Shrinking, tightening, and toning those dreaded “love handles” is a common fitness goal. The excess fat that hangs over your jeans can be particularly stubborn, and unfortunately, spot reduction is a myth. While trimming your waistline can feel like an uphill battle at times, the good news is that with a few essential lifestyle tweaks—like consuming a nutritious diet and strength training regularly—you can see noticeable results. We spoke with a fitness pro who outlines the six most effective exercises to eliminate love handles.
Strength training plays a major role in shrinking love handles. According to Dr. Kira Capozzolo, doctor of chiropractic and co-owner at Twin Waves Wellness Center, “Strength training increases lean muscle mass, which boosts your resting metabolism (meaning you burn more calories throughout the day). Compound lifts like deadlifts, squats, and overhead presses all require strong, braced cores. Training your whole body helps your midsection, even if you’re not doing endless crunches.”
Capozzolo adds, “Strength training also improves insulin sensitivity and reduces visceral fat—the stuff around your organs—which is often linked to ‘love handle’ fat.”
That’s why Capozzolo shares her go-to exercises to melt love handles.
Side Plank
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The side plank is great for boosting core endurance and lateral stability.
- Sit side facing, placing one hand on the floor under your shoulder.
- Extend your legs and stack your feet.
- Lift your hips off the floor and activate your core.
- Complete 3 sets per side, holding for 30 to 60 seconds.
- For an extra challenge, add 10 to 12 slow hip dips.
Russian Twist
This move fires up the obliques while engaging your entire trunk.
- Sit on the ground with bent knees and flat feet.
- Lean back just a bit so your torso and thighs create a “V” shape.
- Hold a dumbbell or medicine ball in front of your chest.
- Twist your torso to the left and right, bringing the weight beside your hip.
- Complete 3 sets of 20 twists, 10 per side.
Bicycle Crunches
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The bicycle crunch activates the obliques and rectus abdominis.
- Begin seated.
- Place your hands behind your head.
- Lift one knee while rotating the opposite elbow toward it.
- Alternate sides in a bicycling motion.
- Complete 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps per side, keeping the movement slow and controlled.
Standing Woodchopper
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This exercise embodies functional movement that channels real-life movement. It’s excellent for core activation and spinal health.
- Set the cable machine to a high position, attaching the handle.
- Stand perpendicular to the machine with your feet planted shoulder-distance apart.
- Hold the handle using both hands.
- With extended arms, pull the cable diagonally across your body—a high to low chopping motion—so it ends near your opposite hip.
- Maintain a braced core and square hips.
- Use control to return to the start position.
- Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side.
Bird Dog
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Capozzolo calls the bird dog a “chiropractor’s favorite” that activates the core and glutes.
- Assume all fours with your hands under your shoulders.
- Extend your left arm and right leg.
- Hold for a moment before returning to all fours.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Perform 3 sets of 10 per side, keeping the movement slow and controlled.
Dead Bug
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The dead bug is a low-impact exercise that’s stellar for retraining the core and stabilizing the spine.
- Lie flat on your back with your arms extended toward the sky and knees bend to 90 degrees.
- Engage your core as you lower your right arm and left leg until both hover above the floor.
- Make sure your back maintains contact with the ground.
- Return to the start position.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Complete 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side.
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is a content strategist, editor, and writer based in Greenwich, Connecticut. She has 11+ years of experience creating content for travel, lifestyle, fitness, wellness, F&B, home, and celeb news publications. Read more about Alexa
