this up as long as you can, but try to get to 30 reps.
5. HEEL TOUCHES
