“It’s hard to avoid”: This trainer shares his 15-minute daily routine to get rid of love handles
Those little rolls of fat that settle above the waistband are a source of frustration for many people. However, a specific routine—approved by a fitness trainer—allows you to tackle them effectively in just 10 to 15 minutes a day. The method is based on three simple principles and requires no special equipment.
Love handles: a very common insecurity
These love handles affect both men and women. Charly Aourir, fitness coach, nutritionist, and author of Unrecognizable in 60 Days (published by Marabout), confirms this: it’s rare to avoid them, especially if you continue to engage in the behaviors that cause them. Thus, this complex is by no means an inevitable fate reserved for just a few.
A common mistake is to exhaust yourself doing hundreds of sit-ups while ignoring the rest of your body. However, this approach isn’t enough. What’s more, it can quickly discourage those looking for visible results.
Therefore, it’s better to adopt a comprehensive strategy rather than focus on a single area. Love handles don’t disappear with isolated crunches. They melt away when the body loses fat overall, with the help of well-chosen exercises.
Why Stress Makes the Problem Worse
Stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone that promotes fat storage, particularly around the hips and waist. Therefore, relaxation is an integral part of the method. Deep-breathing exercises or yoga help reduce this factor.
On the other hand, there’s no need to change everything overnight. A program that’s too restrictive often leads to giving up. It’s better to have a plan that fits into your daily life—even a minimalist one—than to make insurmountable efforts that last only three days.
“You need to focus on three areas at the same time: diet, of course, physical activity, and relaxation. You should put together a program that isn’t too restrictive and fits in with your daily routine. There’s no need to make life harder for yourself.” — Charly Aourir
Diet: The Often-Underestimated Lever
What’s on your plate plays a central role. The key principle is a calorie deficit: consuming slightly fewer calories than your body burns each day. You don’t have to starve yourself to do this.
All you need to do is restore your energy balance—gradually and without frustration. That way, eating becomes a tool, not a burden. This gentle approach is also easier to maintain over the long term.
Furthermore, it’s important to understand that fat loss is a whole-body process. You can’t target just the love handles on your sides. However, specific exercises can help tone the deep muscles in that area and visibly reshape your figure.
Exercises That Really Make a Difference
Charly Aourir recommends three types of targeted exercises. First, oblique core exercises, which engage the deep oblique muscles. Next, the stomach vacuum, a abdominal breathing technique derived from yoga and bodybuilding. Finally, light cardio sessions such as brisk walking, cycling, or running.
The stomach vacuum involves controlling your breathing through your abdomen. This technique helps tighten your waist from the inside and achieve a flatter stomach. There are many videos online that explain how to do it correctly.
- Do rib cage core exercises to tone your obliques
- Incorporate the stomach vacuum to deeply tone your waist
- Add the side plank to work your obliques
- Supplement with low-impact cardio: brisk walking, cycling, or running
- Managing Stress Through Breathing or Yoga to Reduce Cortisol
A 15-minute routine, done every day
The strength of this method lies in its duration: just 10 to 15 minutes, stopwatch in hand. Combining the stomach vacuum with the side plank and then finishing with a few minutes of cardio is enough to kickstart fat burning. It’s short, effective, and can be done anywhere.
Consistency is more important than intensity. Therefore, a moderate daily routine yields better results than a grueling workout done once a week. The body responds to consistency, not to occasional excesses.
To get rid of love handles for good, these three elements must work together: a balanced diet with a slight calorie deficit, core and breathing exercises, and stress management. None of these three is enough on its own. But together, they form a simple and effective approach that anyone can start today.
Consistency: the only real secret
There’s no magic formula for those love handles. However, consistency turns a 15-minute routine into visible results for your figure. That’s exactly what Charly Aourir advocates: moderate, sustained effort is always better than intense workouts that are quickly abandoned.
What’s more, the benefits go beyond just aesthetics. Breathing better, reducing stress, and toning your core—these are all positive effects that build up week after week. Therefore, starting small is still the best strategy to ensure you don’t give up.
