IntroOne of the most prevalent myths in the fitness world is the idea that you can somehow burn fat from a particular part of your body just by working that problem area hard, also known as “spot reduction.” Unfortunately, it’s time for some mythbusting.
First on, last off
Most people have a few particular problem spots they always struggle with, no matter what they do. For men, it’s typically the love handles and the spare tire. For women, it’s normally the hips, thighs and butt. That’s because we’re genetically programmed to hold fat in particular areas. Also remember that everyone is different: I tend to hold more fat in my love handles, while someone else may hold less fat in their love handles and more in their spare tire. The most frustrating part is that we can’t control where we lose the fat first once we start exercising. It’s not uncommon (and extremely frustrating) to start working out and notice that your upper body around your chest and arms is getting leaner, while your problem areas continue to be a problem. While it’s difficult to duplicate in the lab, most experienced fitness professionals will tell you that the last fat you put on (your non-problem areas) is the first fat you lose. By extension, the first fat you put on (your problem areas) will be the last fat you lose. Don’t give up! You WILL see a change in your problem areas; just not right away.
But what about all those celebrity endorsements?
There are hundreds of machines out there being endorsed by B-list celebrities that promise to tone, firm, burn or shape any problem area you may have. There are countless miracle drugs that promise to burn, torch, scorch or otherwise incinerate fat from your problem areas. All these products have one thing in common: they will never work as well as the original: diet and exercise. Have you ever taken the time to read the fine print at the bottom while the beautiful people are using the machines or running on the beach after taking the drug? Most of them tell you that a sensible reduced-calorie diet combined with a rigorous exercise program is necessary to achieve optimum results. Of course it is! But you already knew that, right?
These celebrities are getting paid big bucks to do what they do best: act. And who makes a better salesperson than a face you already know and trust?
I’ve been doing crunches every day to burn off my belly flab…So, have your abs popped yet, or has your stomach actually increased in size? I’m going to guess it’s more like the second one. When you do a lot of work with a muscle, it has one and only one natural response: it grows in size. Most people that have been working out for a period of time have a six-pack, but it doesn’t matter how good your abs are if they’re covered with a layer of fat. You can crunch all day, every day; until you lose that fat, you’re just going to have sore abs.
So what’s the secret?
As I’ve said before, there is no secret. As much as we all would like to, you can’t crunch your way to a six-pack or butt blast your way to a firm, toned rear. If you want to lose fat in your problem areas, put away the ab-cruncher. The only way to lose fat and show off those former problem areas with pride is to combine a rigorous exercise program with a sensible, reduced-calorie diet. Besides, why would you want to limit yourself to spot reduction when you can lose fat from your whole body?
Summary
As much as we all wish we could just get rid of those problem areas, spot reduction is nothing more than another myth. Exercise and diet are the only secrets to unlocking your fitness potential.
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