6 Effective Low-Impact Workouts to Trim Love Handles

“Love handles” should be a description of your favorite cookware. When it comes to your hips, however, “love handles” can be a whole different story. What’s frustrating is that you can’t magically discover fat reduction in certain parts of the body. That being said, you can lose fat all over your body, which in turn will help you slim down your love handles. We spoke to a trainer who outlines the best low-intensity exercises to lose love handles for good.

Low-intensity exercises can be very helpful in banishing love handles. “Low-intensity exercises (like walking or yoga) keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone, around 50-70% of your maximum heart rate,” explains Ronny Garcia, CPT, Blink Fitness. “In this range, the body uses a higher percentage of fat as fuel, compared to higher intensity exercise.”

In addition, low-intensity training is much more sustainable to keep up with in the long term, leading to a significantly higher caloric output. This form of training allows you to perform active recovery as well, removing the need for a full rest day. “[This helps you] Keep your body moving, increasing circulation and oxygenation, both of which help you burn more calories while you rest, says Garcia.

Now let’s dive into Garcia’s highly recommended low-intensity exercises for melting love handles.

Side plank

1. Lie on your side with your elbow placed under your shoulder.
2. Stack your feet, keep your core tight, and lift your hips off the floor so your body forms a straight line.
3. Hold the side plank position for 20 to 30 seconds on each side. Repeat 2 to 3 times.

5 Best Low Impact Workouts to Melt Love Handles

Russian twists

1. Sit on the ground with knees bent and feet flat.
2. Just lean back a little and keep a straight spine.
3. Twist your body to the left and then to the right, all while keeping a tight core.
4. Do 15 to 20 twists on each side. Repeat for 2 to 3 sets.

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Standing Oblique Crunches

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Place your hands on the back of your head.
3. Lift your right knee and at the same time bring your right elbow to meet your right knee.
4. Return to starting position.
5. Repeat on the other side.
6. Perform 12 to 15 reps per side. Complete 3 sets.

Seated knee drop

1. Sit on the ground with your knees bent.
2. Slowly lower the knees to the right, lift them back to the center and drop them to the left side.
3. Keep your core engaged.
4. Perform 15 to 20 reps on each side. Repeat for 2 to 3 sets.

The 10 best exercises you can do at the gym to melt love handles

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1. Lie flat on your back with your arms extended to your sides forming a “T” position.
2. Raise your legs to a 90-degree angle.
3. Gradually lower your legs to one side of your body without letting them touch the floor.
4. Lift your legs and repeat on the other side.
5. Perform 12 to 15 reps on each side. Repeat for 2 to 3 sets.

10 beginner strength exercises to melt love handles

Bird dog

1. Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
2. Lift and extend the left arm and right leg.
3. Hold this position for a moment and then return to the starting position.
4. Repeat on the other side.
5. Perform 12 to 15 reps per side. Repeat for 2 to 3 sets.