The question of whether performing squats can directly eliminate the fat deposits known as “love handles” is common in fitness. These flank fat deposits, located on the sides of the lower waist and back, are a primary aesthetic concern for many seeking to change their body composition. Exploring this topic requires understanding the mechanics of fat storage and the physiological effects of this popular compound exercise.
Understanding Stubborn Fat Storage
“Love handles” are primarily composed of subcutaneous fat, the layer situated just beneath the skin in the abdominal and oblique regions. This area is notoriously difficult to reduce because fat storage location is largely determined by genetics and hormonal influences.
These flank fat cells often have a higher concentration of alpha-2 receptors, which inhibit fat breakdown, and fewer beta-receptors, which accelerate fat burning. Hormones like cortisol, which increases with stress, can also encourage fat accumulation around the midsection, making this fat metabolically resistant to mobilization.
The Direct Effects of Squats on the Body
Squats are a foundational compound movement that engages multiple large muscle groups simultaneously, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. This recruitment of major muscle mass makes the exercise highly efficient for systemic calorie expenditure during the workout session. For a 165-pound person, high-intensity squats can burn approximately 10.5 calories per minute, though this varies based on intensity and weight.
The primary long-term physiological benefit of consistent squatting is muscle hypertrophy, the growth of muscle tissue. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, meaning it requires more energy to maintain, even at rest. Building muscle mass through exercises like squats contributes to an elevated resting metabolic rate (RMR), which increases the total number of calories the body burns throughout the day.
Squats also significantly strengthen the core muscles, including the deep stabilizers and the obliques, which are located directly beneath the flank fat. While the exercise does not directly burn the fat in this area, the increased strength and definition of the underlying muscle structure can improve posture and overall trunk stability. This foundational strength is an important component of a comprehensive fitness program.
Why Spot Reduction Doesn’t Work
The concept of spot reduction—the idea that exercising a specific muscle will preferentially burn the fat directly on top of it—is a widespread myth not supported by exercise science. When the body needs energy, it breaks down stored fat, a process called lipolysis, which releases triglycerides into the bloodstream as free fatty acids and glycerol.
This mobilization of fat is a systemic process, meaning the body draws energy from its entire fat storage system, not just the fat cells adjacent to the contracting muscle. Therefore, performing squats, or any localized exercise, increases overall calorie burn but does not prioritize fat loss from the flanks.
Scientific research has consistently shown that targeted exercises, such such as abdominal routines, do not lead to greater localized fat loss compared to general fat loss efforts. Squats are highly effective for overall fat reduction because they maximize systemic calorie consumption, but they cannot isolate the fat loss to the love handle area. The fat you lose comes from all over your body, in an order predetermined by your individual genetics and hormones.
Comprehensive Strategies for Flank Fat Reduction
Since squats function as an excellent tool for increasing overall calorie expenditure, they are a valuable component of a total body fat loss strategy, but they must be paired with other methods. The single most significant factor in reducing flank fat is achieving and maintaining a consistent caloric deficit, where the body burns more energy than it consumes. This deficit forces the body to access its systemic fat stores, including those in the stubborn flank area.
To maximize systemic fat burning, incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be highly effective. HIIT involves short bursts of vigorous activity followed by brief rest periods, which has been shown to be efficient at burning calories and improving overall body composition. Combining resistance training like squats with cardio helps to preserve muscle mass while burning fat.
For strengthening the underlying oblique and abdominal muscles, specific core exercises are beneficial for toning the area beneath the fat layer. Anti-rotational movements, such as Pallof presses and side planks, are superior to simple crunches for targeting the muscles that stabilize the trunk and support the flanks. While these do not burn the fat on top, a stronger core structure provides a more defined shape once the overlying fat is reduced through a caloric deficit.