Love handles, also known as flanks, refer to the soft pockets of fat that accumulate along the sides of your waist. While the name may sound playful, many people find them frustratingly difficult to lose through diet and exercise alone. At SpaMedica, we offer both lifestyle guidance and leading-edge body contouring treatments to help reduce or remove love handles and reshape your midsection.
Whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or are considering professional fat reduction options, we’re here to help you make informed, confident decisions.
Love handles are localized fat deposits that collect on either side of the waistline, just above the hips. They’re particularly common in adults as they age and can be more pronounced in tight clothing or when sitting down.
Love handles form when your body stores excess fat in the flank region. Some key contributors include:
Even those who eat well and exercise regularly can struggle with stubborn flank fat due to their unique body composition or metabolism.
Fat loss always starts with creating a calorie deficit, burning more energy than you take in. But it’s not just about numbers. The quality of your diet plays a big role in long-term success.
To reduce love handles, you need to consistently maintain a moderate calorie deficit. This doesn’t mean crash dieting. It means gradually adjusting portions and choosing foods that support satiety and metabolism.
Focus on:
Highly processed foods and added sugars spike insulin levels and are linked to abdominal and flank fat. Cut back on:
Staying well-hydrated supports digestion, metabolic health, and satiety. Aim for 2–3 litres of water per day, depending on your activity level and climate.
While you can’t spot-reduce fat, combining fat-burning workouts with core strengthening can help sculpt the waistline.
Cardiovascular workouts help burn calories and reduce overall body fat:
Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio per week.
While core exercises won’t “melt” love handles, they can define and tone the muscles underneath. Focus on:
Muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest. Incorporate strength training for your entire body (squats, deadlifts, lunges) to increase lean muscle mass and boost metabolism.
If you’ve already adopted a healthy lifestyle and love handles persist, SpaMedica offers safe, effective solutions for reducing stubborn fat in the flank area.
All surgical options at SpaMedica are performed by highly experienced physicians using advanced safety protocols. Check out our before and after section here!
Even after treatment, it’s important to support results with healthy habits. Keep your metabolism steady and waistline trim with:
Maintaining these habits helps prevent fat from returning to the flank area over time.
At SpaMedica, every love handle treatment begins with a thorough consultation. Our team will assess your body composition, skin elasticity, lifestyle, and goals to determine the best approach.
Often, the most effective plan is multi-modal: combining fat reduction with skin tightening or lifestyle support for more dramatic, lasting results.
Love handles are a common concern and one of the most persistent areas of fat for many people. While healthy habits are essential, they don’t always solve the problem fully.
If your flanks are resistant to change, SpaMedica offers a wide range of safe, effective body contouring options to help you sculpt a smoother, more defined waistline. Whether you’re looking for non-surgical options or more permanent results, our experienced team is here to help you feel confident in your skin.
Diet plays a key role in reducing overall body fat, but some people may still retain stubborn flank fat due to genetics or hormones. That’s where professional treatments can help.
With lifestyle changes, you may begin to notice results in 8–12 weeks. Professional procedures may show visible improvements in as little as 4 weeks, depending on the method used.
Genetics influence fat distribution, but lifestyle and hormonal factors also play a role. Even if you’re predisposed, it’s still possible to improve your appearance.
No. Core exercises strengthen muscles but do not spot-reduce fat. A combination of full-body workouts, cardio, and diet is required.
UltraShape and Velashape are options at SpaMedica for non-surgical fat reduction, offering visible results with little to no downtime.
Yes, liposuction physically removes fat cells. As long as you maintain your weight, results are long-lasting.
Yes. Chronic stress raises cortisol, which is linked to increased abdominal and flank fat retention. Managing stress can support fat loss efforts.
Ready to sculpt a smoother waistline?
Book your consultation with SpaMedica Toronto and explore the safest, most effective ways to reduce love handles, tailored to your body and lifestyle.
A nonsurgical fat reduction device that uses ultrasound waves to target and remove areas of excess fat and tighten the skin.
A non-invasive, suction-coupled infrared and radiofrequency heating device that reduces fat, tightens the skin and contours the body.
A non-invasive body sculpting procedure designed to remove fat and contour the body without invasive surgery, pain or needles.
A revolutionary technology that is designed to provide fat-dissolving results through a minimally invasive procedure.
Utilizing a probe that is designed to deliver energy or heat to the underlying fat layer while performing a liposuction procedure.
A procedure that uses ultrasound-assisted energy to soften and gently loosen up the fat cells.
