Love handles

"Love handles" is a colloquial or slang term for a layer of fat that is deposited around a person's midsection, especially visible on the sides over the abdominal external oblique muscle. They are called "love handles" because they provide a soft place to rest one's hand while one's arm is around a person, or perhaps because they can serve as places to hold on while in the throes of passion.

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 (through activities such as cardiovascular exercise and weight training) and consuming fewer calories.

Love handles are also colloquially called a spare tire due to the enlarged tire-like shape around the midsection.