How to Get Rid of Love Handles

Love handles, those pesky pockets of fat that sit on the sides of our waist, can be stubborn and difficult to get rid of. While they may seem like a minor cosmetic concern, excess fat around the midsection can actually increase the risk of health problems such as diabetes and heart disease

Luckily, there are ways to tackle love handles and achieve a slimmer, healthier waistline, discover our top tips on how to get rid of love handles.

Contents: 

  • What Causes Love Handles?
  • Ways to Get Rid of Love Handles
  • How to Lose Love Handles Fast
  • Can I Lose Love Gandles in 1 Week
  • Can Love Handles Go Away? 

What Causes Love Handles?

Love handles are caused by excess fat deposits in the waist and flank area. This can occur due to a variety of factors, including genetics, hormonal changes, and an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. Consuming processed foods, sugary drinks, and excess sodium can contribute to weight gain and the accumulation of fat in the midsection.

An inactive lifestyle can also contribute to love handles. Hormonal changes such as those that occur during menopause can also contribute to the accumulation of fat in the midsection. Overall, a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors can contribute to the development of love handles.

Ways to Get Rid of Love Handles

  1. Reduce your Calorie Intake
  2. Increase your Physical Activity
  3. Incorporate Strength Training
  4. Get Enough Sleep
  5. Manage Stress
  6. Eat a Healthy Diet
  7. Stay Hydrated
  8. Try Intermittent Fasting
  9. Have a Love Handle Reduction
  1. Reduce your Calorie Intake

Love handles are often the result of excess fat accumulation, which can occur when you consume more calories than your body needs. To get rid of love handles, it’s important to create a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories than you burn.

  1. Increase your Physical Activity

Regular exercise is essential for burning calories and reducing body fat, including love handles. If you are unsure of how to get rid of love handles, aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week.

  1. Incorporate Strength Training

When it comes to losing love handles and reducing belly fat, building muscle through weight training can be a game-changer. Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, meaning that it burns more calories at rest. By building muscle, you can increase your metabolism and burn fat more effectively, even when you’re not exercising.

One effective way to build muscle and target the abdominal muscles is through strength training exercises. Exercises like crunches, side planks, and Russian twists can all help to tone and strengthen your core muscles, including your obliques (the muscles that run along the sides of your waist).

  1. Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough quality sleep is crucial for reducing love handles. Poor sleep has been linked to weight gain and increased belly fat. When looking to get rid of love handles, aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night to support your fat loss goals. 

Poor sleep can disrupt hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism, leading to increased appetite and overeating. Lack of sleep can also increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which has been linked to increased belly fat. 

To improve the quality of your sleep, establish a consistent sleep schedule, avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime, and create a relaxing sleep environment. Consider talking to your healthcare provider or a sleep specialist if you struggle with getting enough quality sleep.

  1. Manage Stress

Chronic stress can be harmful to your overall health, including your weight and the accumulation of love handles. When you experience stress, your body releases the hormone cortisol. While cortisol is important for regulating many bodily functions, such as blood pressure and blood sugar levels, chronic stress can lead to increased levels of cortisol, which has been linked to weight gain and belly fat.

  1. Eat a Healthy Diet

To reduce love handles, focus on eating whole, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains. These foods provide essential vitamins and nutrients while keeping you full and satisfied. 

Avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and excess sodium, which can contribute to weight gain and love handles. Limiting these foods and focusing on nutrient-dense options can help support your weight loss goals and reduce love handles over time. 

A registered dietitian or nutritionist can help you develop a personalised nutrition plan that fits your lifestyle and supports your weight loss goals.

  1. Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water is vital for overall health and can also help you to get rid of love handles. Aim for 8-10 cups of water per day to flush toxins from your body, reduce bloating, and promote feelings of fullness. Hydrating foods like watermelon and cucumbers can also help you stay hydrated while providing nutrients. 

  1. Try Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting has become a popular weight loss strategy in recent years and can also be an effective method for reducing love handles. The practice involves restricting your eating to a specific window of time each day or week, such as an 8-hour window for eating followed by a 16-hour fast.

Intermittent fasting can help reduce calorie intake, which is crucial for weight loss. By limiting the number of hours you have to eat, you may naturally consume fewer calories overall. Ultimately, fasting has been shown to boost metabolism and increase fat burning, which can help target the love handle area specifically.

  1. Have a Love Handle Reduction

A love handle reduction can help get rid of stubborn fat deposits in the waist and flank area. These treatments use advanced technology such as Lipofirm to target and eliminate fat cells, resulting in a slimmer and more toned appearance. 

Love handle reduction can be effective for those who have tried diet and exercise but have not seen the desired results in the love handle area. By reducing love handles, you can experience health benefits such as reduced risk of certain health conditions linked with excess belly fat.

How Can I Lose My Love Handles Fast?

Losing love handles requires a combination of diet, exercise, and sometimes targeted treatments such as love handle reduction. To lose love handles fast, focus on consuming whole, nutrient-dense foods and avoiding processed foods and drinks with added sugar.

Make sure to include exercises that target the abdominal muscles, such as crunches and planks, and also consider incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for an extra calorie burn. 

Additionally, getting enough quality sleep, managing stress, and staying hydrated can all support your weight loss goals. For faster and more targeted results, consider love handle reduction treatments which can help eliminate stubborn fat deposits in the waist and flank area. However, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new diet or weight loss program.

Can I Lose Love Gandles in 1 Week?

It is unlikely to lose love handles in just one week, as sustained weight loss and fat reduction typically take time and consistency. While targeted exercises such as crunches and planks can help tone the abdominal muscles, they may not reduce fat in the love handle area specifically.

Crash diets or extreme measures to lose weight quickly can be unhealthy and unsustainable in the long term. Instead, a combination of a whole, nutrient-dense diet, regular exercise, and lifestyle habits such as adequate sleep and stress management can support sustained weight loss and gradual reduction of love handles over time. 

For more targeted and faster results, treatments such as love handle reduction may be considered, but it’s important to consult with a qualified professional such as our team at Tailored Aesthetics and have realistic expectations for the results.

So, Can Love Handles Go Away?

Yes, love handles can go away with a combination of diet, exercise, and sometimes targeted treatments such as love handle reduction. By consuming whole, nutrient-dense foods and avoiding processed foods and sugary drinks, and incorporating exercises that target the abdominal muscles, such as crunches and planks, individuals can lose weight and reduce love handles. 

High-intensity interval training (HIIT), getting enough quality sleep, managing stress, and staying hydrated can all support weight loss goals. Love handle reduction treatments can also be effective for eliminating stubborn fat deposits in the waist and flank area. However, it’s important to remember that everyone’s body is different and it may take time and consistency to see results.

Where to Get a Love Handle Reduction? 

At Tailored Aesthetics our team of nursing professionals with years of NHS experience offer love handle reduction using the latest Lipofirm technology. 

This particular treatment aims to target and eliminate stubborn fat in the love handle area, resulting in inch loss and circumference reduction. Additionally, the treatment incorporates dynamic muscle activation to stimulate the muscles, which can lead to a more toned and defined appearance. Overall, the combination of fat reduction and muscle stimulation can help achieve a slimmer and more sculpted look in the love handle area.

Book a consultation today to begin your Love Handle Reduction treatment. 

About Zoe Taylor

Zoe is a distinguished aesthetic practitioner, holding a diploma in Physiology and Anatomy, underscoring her strong foundation in the science behind aesthetic procedures.


As the founder of Tailored Aesthetics, Zoe's mission is to assist clients in cultivating self-love and confidence through embracing their own skin. Read More >