Love handles are stubborn areas of fat on your sides and stomach. Men are particularly prone to developing this tell-tale belly fat, especially as they age and experience lower testosterone levels. Proper nutrition, a healthy lifestyle, and a good training routine are essential to getting rid of love handles for men. It can feel impossible to get rid of all the extra “love†around your middle, but it is not hopeless.
Proper nutrition, a healthy lifestyle, and a good training routine are essential to losing the extra body fat around your stomach and sides.
Read on to learn how to reduce love handles in men.
What Are Love Handles?
There are different kinds of fat. Visceral fat is a dangerous kind of fat that surrounds your stomach, liver, and intestines. It is found deep within your abdominal walls and can cause health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Subcutaneous fat is fat that is stored beneath your skin. This is the type of fat in love handles. This fat sits at the bottom layer of your skin. It is good for your body and helps to protect it by padding your bones to prevent damage during falls. It also controls your body temperature. Subcutaneous fat attaches your middle layer of skin to your bones and muscles and helps blood vessels and nerves get to your muscles.
This type of fat makes up 90% of your body fat. Body mass index (BMI) is a method physicians use to measure your subcutaneous fat. This measurement is a ratio based on your height and weight. You likely have excess body fat if you are above the average BMI.
Too much subcutaneous fat can also be a problem. It can lead to fatty liver disease, certain types of cancers, cardiovascular disease, and gallbladder diseases. Some people are genetically predisposed to have more subcutaneous fat, but environmental factors can also affect how much of this fat a man has. People with low aerobic activity may have lower muscle mass and higher levels of this type of fat. Also, men with diabetes may have higher levels of subcutaneous fat.
When you are looking to get rid of love handles, you need to focus on methods that target subcutaneous fat.
7 Tips to Get Rid of Love Handles for Men
Getting rid of love handles for men can be tough. Although adding more exercises to your routine that focus on the midsection may be tempting, this isn't the solution. If you want to get rid of love handles, you should focus on a full-body approach. Exercise alone won't cut it. You need a balanced diet, healthy habits, and an effective exercise routine to tackle those love handles.
Here are some tips for men on how to get rid of love handles:
#1 Reduce Added Sugar
Sodas, cookies, candies, and many other foods have added sugars. According to a study in the Journal of Nutrition, high-sugar foods and drinks were associated with higher abdominal fat levels. High fructose corn syrup, honey, agave nectar, and table sugar are all made of simple sugars or carbohydrates. Foods with simple carbs have lots of calories but little nutritional value. In moderation, simple sugars are sometimes good. However, excess added sugar can lead to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
So, it is important to reduce the number of sugary drinks and foods you consume in your daily diet, or you can end up with excess fat around your middle.
However, more complex carbs are better for your body and take longer for your body to break down. They provide you with more energy that lasts longer. Eating a lot of complex carbs right before and after a cardio workout can make your exercise more efficient to help you lose your love handles. Some examples of complex carbs include brown rice, quinoa, whole-grain pasta, wild rice, oats, and sweet potatoes.
#2 Eat a Balanced Diet
The key to getting rid of love handles for men is simply following the latest food diet fad. To permanent;ly get rid of love handles, you do need to eat a healthy and balanced diet. In the long run, eliminating foods you love from your diet isn't sustainable, but you can swap some food for healthier choices. You can also work on reducing some of the less healthy foods to aid in fat loss.
Prioritize eating plenty of protein, fiber, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. Spread out these food groups over your recommended daily calorie intake for the best results. A healthy diet will go a long way in helping you to reduce unwanted fat.
Opt for whole grains and try to eliminate processed, chemically altered, and packaged foods. Also, incorporate healthy fats into your diet, such as avocados, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, and olive or coconut oil. According to the American Heart Association, healthy fats regulate your blood sugar, give you energy, and support cell function.
Add more protein and fiber to your diet to stay full longer. Lean proteins include chicken, eggs, lean ground turkey, fatty fish, and tofu. Fruits and vegetables also contain many vitamins and minerals essential for body functioning. These nutrients will also support an active lifestyle, which is also essential for men trying to get rid of love handles.
#3 Stay Hydrated
According to the CDC, US adults, on average, drink about 44 ounces of water a day. However, according to a study, the recommended daily fluid intake for men is 3,000 milliliters (or about 101 ounces) a day. That's a big difference. However, if you are very active, weigh more, have a fast metabolism, or live in higher altitudes, you may want to drink even more water.
About 20% of your fluid intake comes from water in foods. You can get a lot of water from fruits and veggies, especially cucumbers, celery, zucchini, watermelon, strawberries, and iceberg lettuce. Water makes your blood the right consistency to flow to the brain, heart, kidneys, and muscles. It also aids your digestive system, keeps your joints lubricated, prevents kidney damage, improves your skin's appearance, and reduces your risk of tooth decay.
Water can also suppress your appetite and boost your metabolism to help you meet your weight loss goals. It can also make exercise more efficient and easier, which allows you to get better results and help men get rid of those love handles.
#4 Cut Down on Alcohol and Caffeine
You've heard of a beer gut. Well, if you have a beer or glass of wine each day or have several every weekend, the calories from these beverages can add up. A typical beer has around 150 calories. Cutting down on these liquid calories may help you fight those stubborn love handles.
Additionally, many of the caffeinated drinks people drink are loaded with additional calories that may add fat to your waistline. A couple of cups of coffee or tea are usually fine, but many of us drink several cups a day. If you add sweeteners and milk to your caffeinated beverages, you are adding a bunch of additional calories and added sugars to your diet each day. Cutting back on these beverages may help you to combat stubborn fat around your middle.
#5 Get Plenty of Rest
In addition to diet changes, your lifestyle habits must support a healthy body for you to lose your love handles. Getting more sleep could help men burn fat and get rid of love handles. When you don't get enough sleep, your body produces more cortisol. This hormone tells your body to slow down and conserve energy. This leaves you feeling lethargic, but it also increases your cravings for foods high in carbs and fat. This can make it hard to lose belly fat.
Experts recommend that men get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Reducing caffeine intake several hours before bed and establishing a consistent, calming bedtime routine can help you fall asleep faster and get the rest your body needs to get rid of love handles.
#6 Try HIIT Training
High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is a type of cardio workout that incorporates rounds of high-intensity movements with short periods of lower-intensity movements. This type of exercise routine is effective for people who do not feel they have time to exercise. HIIT is an aerobic and strength training exercise that has similar benefits to longer workouts.
HIIT exercises can be done without equipment or easily on home equipment. You can practice HIIT on a treadmill, rowing machine, stationary bicycle, stair climbers, or with exercises that need no equipment, such as dance.
HIIT is good for decreasing body fat and increasing strength and endurance. It can be tailored to an individual's needs and exercise level. Many exercises in a HIIT routine target the obliques, lower back, and ab muscles to help build muscle and target fat storage.
Some examples of HIIT exercises you can use to get rid of love handles include the following:
- Russian Twists: This exercise works your obliques. Sit on the ground and bend your knees. Then, twist your torso back and forth. Complete 3 sets for 45 seconds each.
- Dumbbell Side Bends: This is another oblique exercise. Hold a dumbbell in one hand. Then, bend laterally. Complete 3 sets at 30 seconds each. Repeat on the other side.
- Plank Rows: Have weights in your hands. Get in a plank position by lying on your belly on a mat, then lift your body with your hands and balance on your toes. Keep your back straight and your core engaged. Lift one dumbbell should height while balancing your body on the other hand. Then, switch sides. Complete 3 sets at 60 seconds each.
- Reverse Crunch: For this core exercise, lie on your back. Next, lift your hips toward the ceiling while your arms remain flat on the ground. Then, lower your abs. Complete 3 sets for 60 seconds apiece.
- Mountain Climber: Get in the plank position. Now, bring one knee to your chest. Go back to plank. Then, bring up the other knee. Repeat for 3 sets.
For the best results, balance these high-intensity abdominal exercises with days of rest and additional strength and resistance training.
People who are not used to high-intensity exercise or who have certain medical conditions may need to take it slowly or seek the help of a professional trainer when beginning a HIIT exercise routine. HIIT can increase your heart rate and lead to higher blood pressure for sensitive groups. A trainer can help you to ease into a workout routine that is right for you.
#7 Additional Exercises to Get Rid of Love Handles
Besides HIIT training, you can fight love handles by lifting weights and performing exercises that target specific areas, which will help build lean muscle and burn fat.
Deadlifting builds lean muscles while burning fat. This exercise will target your upper body. Use a barbell or dumbbell to perform this exercise. Here is a step-by-step guide:
- Stand with your feet apart at hip width. Then, bend your knees slightly to grab the barbell or dumbbells using an overhand grip.
- Keep your head lined up with your spine to create a flat back. Push your hips forward and slowly stand up. Once your knees are straight, hold the barbells or dumbbells close to your body.
- Hold this position for a few seconds, then slowly return the weights to the floor. Don't bend your knees too deeply or round your shoulders.
Squats are great for managing body weight and building strength in your lower body. You can perform these exercises with dumbbells or barbells. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, grasping your weights. Keep your back neutral and bend slowly at your knees. Your knees should be centered over your feet as you squat. Now, move slowly back to a standing position.
Push-ups are also a great way to build muscle and attack stubborn belly fat.
#8 Consider Semaglutide: An Effective Treatment for Love Handles in Men
If you've tried time and again to lose those stubborn love handles but can't seem to make any progress, let Male Excel help you. We offer affordable and easy-to-customize Semaglutide medication that gets delivered straight to your door. This groundbreaking GLP-1 medication for managing blood sugar levels and weight loss is available as both an injection and tablet.
Semaglutidie can help to reduce cravings and appetite, accelerate weight loss effectively, and support sustained weight loss.
#9 Consider Testosterone Therapy
Testosterone therapy (TT) is one of the most effective treatments for getting rid of love handles for men. As men age, testosterone levels naturally decline, which can contribute to the development of love handles and other stubborn fat areas. TT can help by:
- Increasing Muscle Mass and Reducing Fat Mass: Higher testosterone levels can enhance muscle growth while reducing fat accumulation, particularly in the abdominal area.
- Improving Metabolism and Energy Levels: Enhanced testosterone levels can boost metabolism, leading to more effective fat-burning and increased energy for workouts.
- Enhancing Effectiveness of Diet and Exercise Routines: With improved energy and muscle mass, your diet and exercise efforts become more effective, making it easier to lose love handles.
Combined with diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes, testosterone therapy can significantly improve your results. Additionally, you can combine TT with Semaglutide for a targeted weight loss routine, further enhancing the overall effectiveness of your efforts to lose those stubborn love handles.
Consult with a healthcare provider to determine if testosterone therapy is right for you and how it can be integrated into your overall plan to lose love handles.
Conclusion: How Men Can Finally Get rid of Those Love Handles
It can be difficult to get rid of love handles for males, but with the right diet, lifestyle habits, and exercise routine, you can combat that stubborn fat. Love handles are often a product of genetics, environment, and lifestyle. To effectively combat this excess fat, it is important to focus on the whole body.
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