For many people, the battle against lower back fat above the buttocks, frequently referred to as love handles, is an annoying struggle. If you're looking for practical and natural solutions to trim this trouble area, you've made it to the right place. Join us as we explore practical alternatives to get rid of those love handles once and for all.
How to Get Rid of Lower Back Fat Above Buttocks - Diet:
First, let's look at the diet side of losing love handles. It’s no secret that diet is a massive part of weight loss. A lot of fitness and nutrition experts live by the 80/20 rule meaning a healthy split between focusing on your diet 80% of the time and exercising the other 20% will result in weight proper weight loss.
Calorie deficit
Being in a calorie deficit is critical for losing lower back fat above the buttocks. A calorie deficit causes your body to use its stored fat for energy, resulting in progressive fat loss. The best and most successful ways include increasing physical activity, and prioritizing protein, veggies, and healthy fats while limiting the consumption of processed carbs and sugar.
Limit daily intake of sugar
Excess sugar consumption can lead to weight gain and limit fat loss. Sugary foods and liquids frequently include empty calories, resulting in blood sugar rises followed by crashes that can increase cravings and promote the buildup of fat.
Selecting nutritious meals and limiting processed snacks and sugary drinks will help you shave off unwanted weight while helping you maintain steady energy levels.
Carbohydrates
You do not need to fully eliminate carbs. Some carbs are healthy such as sweet potatoes, white rice, oats, and fruit. Refined carbs on the other hand such as white bread, dough, cereal, and pasta can be very harmful and delay weight loss.
A generally healthy diet split should be roughly protein-40%, carbs-20%, fats-20%, fruits/veggies-20%.
Healthy sources of fat
Healthy fats are found in natural sources such as fatty fish, avocados, nuts, seeds, eggs, and olive oil. These anti-inflammatory superfoods are required for a variety of body activities and can aid in weight loss when ingested in moderation.
Prioritize vegetables
Vegetables are great because of how incredibly low calorie they are while being high in nutrients. Their high fiber content helps digestion while making you feel full longer. Vegetables also aid in keeping steady blood sugar levels.
High fiber foods
High-fiber foods are your friend. A study showed that foods that are high in fiber like broccoli, brussel sprouts, beans, apples, and citrus fruits have a direct benefit to losing visceral fat (the lower back fat above buttocks).
The study found that for every 10-gram increase in soluble fiber eaten per day, visceral fat was reduced by 3.7 percent over five years. In addition, increased moderate activity resulted in a 7.4 percent decrease in the rate of visceral fat accumulation over the same time period [1].
Fasting Benefits On Losing Lower Back Fat Above Buttocks
Incorporating fasting into your program can be a game changer in shaving off more of that annoying lower back fat above the buttocks.
Fasting causes a metabolic change in the body. When you don't eat for a lengthy period, either overnight or throughout the day, your body uses up its immediate glycogen (glucose) stores for energy. Once these reserves are depleted, the body begins to rely on fat stores for energy. Lower back fat, which is highly resistant, is frequently one of the places where fat accumulates, making it more sensitive to weight loss through fasting.
Fasting improves insulin sensitivity, making your body more effective at using glucose and mobilizing fat reserves for energy, helping in the decrease of lower back fat.
Fasting can be planned strategically and partially on your schedule. Avoid meals before bedtime to keep the body from accumulating additional calories as fat during inactivity. This encourages the body to use its current fat stores for nighttime energy demands. Postponing your first meal of the day prolongs the fasting phase, allowing your body to spend more time using fat.
For more information, check out this video on Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss.
Exercising For Losing Lower Back Fat Above The Buttocks:
The common misconception is that you can somehow “target” your lower back fat above your buttocks and burn it that way, however, this idea has been proven to be misleading.
Working out obliques, core, and glutes is beneficial but if that’s all your doing it is not going to directly melt off your lower back fat like you might hope. Because these exercises aren't effective in burning a high number of calories you will be building muscle underneath the fat. Instead what you need to do is focus on exercises that build the most muscle and burn the most calories.
Exercises like squats, deadlifts, push-ups, power cleans, rows, lunges, and overhead presses. Exercises like these are great because they require your body to burn more calories in the recovery process additionally to repair broken-down muscle fibers.
Cardio
Cardio is a cheat code to burning fat. Running, biking, and swimming are all great options.
High-intensity interval training is another great way to increase your heart rate and burn excess calories. Exercises such as burpees, lateral hops, mountain climbers and squat jumps are all great options for burning lower back fat above the buttocks.
Sleep
Studies show sleep deprivation can be directly linked to weight gain, especially in the midsection area. Not enough sleep can mess with hormonal and testosterone balances.
Everyone is different on what they need but keeping it within the 6.5-9 hour range is typically recommended.
Alcohol
Keeping alcohol to a minimum can make a dramatic difference. Drinks such as wine and beer are full of excess sugars and carbs that result in excess weight gain.
On top of the negative effects of alcohol, drunk eating is detrimental in consuming more calories than you would typically consume. And let's be honest it’s never broccoli and spinach you crave when alcohol is in your system.
Lower Back Fat Above The Buttocks - FAQ
What causes lower back fat above the buttocks?
Lower back fat above the buttocks can develop as a result of a mix of causes, including excessive calorie intake, genetics, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits, hormonal imbalances, and age.
Why is it so hard to lose lower back fat above the buttocks?
Lower back fat can be difficult to shed because of hereditary factors, hormonal impacts, and the body's natural tendency to store fat in that location, requiring a strategy that includes diet, physical activity, and lifestyle modifications for successful reduction.
What is the best exercise to lose lower back fat above the buttocks?
Exercising certain parts of the body, such as the lower back and abs, with isolated motions like oblique twists may appear tempting, but it is ineffective for fat loss compared to full-body exercises. Full-body workouts, such as burpees, target many muscle groups at once, resulting in increased calorie burn and fat reduction.
[1] ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 27 June 2011, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110627123032.htm
[2] Donnelly, Joseph M. Travell, Simons & Simons Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: the Trigger Point Manual. 3rd ed., Wolters Kluwer Health, 2019.