Excess weight around the waist --- love handles --- contributes to a higher risk of developing many chronic diseases. Excess weight in the midsection has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain forms of cancer. To lower the risk,men should reduce their waist size to less than 40 inches. Nonpregnant women should reduce their waist size to less than 35 inches. Exercise ideas to help lose the love handles involves a variety, not just those that target the waist.
Aerobic Exercises
While exercises that target the waist and love handles can tone the area and make the muscles stronger, there is no way to spot reduce just one area of the body. To help reduce the risk of disease and make the waist smaller, the American College of Sports Medicine suggests at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least five days a week. This includes activities such as walking, biking, swimming and dancing.
The ACSM states that men with higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness often have significantly less abdominal fat, regardless of their body mass index. However if weight loss benefits are not seen with 30 minutes of exercise, then you may need to spend more time working out. If new to exercise, start off slowly and work up gradually to a longer and more intense session. Aerobic-type activities will burn calories, which in turn will help with weight loss around the love-handle area and the rest of the body.
Strength Train the Whole Body
When trying to lose excess weight around the midsection, be wary of machines that promise results that seem to be too good to be true. There are no magic machines you can use for just 10 or 15 minutes a day that will shrink the love handles.
Instead, the Cleveland Clinic recommends strength training the whole body. Stronger muscles boost metabolism, which, in turn helps you shed those unwanted pounds in the mid section. The goal is to train each major muscle group to fatigue, two to three days a week, with a day of rest in between.
Oblique Twists
While working to shed the extra pounds, you can also perform exercises that can strengthen and tone the love-handle area.
Lie on your back with your right ankle on top of your left knee. Place the fingertips of your left hand behind your head but do not grasp and pull on the head. Your right arm can rest on the floor out to the side. Tighten your waist and stomach muscles, keep your low back in contact with the floor and rotate your left shoulder towards the right knee. To prevent neck pain, keep your left elbow back and do not try to touch your elbow to your knee. Instead, bring your shoulder --- not your elbow --- toward your knee. Do eight to 12 repetitions and then repeat other side. Move slowly and without bouncing.
Standing Waist Bends
Standing waist bends are another exercise that targets love handles. Stand up straight with your feet about hip-width apart. Tighten your abdominal and buttocks muscles and bend to the right, without twisting or leaning forward. Then come back up using your waist muscles. Do eight to 12 repetitions, then repeat on the other side. Do not bounce; move slowly and with control.
For added resistance use hand weights. Focus on letting the weights just hang throughout the exercise; do not pull the weights up with your hands.
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