Isn’t it ironic that something called love is actually something some people hate?
Love handles - what a misnomer, am I right? - that extra fat around our waistline - that circle of fat around our gut that we can’t seem to get rid of, no matter how hard we try. Doesn’t it just annoy you when you wear your favorite pair of jeans and you get a “muffin top” because of your love handles? Happens to me all the time! Love handles are emphasized when we wear tight-fitting clothes. What’s worse is, love handles actually indicate that they are excess fat accumulated. Worry not because even devoted gym-goers have them and struggle to kiss them goodbye.
So, today, we are going to get to the bottom of love handles. What causes them? And more importantly, how can we hide them?
Why Do We Have Love Handles?
Root cause: fat retention. Yep, that’s the thing with love handles - once you have them, it is almost impossible to get rid of them. Love handles are actually the zones of stubborn fat. The first place weight gain makes an appearance and the last one to go. Frustrating, right?
Of course, don’t go on wondering why you have love handles when you do not exercise. When the calories you consume remain “unburned”, they accumulate as fat in the body. Actually, this fat can appear anywhere in the body. It’s just that love handles are easily seen and noticed, hence the particular hatred for it.
You also have to consider your age. As we get older, our metabolism slows down making belly fat accumulation easier. That’s why it is extremely important to be active. Engage yourself in physical activities - work out, take a sport, just get moving.
If your diet is high in fats, sugars, and just altogether unhealthy, well, that’s a sure recipe to gain love handles. In my research about love handles, I actually saw this saying, “Love handles begin and end in the kitchen”; no truer words ever were spoken.
But, there is also another reason why you might have love handles despite keeping active and eating healthy. It can be possible that a person may have undiagnosed and untreated conditions that can slow down metabolism, like hypothyroidism. If a person has this condition, it means his thyroid is underactive, making it difficult to burn extra calories. See your doctor right away if you suspect you have it.
How Can I Hide Them?
Nothing could ruin an outfit more than a muffin top, seriously. So, here are some quick tips on how you can hide your love handles (and reserve them for those who truly love you):
1. Buy the right size of jeans or bottoms
Wearing jeans or bottoms that are way too tight does not only give your love handles so much exposure, but it is also downright uncomfortable. If you buy loose jeans, on the other hand, they will rest below your waist, showing your muffin top for all the world to see. Eeep! So, buy the right size of jeans because they will hide what needs to be concealed.
2. Tuck It In
Your worst enemy when you have love handles is tight-fitting tops (basically anything tight-fitting). Wear loose, flattering tops! I particularly like tucking them in, in a chic way. Tuck them in completely or loosely or even half tuck it. It doesn’t matter as long as it looks good.
3. Color It Right
Wearing darker hues has always been a tried and tested way to camouflage our bulkier areas. Make sure you have black, blue, maroon, and other dark colors in your closet (Or if you don’t yet, this makes up for a perfect reason to go shopping!).
4. Go High...Waisted
Another effective way of hiding your love handles is to wear high-waisted bottoms. It keeps our problem areas where you want them to be and can actually fake the toned look. High-waisted bottoms give the illusion of your torso being toned and tight because your muffin top is not accentuated.
5. Denim It!
Denims give you a more structured look and hug your body the way you want it to; unlike some lightweight materials that cling to your body making you look bulky.
I have to be honest with you and tell you straight up that these quick tips are just a band-aid solution to the problem and we don’t prefer that. I want to encourage you to make changes in your lifestyle. Exercise, take up a sport, and most of all, eat healthy. These are the sure-shot ways to kiss those love handles goodbye…for good. We Highly Recommend you read this article to find out more about Weight Loss