Love handles—pockets of fat that sit above the hip bone and cover the oblique muscles—are notoriously difficult to lose. You can target your obliques to maximize toning, but you can only lose love-handle fat through a calorie deficit. Cardio and diet are critical ingredients for shrinking love handles. Love handles refer to excess fat on the sides of the waist. This fat often hangs over the sides of pants and due to its appearance is also called a “spare tire” or “muffin top.” This area is a common concern for people who want to slim down.
To lose your love handles, you need to lose fat all over the body. The best exercise regimen for fat loss includes both aerobic and strength exercises (resistance training). High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a type of cardiovascular exercise that alternates between short bouts of high-intensity and low-intensity exercise. Studies found that HIIT reduced weight and waist circumference.