Get rid of love handles

Thank goodness for high-rise jeans, amiright? The fashions of a few years ago were not kind to anyone who carries weight around their middle. I'm sure we all experienced a muffin top or two during those weird fashion years!

Now, we've collectively moved on to much more flattering cuts of clothing. But if you've still got some love handles on your back, you don't necessarily want to have to hide them under what you're wearing all the time. And, girl, you shouldn't!!

I've got some tips and tricks to show you how to lose back fat and get rid of love handles. But before we get started, let's talk about why some people get love handles on the back.

What's the deal with love handles?

The thing is, all of us carry our weight differently. It's why you might have heard about pear vs. apple-shaped bodies in the past. Some people carry their weight around their middle, while others distribute it evenly throughout their body (consider yourself lucky if you're one of those!). For others, weight might collect around the calves, in the arms or thighs, or elsewhere.

When your body builds fat around your middle, some of it often spills over onto your back. Cue those love handles you probably don't really love!!

You can't control the way your body holds its weight, but you can control the amount of fat on your frame. If you're wondering how to lose back fat and love handles, the real question is how to lose fat in general.

That's where I come in, babe!

3 tips to get rid of love handles

#1: Watch what you eat —and watch your wide lower back melt away

In any scenario where you're trying to lose fat, your diet's going to play a huge role. It's a whole lot easier to skip the Snickers bar than it is to burn those 215 calories (that's 30 minutes of running, swimming, or biking!).

This doesn't mean you need to go on some flavorless, restrictive diet, though. That's unsustainable, obvi. No one wants to eat like that all the time.

Instead, we've got some super great guides to help you change the way you're eating while still feeling full and looking forward to your meals and snacks! I'd recommend checking out the Guiltless Nutrition Guide or the Hot Body Meal Plan as a place to start!

#2: Exercise to get rid of lower back fat

If you've ever googled "how to lose love handles and back fat," you might have seen search results that promised you could do specific exercises to target fat on your back. That's not how it works, though. You can't tell your body to burn fat in one specific area.

But you can tell your body to burn fat in general, and that's a huge way to get rid of love handles. Exercise is your friend here! Combine cardio to burn fat and strength training to build muscle.The daily workouts in the LSF App are programmed exactly this way so you can burn fat and get stronger.

The more you work out, the more muscle you build. And the more muscle mass your body has, the faster your metabolic rate can be. Which basically means you burn more fat even when you're chilling on the couch!

Exercises for lower back fat and love handles can be anything you want them to be. If you love working up a sweat in yoga, you do you! If you're a runner, hit the road! I've also got some super short and sweet workouts to help you strengthen the area so you can replace your love handles and back fat with a lean, strong lower back. Check them out!

• 5-Minute Love Handle Melt Down
• 5-Minute Love Handle Workout
• Apartment-Friendly Love Handle Blasting Workout

#3: Watch what you drink, too

I know it's soooo tempting to be always sipping something sweet in the summer. I love my rosé or a spritzy drink on a warm afternoon, for sure! But remember that drinks can have just as many calories as foods. And they're especially prone to being totally packed with sugar.

Find a few low-sugar summer drinks you love (vodka-soda with a lime, anyone?) and stick with them. That way, you can still enjoy happy hour without compromising all the work you've done to lose back fat and love handles.Some of my personal faves are these Rosemary Watermelon Margs or this Raspberry Apple Spritzer!

This is your time to get rid of love handles! Change the way you're eating, watch those liquid calories, and stick to your workouts. When you do, you'll see your love handles melt away!