Love handles are referred to the skin that extends out from the hips and abdominal area.
Avoid wearing tight pants in case of love handles
HIGHLIGHTS
- Lack of exercise can cause love handles
- Love handles can increase risk of hypothyroidism
- Love can handles can lead to diabetes
When we are unable to burn the excess calories that we consume, they begin to accumulate in the body in the form of fat. One such sort of fat accumulation is love handles, which are referred to the skin that extends out from the hips and abdominal area. These love handles seem more prominent when one wears tight clothes. However, tight clothes are not the only reason for love handles. Fat retention is considered as a major reason for one getting love handles.
Causes of love handles
The reason for love handles is lack of exercising because of which the consumed calories remain unburned and accumulate as fat in the body. This fat can accumulate almost anywhere in the body, but there are reasons why this fat accumulates in the hips and the abdominal area. Excess release of hormones like cortisol, ageing, lack of exercise, being sleep deprived, consuming a diet which is high in calories, fats and carbs, are all reasons for fat accumulation in the hips and abdomen. Also, love handles can also be developed if a condition like hypothyroidism (which affects metabolism) goes undiagnosed.
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Risks of love handles
While love handles aren't dangerous, they are capable of causing some serious health risks like hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea, cancer and arthritis.
Thus, preventing love handles not only helps in making you feel more confident, but will also help in boosting the overall outlook of your health.
How to prevent love handles
Fat like love handles can be prevented or cut down by doing intense cardio exercises which help in burning calories. You can combine weight lifting exercises for the best and optimum results. Exercising moderately for at least 5 hours in a week can be helpful in dealing with love handles.
Exercises like brisk walking, cycling and swimming can effectively help you in reducing love handles.
Other exercises which can be helpful in cutting love handles are side planks, bicycle crunches, mountain climber and bridge exercises.
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Along with this, maintaining a healthy diet plan is equally important. Avoid carbs and sugar as much as possible and focus on consuming a protein-rich diet. This will help in making you feel fuller and reduce hunger substantially. Include a lot of leafy greens in your diet along with whole grains.
Ways of taking away the emphasis from love handles
Besides, you can chose for the right kind of pants that are fit on your waist instead of hips. This takes away the emphasis from love handles. Also avoid wearing extremely tight pants and underwear.
Thus, love handles can be dealt with by exercising regularly and eating mindfully. Seek medical assistance if healthy living and eating does not help in shrinking love handles. Surgical procedures like liposuction maybe underway in this case.
Also read: 5 Seemingly Innocent Habits That Increase Belly Fat
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