Why Spot Reduction Does NOT Work

As a personal trainer, I have heard a lot of clients ask about “spot reduction”. In case you have never heard this term before, it is connected to the idea of targeted fat loss or reducing the size of specific areas of the body (like your stomach or thighs). Like a lot of topics in health and fitness, spot reduction is a popular idea that is also full of misinformation.

Like I said, spot reduction is a term that refers to the idea that you can lose fat from certain areas of your body. If you have ever seen a workout that promises you will lose belly fat, it is possibly being aimed at people who would like to spot reduce. Workouts that promise spot reduction are usually combined with the idea of getting you to lose weight quickly.

Does spot reduction work?

NO!

Hate to break it to you, but our bodies do not work that way. Spot reduction is actually a myth because you cannot lose fat from whatever area of the body you pick. Our bodies are way more complex than that. If you are aiming to reduce the size of a certain area of your body (i.e. your stomach), you will need to achieve fat loss from your ENTIRE BODY. It is NOT possible to target fat loss from just one part of the body, and the way you lose fat will be determined by a combination of factors – like age and genetics. Additionally, exercise targeting only one area of the body (doing all the ab exercises, all day everyday), can potentially lead to imbalances and injury from over-training.

Then how do I see the results I want?

Good news! You can do things for your health and fitness that will benefit your ENTIRE BODY!

Start with a healthy and balanced approach to your diet. Make sure you are including a variety of whole foods. Taking a REALISTIC and SUSTAINABLE approach to your diet will fuel your body while also ensuring you are getting the nutrients you need.

Make sure you focus on a workout routine and schedule that targets on building muscles throughout your entire body. You need to create a workout split that does not leave any part of your body out. No matter how much you may hate training a certain body part. You need to be hitting your chest, back, arms, shoulders, glutes and legs in order to see the results you want.

You also need to focus on hydration. Hydration is fundamental to your well-being and will help you progress towards your fitness goals. Being well-hydrated can make your whole body perform at its best. Make sure you are drinking enough water before, during, and after your workouts. Water will help keep you energized, it will help keep you feeling full, it helps remove toxins from our bodies, and it aids in muscle recovery. See why I preach to drink your water so much now 😉 haha!

The main thing – be consistent with you training! Set goals for yourself and work towards them by creating a realistic and sustainable workout schedule.

Do NOT be fooled by health and wellness fads!

Remember to always beware of promises of quick fixes such as “spot reduction”. It is very important to remember that there are absolutely NO shortcuts when it comes to health and fitness. The results you want are going to come from hard work and giving yourself enough time. Patience y’all! Make sure that you are tracking your progress with measurements and progress pictures so you can see that you are advancing towards your goals. Every small step counts! Looking after your ENTIRE BODY will give you the best results in the LONG TERM! No quick fixes here!

-Body By Riss