Can you Target Certain Areas of the Body to Reduce Fat From? (Spot Reduction)
Spot Reduction
The concept of spot reduction follows the false, but common belief that training a specific muscle will result in fat loss in that area of the body. It's been known for a long time that spot reduction isn't possible, but it's a myth many people still believe.
It's common that people believe that doing a lot of abdominal crunches will make their stomachs flatter, or doing a lots of triceps extensions will cause your arms to carry less fat.
I was recently talking to someone who had been using the ab machine at his gym six days a week for three months and was confused as to why he wasn't losing fat around his belly.
It's common that people believe that doing a lot of abdominal crunches will make their stomachs flatter, or doing a lots of triceps extensions will cause your arms to carry less fat.
I was recently talking to someone who had been using the ab machine at his gym six days a week for three months and was confused as to why he wasn't losing fat around his belly.
The reality is you can't just target a certain area you want to lose fat from. Doing loads of ab exercises won't speed up how much fat you lose around your waist. Fat is stored energy and it gets stored all over your body. People will store more fat in certain areas but where where your body stores fat is determined by your genetics. If you have an area of your body you want to loser fat from you will have to get your overall body fat percentage down.
There aren't any shortcuts that mean you you can lose fat just from an area you want.
If you want to lose fat from a certain part of your body, you'll have to get your overall body fat down low enough.
Studies Done of Spot Reduction
There have been many studies on the possibility of spot reduction which shows that it isn't possible.
- This study had 24 people only do exercises targeted the abdominals for six weeks found no reduction in belly fat (1).
- Another study that followed 40 women for 12 weeks found that resistance training of the abdominals had no effect on fat loss around that area, compared to dietary intervention alone (2).
- Another study showing spot reduction doesn't work (3).
So how do you lose fat around your belly?
You just need to need to make sure you’re in a calorie deficit.
So how do you go about doing that?
So how do you go about doing that?
- Eat adequate protein
- Manipulate your fat and/or carb intake to achieve a calorie deficit
- Weight train 2-4 times a week
- Do a moderate amount of cardio for heart health and to help towards being in a calorie deficit.
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