Love handles appear when excess fat around the stomach protrudes from the sides and these may be more noticeable due to poor clothing choices. Sometimes not wearing the right clothes can affect you so badly that it looks like you have love handles when you don't! It can be very difficult to get rid of them by exercising, but fortunately, you can hide them with a combination of these measures: wear the right clothes, avoid the ones that are not suitable, and divert attention from this problematic part of the body.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Choosing the Right Clothing
Step 1. Wear high-waisted clothing
Most people tend to have a narrower waist than their hips, so wearing high-waisted clothing will prevent pants from unnaturally separating the waist and hips. In addition, they will also prevent the waist from cutting the figure at the widest point, creating a bulge.
- Choose clothing that fits around the waist or just above the navel;
- Also choose clothes that have a wide waist - with at least two buttons - and that are more high-necked on the back than on the front, so as not to cut the figure in an awkward way.
Step 2. Opt for “empire” cut and flared garments
Empire-style dresses are tight at the waist and then go down softly; they dress well because they accentuate the waist, hiding the belly and love handles.
Likewise, flared garments are also tighter at the top and widen downwards, so skirts and dresses with this cut balance a broad bust and make love handles less noticeable
Step 3. Wear colors that streamline
While the common opinion is that wearing dark colors always has a slimming effect, this is not entirely true. Instead of wearing only black to hide your love handles and look slimmer, wear a darker color for the part where you are thicker and a lighter one for the part where you are leaner.
For example, if you want to make your tummy look less prominent, wear something black around your torso and add a colorful garment to your upper body. You can achieve this by pairing a high-waisted flared skirt with a brightly colored top tucked into the skirt
Step 4. Try on different types of shirts
Some types of shirts are more flattering for those who need something soft at the waist and will also shift the focus away from love handles. Shirts that fit well are those that fall softly, including:
- Kimono style shirts
- Kaftans
- Shirts and dresses with crossover neckline
Step 5. Wear clothing with bright patterns and designs
Another way to solve this problem is to hide the love handles with a flashy print or pattern, or cover them with ruched dresses, which conceal the shapes.
- Choose tops curled on the sides or with some flounces;
- You can experiment with elaborate patterns, diagonal stripes and flashy prints.
Step 6. Use modeling underwear
The shaping underwear, also called containment, is probably the most effective solution to hide the love handles, being specially designed to shape and smooth certain parts of the body. This type of clothing should be worn underneath clothing. Garments that hide love handles include:
- Containment girdles and shaping petticoats, ideal for wearing a dress with a slimming effect;
- Busts and support panties, perfect to wear under skinny jeans, tight pants or skirts.
Part 2 of 5: Avoid Clothing That Accentuates Love Handles
Step 1. Avoid clothing that emphasizes shapes
When it comes to love handles, avoiding unsuitable clothing is just as important as choosing the right ones. Tight-fitting and snug tops (which are not also modeling) will only highlight them, especially if combined with pants or skirts that are too tight and do not fit well.
Some fabrics to avoid are satin, polyester and elastane (Spandex and Lycra), because they adhere to the body and highlight the silhouette
Step 2. Avoid straight cut dresses
Unlike empire-style or flared dresses, straight dresses emphasize the bust and belly, thus highlighting the love handles.
This applies to both pants and skirts as well as tops and dresses
Step 3. Avoid belts
It is often recommended to use belts to hide love handles, but even thick and wide ones can tighten the hips making them look more prominent.
- If you want to wear a wide belt, opt for one that fits soft; wear it on your hips, and combine it with a wide top.
- Otherwise, limit yourself to thin belts that don't tighten at the waist.
Step 4. Don't wear underwear that is too tight
Tight underwear, particularly if it has waist belts or drawstrings, can tighten and make love handles more pronounced. In fact, underwear with thin and tight strings can even make it look like you have love handles when you don't.
As with pants and skirts, choose underwear with a high waist and a wide waistband
Step 5. Avoid pants that don't fit at the waist
This includes those that are too tight and those that don't fit the way they should. Don't try to wear pants that fit tight, especially around the waist.
For example, skinny jeans will also be the latest fashion, but if you wear them low-rise and have a large bust, the love handles will be even more noticeable
Part 3 of 5: Shifting the Focus
Step 1. Bring eye-catching necklaces
Another way to hide love handles (or other features of your body that you don't like) is to draw attention to something else. There are various ways of doing this, including jewelry. An original and eye-catching necklace will draw the eye to the neck and chest, diverting attention from the waist and hips.
Avoid necklaces that are too long; would bring attention back to the bust
Step 2. Wear bright or patterned scarves
Like the necklace, a brightly colored or bold patterned scarf will focus attention on the face and neck, away from the love handles.
You can also wear scarves in spring and summer, but to avoid warmth, choose those with a finer and lighter fabric, such as cotton and linen
Step 3. Choose eye-catching earrings
Long or flashy pendants draw attention to the face and away from the bust. They can be a good variation for when you don't feel like wearing necklaces or scarves.
If you can't wear long pendants at work, or they bother you, try buttoned ones with bright and eye-catching colors, or shorter earrings with eye-catching shapes
Step 4. Wear shirts with a distinctive neckline
Another way to shift the focus to the neck and chest instead of the love handles is with a V-neck, a round neckline, or with deeper necklines. These are great solutions for those who can't bring jewelry or scarves to work.
Step 5. Wear a sweater knotted around your waist
You can also tie the sleeves of a sweater or jacket around your waist to hide the love handles. The thickness of the sleeves will cover the excessive roundness underneath.
- Let the sweater fall at the back, tying the sleeves at the front with a knot or bow.
- In the summer, you can use a light long-sleeved shirt to achieve the same effect.
Part 4 of 5: Hide the Love Handles (Men)
Step 1. Leave the shirt out of the pants
When tucked into pants, the shirt will fit more closely to the body, accentuating the love handles. On the contrary, wear a smartly cut shirt and let it fall softly, so that, having more space, the fabric covers the love handles.
If you have to wear your shirt inside your pants, for example at work, you can wear it over a jacket or blazer
Step 2. Avoid bright, flashy clothing
Overly flashy shirts will draw attention to the bust and love handles. Conversely, choose plain dark shirts that don't draw the eye around the waist. Avoid this type of shirts:
- With bright colors
- With elaborate or fantasy designs
- Striped or checked
Step 3. Stand straight with your back
When you are slouched, the shoulders go forward and the belly is compressed in the center outwards, making the love handles more prominent.
- When sitting or standing, your back should be straight and your shoulders turned back. Keep the head in line with the body and activate the trunk to support the upper body.
- Correct posture will also relieve back pain, headaches and make you look taller.
Step 4. Put on waist pants
Instead of wearing the pants on your hips, wear them around your waist. This will help you hide the love handles, prevent the waist from cutting the figure unnaturally and, in general, make you look slimmer.
The waist is the narrowest point on the torso, just below the navel
Step 5. Put on tight-fitting undershirts
This type of shirt is also called shaping and is perfect for containing excess fat, hiding love handles and making you look slimmer.
Be sure to wear the containment shirt as an undergarment underneath a regular shirt
Part 5 of 5: Targeted Physical Activity for Love Handles
Step 1. Practice cardio
It is not possible to aim to burn fat in a specific area, but you can try to reduce love handles by decreasing the overall amount of excess fat in your body. All exercises that increase the heart rate, such as cardio and aerobic gymnastics, are among the most effective ways of burning fat. For best results, exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, at least four times a week. Good cardio exercises are:
- I swim
- Running and jogging
- Circuit training
- Cycling
- High intensity interval workouts
Step 2. Practice strength training
It is perfect because it strengthens muscles and burns fat at the same time. If you don't have time to go to the gym and lift weights, you can also practice bodyweight strength training at home: Here is an easy sequence of exercises:
- 20 squats: Standing, keeping your legs apart, bend over into a squat to the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- 10 push-ups: Lie on the floor on your stomach, supporting yourself on your toes and palms and keeping your arms straight. Bend your arms while lowering yourself to the floor keeping your body straight, then straighten your arms back to the starting position.
- 20 Lunges: Step forward with your right foot, then lower yourself by straining your torso straight and extending your left leg. Come back up, step forward with your left leg and lower yourself down again by extending your right.
- 10 row with dumbbells: bring two chairs together and place your right knee on one chair and your right palm on the other. With your left arm, do a row by lifting the handlebar (or a bottle of detergent or a can of paint) straight next to your body, then lower it again. Repeat 10 times on each side.
- 15 seconds of plank: Lie on the floor on your stomach. Bring your arms forward, then lift up onto your forearms and lift the rest of your body so that it rests on your forearms and on your toes. Keep your body in a straight line.
- 30 jumping jacks.
Step 3. Do a targeted workout for the muscles around the love handles
These muscles are the oblique abdominals and can be trained to be more sculpted. If in addition to these exercises you can burn fat in general, the love handles will be less extended and less noticeable. Here are some good exercises for the oblique abdominals:
- Side Plank Crunches: Lie on your right side and lean on your right elbow. Raise yourself off the ground so that your body rests on your right forearm and the outside of your foot. Bend the right knee inward towards the left elbow, then return to the plank position. Repeat 10-12 times, then do the same on the other side.
- Elbow Plank Pushups: Take the plank position so that you are facing the floor while resting on your toes and forearms. Without rocking your pelvis, lift up to support the right side with the palm of your hand, then do the same for the left side. Then return to the plank position on the right forearm, then on the left. Switch sides (lift left side first then right again first) and repeat for 30-45 seconds.
