What causes love handles? They might have a flattering name, but they certainly aren’t something most people love or are particularly fond of!
Love handles, sometimes called a “muffin top,” describe excess fat that accumulates around the sides of the waist, hips and abdominal area. For many people, this can be one of the more stubborn areas of the body to change.
Love handles aren’t caused by one single factor. Overall body fat, diet, physical activity, age, hormones, genetics and even stress can all influence where your body tends to store fat.
So, why do some people struggle with stubborn fat around their waist even when they’re trying to eat better and exercise? Let’s look at some of the most common causes of love handles.
Main Causes of Love Handles
Understanding why fat tends to accumulate around your waist can help you make better decisions about exercise, nutrition and your overall body-sculpting goals.
Absence of Physical Activity
Physical activity plays an important role in maintaining a healthy body composition. When you’re consistently consuming more calories than your body uses, the excess energy can be stored as body fat.
Where that fat appears, however, varies from person to person. For some people, the waist, abdomen and hips are among the first places they notice it.
Regular exercise can help reduce overall body fat while strengthening the muscles around your core, hips and lower body.
High Cortisol Levels
Cortisol is commonly called the body’s stress hormone, and levels can increase during periods of stress.
Kids, work, finances, your spouse, traffic, politics…yeah, we all have stress!
Research continues to examine the relationship between chronic stress, cortisol, appetite, metabolism and abdominal fat. Stress can also affect sleep, eating habits and physical activity, all of which can influence body composition.
So managing stress isn’t just good for your mood. It can be an important part of maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle and keeping those glorious tush-toning plans on track!
A Diet High In Fats, Carbs, and Sugars
One of the most common reasons for an increase in fat cells in the body is none other than consuming a diet that is high in sugars, fats, carbs, and high-calorie foods.
For many people, following such a diet can increase the accumulation of fat around the hips and waist.
Age
Our bodies change as we age, and those changes can affect where and how easily we store body fat.
Changes in hormones, metabolism, muscle mass and physical activity can all influence body composition over time. Some people begin noticing more stubborn fat around their abdomen, waist and hips as they get older, even if their overall weight hasn’t changed dramatically.
Maintaining muscle through strength training, staying physically active and paying attention to nutrition become increasingly important as we age.
Genes
Genetics can also influence body composition and where your body naturally tends to store fat.
Some people are simply more genetically predisposed to carry weight around their stomach and waist, while others tend to store more around their hips, thighs or buttocks.
Genetics doesn’t mean you’re powerless to change your body. Exercise, nutrition and lifestyle still matter, and body sculpting can provide another option for targeting specific areas that remain stubborn.
What Can You Do About Love Handles?
Love handles can be frustrating because you can’t choose exactly where your body loses fat. Exercises that work your core can strengthen and define the muscles around your waist, but exercise alone cannot specifically force your body to burn fat from your love handles.
Reducing overall body fat through nutrition and regular physical activity can make a difference. But when the waist and abdominal area remain stubborn, non-invasive body-sculpting technologies can provide another option.
TushToners uses technologies including ultrasonic cavitation and radiofrequency as part of our approach to targeting areas such as the abdomen, waist and love handles.
Love Handles and Body Sculpting
Getting rid of stubborn love handles isn’t always as simple as doing more abdominal exercises. Your age, genetics, lifestyle, overall body composition and where your body naturally stores fat all play a role.
If you’ve been working on your nutrition and exercise but still aren’t happy with the contour of your waist, body sculpting can complement the work you’re already doing by targeting specific areas.
