Love handles cover the muscles on the sides of the body known as the obliques. To activate these muscles, you need to do trunk lateral flexion or trunk rotation. Keep these movements in mind when doing exercises at home. Remember that you also have to promote fat burning by following a healthy diet and doing cardiovascular exercise.
Running
Running is a form of cardio that burns calories, improves aerobic capacity and tones multiple muscles in the lower body. To lose weight, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 60 to 90 minutes of cardio, five days a week. Start your workouts with a light warm-up, run at a moderate to high intensity and finish with a light cool-down.
Angled Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers are fat-burning exercises that also work the abs and legs. By doing a slight variation, you will incorporate the obliques. After placing your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor and your legs in a staggered stance under your body, move your legs back and forth quickly in a running motion. When you bring your knee forward, move it toward your opposite elbow. To keep the emphasis on your abs, do not let your foot touch the floor when you move your leg forward.
Ab Sweep
An ab sweep requires a towel and slippery floor surface. This exercise works the obliques and butt simultaneously and it is performed from a face-up position. After placing your heels on the towel, move your arms out to your sides and place your palms down on the floor. Steadily press into the towel and slide your legs as far to your right side as possible. Move all the way back to your left and continue to alternate back and forth. Really focus on using your obliques to produce the movement.
Russian Twist
Russian twists work the obliques from a seated position on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. After leaning back slightly, extend your arms in front of your chest and rotate as far to your right as possible. Steadily twist your torso as far to your left side as possible. Alternate back and forth in a steady motion. To increase the resistance, hold a water jug in front of your chest.
Spine Twist
The spine twist is a Pilates exercise that works the obliques from a seated position on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. After raising your arms out at your sides parallel to the floor, twist your torso from side to side in a steady motion. When doing this, keep your lower body still and back as straight as possible. Also keep your head in line with the direction you are twisting.
Side Planks
The side plank pose is a yoga exercise that works the obliques without repetitive movement. While lying on your left side with your hand on the floor and legs stacked, lift your hips in the air as you extend your right arm straight above you. Once you have a straight line from your shoulders to your heels, hold for 30 to 45 seconds then switch sides. For a modification, perform this exercise on your forearm.
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