Cross-train your core to lose your love handles

We lovingly refer to them as love handles but they really are just unwanted flabs of fat that build up on the sides of your torso as you gain unwanted weight. These bits of fat are some of the toughest to lose. You can train your core all you want but these portions of fat don’t shed easily

In order to lose your love handles, you have to cross-train your core rigorously. If you’re focused on shedding inches off your waist then you should be familiar with exercises that not just target your core specifically but also use your oblique muscles (the muscles on the side of your torso). Cross-training involves reaching out to the sides of your torso and working out your oblique muscles.

The most effective exercises for your love handles are the ones that involve strenuous reshaping your upper and lower abs & toning your entire midsection.

Here’s a list of exercises you can do at home that will melt inches off your waist and help you lose your love handles too:

1) Oblique Press and Reach

Get down on your left knee, placing your right foot in front of you, allowing your leg to create a 90⁰ angle. Keep your core tight, your spine straight while tucking in your lower back.

Hold the weight in your right hand, stretch out the arm over to the right and keep it bent at a 90⁰ angle so your first is in the air.

Reach up, stretching your arm into the air as you bend your body towards the left; touching the ground with the fingertips of your left hand. Use your oblique muscles to pull your body to its original position. On each side, do sets of 12-15.

2) Side Plank Crunch

Get yourself into the side plank position. Place the hand which is on the elevated side behind your head. Bend the elbow of the elevated arm inwards to touch it with the knee of the opposite leg. Then return to the original plank position. Do sets of 3 of 10-12 reps.

3) Plank ups-downs

Begin in the plank position, balancing your body on your hands. Keeping your butt clenched and your abs tightened. Begin by lowering one of your forearms. Then get it back to the original position and then lower your other arm.

Keep your hips steady and your core sucked in the entire time. Lower each arm 8 times and hold for 40-45 seconds.

4) Around the world obliques

Stand with your feet wide apart and your toes pointed outwards slightly while holding a very light weight (about 5lbs). Raise your hands above your head, reaching as far as you can while holding the weight. Keeping your hands up firmly up in the air. Bend towards your right side as far as you possibly can. When you can’t stretch any further down, twist your body and bring your hands towards your toes (similar to the ‘woodchopper’).

To perform this exercise correctly, make sure you don’t lock your knees, you need them to be soft for you to be stretching and twisting your body. Do 8-10 reps, alternating sides.

5) Knee Drop

You need a lightweight medicine ball for this one. Lie down on your back. Pull your core inwards. Place the medicine ball between your legs, right above your knees. Keep your legs together, bend your knees and raise them to a tabletop position. Using your inner thighs, squeeze the balls between your legs.

While keeping your core tight, drop your knees over to the right side. Breathe out and pull your knees back to the center before dropping them to the other side. Do sets of 3, 8-10 reps on each side.

All these exercises will strengthen your core and work out the sides of your torso too. They will be more effective with a waist trainer as it would ensure that all your muscles are tightened throughout the workout. Also, the heat from the waist-trainer will cause you to sweat and burn calories as you shed fat from your body.