There are a TON of beliefs out there regarding fitness, and unfortunately fitness magazines and click-bait articles don’t do a good job of clarifying truth. Why? Because they rely on people reading and re-reading their articles, and there is only so much they can say. So they’ll say just enough to propagate myths, without outright lying, but do it in a way that makes you want to read it again the next month in case the information is juicier. This post is one of a series that i’ll be sharing to de-bunk the most common fitness myths I hear.
The idea of spot-fat reduction is something I see SOOOO often in magazines, and it’s also one of the most common questions I get asked by clients.
“how do I get rid of the fat here?”
They are referring to some specific area of the body, usually pointing or pulling at excess fat to show me where their concern lies. Usually along the stomach (just under the belly button specifically), they sometimes wiggle their arms to show me the fat covering the triceps (wings), or they pinch at the upper back under the shoulder blade (I’ve done this!), to indicate they need to address “back fat”.
No matter how many times I explain it, the message doesn’t stick. We all want to believe that if we can focus energy in training one area, that we can get slimmer there.
The reality is that we can’t control where our body stores fat, and how fast the tough spots slim down. The muscles don’t use energy from fat cells that are surrounding them, energy is converted across all cells of the body to support processes. Where we store fat, lost fat and how evenly it’s distributed is depending on many factors, including gender, age, ethnicity and genetics. According to most research, genetics has the largest impact on where we store fat.
Either way, it’s out of control where you lose the fat, so instead of doing excessive thigh-master exercises or sit-ups, focus on working your whole body to develop strength.
Fat loss will happen overall when you are less sedentary, and eating a well-balanced diet. Avoid focusing on your “trouble spots”, because it will distract you from the goal of being healthier, and you’ll become discouraged. When we are discouraged we tend to become inconsistent, which is the death of progress. Stay consistent and your body will not only love you for it, but it will start working for you :)
xoxo
Leigh