Spot Reducing

Spot Reducing, Toning & Firming

A frequently asked question involves whether it is possible to reduce fat in specific areas of the body. Men often want to know how to get rid of their "love handles" or "spare tires" and women usually want to trim their hips, thighs or buttocks. Unfortunately, it is not possible to spot reduce body fat. Nor is it possible to tone fat. Many gyms have equipment that seems geared toward helping members "firm" particular body parts (i.e., waist machines, buttocks machines). Celebrities in exercise videos declare the incredible physical changes that can be had by just performing specific exercises. This type of information serves to perpetuate the myth that it is possible to spot reduce, tone or firm body fat.

Our bodies are genetically programmed to carry a certain amount of fat in particular body areas. Women generally carry additional fat in the hip and leg areas and men may have excess fat around their midsection. It is not unusual to see a woman with a petite upper body and a large lower body or a man with an ample abdomen and slender legs.

To lose fat from any area of the body, an "energy deficit" (i.e., the amount of calories burned exceed the caloric intake) must occur. For example, if 2,500 calories are burned daily and the caloric intake is 2,000, the body will ideally turn to its fat stores to provide for a deficit of 500 calories. People often ask which area of their body will shed fat first. This cannot be predicted and specific exercise cannot promote fat loss in particular body areas. The one proven method of fat loss is a proper combination of caloric intake, nutrients and exercise.

The region of the body that first reveals a noticeable decrease in body fat is genetically pre-determined and will vary from person to person. Women may first experience fat reduction in their upper body, despite the fact that fat stores may be located primarily in the lower body. Men may lose fat from their arms and legs, prior to losing fat in their waist area. It is important to emphasize here that each individual will need to be patient and continue to follow exercise and nutrition recommendations in order to experience fat loss in particularly difficult body areas. Eventually, you will experience fat loss in every body region. This is an important point to emphasize because many people may become discouraged before they experience fat loss in the desired areas.

If you are not initially able to specifically alter your body composition, you may resort to spot reducing exercises. Muscles stimulated with exercise will actually increase in size. If you are not eating properly, you will not be able to lose fat simultaneously. Consequently, the newly built muscle tissue will push out the layer of fat and you will appear larger in size. Buttocks and sit-up exercises don't result in smaller body parts - they increase their size.

Many people also believe that weight training particular body areas will cause them to become firmer. As stated previously, it is not possible to firm fat - nor can fat "become" muscle. Instead, the body area will simply become larger.

Body areas that are not "toned" simply contain excess body fat. Muscle is always "toned" (i.e., firm). Unfortunately, many people can't see their toned muscle because it is covered by a loose layer of fat. It is only possible for you to reduce body fat by burning more calories than you consume. A loss of body fat will allow you to see or feel the already firm muscle tissue. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform specific exercises to reduce fat or "tone" a particular body area. If you follow your exercise and nutrition recommendations (i.e., energy deficit maintenance), you will eventually lose fat throughout your body. No one can predict when or where the first or last fat reduction will occur.

So the bottom line is this: I recommend that you build muscle tissue to increase your ability to burn fat and/or calories. As you lose fat, your body will become more muscular. I recommend that you do not waste time on specific exercises and exercise videos that are said to firm or tone a specific body area. Resistance training will simply increase the size of the already firm muscle tissue. Primarily, it is continual manipulation of your individual diet and exercise recommendations that allows the energy deficit to be maintained (i.e., burning more calories than you consume). This results in continual fat reduction from every area of the body.

Excerpt from National Academy of Sports Medicine Training Literature