Love handles
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"Love handles" is a colloquial or slang term for a layer of fat that is deposited around a person's midsection (the oblique region of the torso), especially visible on the sides, which is believed to have some resemblance to handles. The term is mildly prurient, as the name suggests that these 'handles' are conducive to "love making".
Love handles are more common in men than women, as the midsection is one of the first regions where fat is stored in the male body (women tend to accumulate fat around the hips and thighs). Love handles generally become more pronounced as a person ages and approaches middle age, due to a lower activity level.
Both men and women tend to be image-conscious regarding love handles, sometimes leading to a negative body image.
While many products are marketed for eliminating love handles, it is generally agreed that spot reduction is impossible, and that the best way to reduce them is to lose fat by being more active (such as cardiovascular exercise and weight training) and eating fewer calories. However, love handles are also regulated by genes and may not disappear completely without also losing a significant amount of fat elsewhere.
Love handles are also colloquially called a spare tire due to the enlarged almost tire-like shape around the midsection.
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