Love handles are the soft fat deposits that sit on the sides of your waist, often above the hips. They’re a common, informal term for excess fat in that area, sometimes called a “muffin top” or “spare tire”.

Quick Scoop

  • What they are: Fat stored around the waist and hips, usually subcutaneous fat under the skin.
  • Why they appear: Most often from consuming more calories than you burn, plus factors like genetics, hormones, age, and lifestyle.
  • Are they dangerous? Not dangerous by themselves, but they can be a sign of overall excess body fat, which is linked with higher health risks.

Simple way to think about it

If your waistline starts bulging a bit over the sides of your pants, that’s what people usually mean by love handles. They’re not a separate body part—just a nickname for fat storage in that area.

If you want to reduce them

Common approaches include:

  • Overall fat loss through diet and exercise.
  • Core-strengthening workouts.
  • Healthy habits like better sleep and consistent activity.

If you want, I can also explain how to get rid of love handles in a simple, practical way.