Love handles, or excess fat on the sides of the waist, can appear with any body shape, but are common with pear, apple, and hourglass figures, often becoming more noticeable with age, hormonal changes (like lower estrogen/testosterone), stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise, resulting from fat storage around the hips and abdomen, rather than being exclusive to one type.
Love handles form due to various factors, including genetics, hormones, and lifestyle habits. Women generally have a higher percentage of body fat than men, especially in the hips and thighs, making them more likely to store excess fat in the waist and hip area.
Love handles are fat deposits in your belly area, along the sides of your hips and waist. You can't spot-reduce love handles away. But maintaining a healthy weight and building muscle throughout your body will shrink love handles as it improves your overall health.
The rarest female body type is generally considered the hourglass, characterized by shoulders and hips of similar width with a significantly narrower, defined waist, with studies suggesting less than 10% of women naturally fit this description, while some data points to the inverted triangle (broad shoulders, narrow hips/waist) also being quite rare, potentially under 1% in some views, though hourglass is more consistently cited as the least common overall.
Body Shapes with the Highest Risk of Health Problems
Apple and pear body shapes tend to have the highest risk. Apples tend to be at greater risk for heart disease, diabetes, and strokes because they hold a larger amount of tummy fat.
Location and Appearance
This condition can create a noticeable “apron-like” overhang, which can be large and extend significantly beyond the body's frame. FUPA: This refers to the accumulation of fat directly above the pubic bone, leading to a bulge in the lower abdomen.
Any body shape can be healthy. It's when you're living with overweight or obesity that your natural shape can become a health risk. Eating well and exercising regularly are key to keeping your weight in a healthy range and keeping your body strong.
The Vase variation, also known as the Slim Hourglass, is a subtler version of the traditional hourglass shape. It features a more slender frame with a longer torso and gentle curves at the bust and hips. The waistline is still well-defined but less pronounced compared to the classic hourglass shape.
Studies indicate that men generally prefer a body type that includes moderate breast size, a certain waist-to-hip ratio, and a slightly muscular shape ((Park and Park, 2010)).
“When you gain weight and start to grow extra body fat, one of the first places that it grows is in the back of your tongue,” Li said. Unlike the flexible tip or the strong, muscular middle, the base of the tongue acts like a “big fat pillow,” he explained, helping chewed food slide down into the stomach.
A nutritious diet that is lower in calories will help you look and feel better, and can improve your health, too. Choosing the right foods -- think fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy products -- will give you energy all day long and help satisfy your hunger so you eat less.
The most common stubborn fat areas include the belly, thighs, hips, lower back, upper arms, and neck. These regions tend to store fat more easily and resist weight loss, making them challenging for many people. Fat in these areas is often influenced by factors like hormones, genetics, and lifestyle choices.
Many men prefer women who are “in between” skinny and curvy.
However, many men also said they prefer curvier women, and others said they prefer skinnier women. Some even said they don't care much about body types. Baller notes, “There's a wide range of body types that can be attractive.”
One of the major causes of love handles is fat retention. Fat cells get accumulated in the body when you take too many calories but don't burn them. These fat cells become noticeable when they get collected in a specific area around the hips and waist.
Curvy hips, thick thighs, and a full bottom are the key characteristics of the pear-shaped body type. Pear-shaped bodies have a smaller frame on top and a relatively small waist with larger hips and bottom. In regard to sizes, one example would be a woman who wears a size 6 on top, but a 10 or even 12 on the bottom.
The rarest female body type is generally considered the hourglass, characterized by shoulders and hips of similar width with a significantly narrower, defined waist, with studies suggesting less than 10% of women naturally fit this description, while some data points to the inverted triangle (broad shoulders, narrow hips/waist) also being quite rare, potentially under 1% in some views, though hourglass is more consistently cited as the least common overall.
Adding to the LBD facelift was a padded element at the hips, which helped to further exaggerate Robbie's hourglass figure. True to form, Robbie let the sculptural elements of her ensemble speak for themselves.
Measure your shoulders, bust, waist and hips. Divide the shoulder by hips measurement. If the ratio is less than 1 (shoulders narrower than hips) you're a pear 🍐 If the ratio is close to 1, you're an hourglass ⏳
Women who exhibit the hourglass figure have been shown to be more admired, which can put pressure on women whose body shapes are noticeably different to strive to achieve the hourglass figure. This can lead to body dissatisfaction which can cause eating disorders in (often young) women from all over the globe.
Studies show that men are most attracted to faces, followed closely by women's rear ends. The same study tells us that women like a man's chest and his hair.
You don't actually pee out fat, but your body does remove the byproducts of burned fat, mainly water and carbon dioxide. Once your body breaks down fat for energy, it gets rid of this waste through your breath, sweat, and urine. In this way, your kidneys help flush out part of the waste after fat loss.
Experts say that trans fat is the worst type of fat to eat. That's because it raises "bad" cholesterol and lowers "good" cholesterol. A diet high in trans fat raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. Sometimes this type of fat also is called trans-fatty acids.
As people gain weight, excess fat tends to be centered around the abdomen, generally starting at the lower abdominal area and working up.