Spot Reduction Myth
Stubborn fat can be a problem to remove in men around the abdominal and lower back region, which makes it difficult to achieve a more “toned” look.
When stubborn fat becomes a problem, many people add specific high repetition exercises to their workout to target this problem area more directly.
This method is better known as the “spot reduction” technique, which only causes you to lose more common sense than any fat cells from your waistline.
The spot reduction myth most likely propagated around the 1960s, when shake rollers and vibrating devices were sold to convince people that adipose fat can be “shaken off”.
If you wonder why these products seem to never have worked for you or anyone you know, it’s probably because the logic behind reducing fat this way is outdated.
Why You Can’t Spot Reduce Fat
The best way to avoid myths and confusing theories about diet and weight loss is to go back to old principles that have been taught forever.
Exercising, or more specifically weightlifting, should come down to one of three objectives: exercising to lose fat, maintaining weight, or build muscle.
Anything else doesn’t really make any sense since there nothing else besides those three things that can be done. Spot reduction is a method of fat loss, but can never truly be accomplished because of how fat is burned in the body
A calorie deficit must be created to see any kind of fat loss, however fat is removed in percentages evenly throughout the body, not just within a specific area. There has been new evidence from a 2013 study proving that actual spot reduction may be a possibility in the near future.
This study actually concluded that resistance exercise can actually change the volume of fat over the targeted muscle group.
Fat CAN be reduced in certain areas of your body but only if there’s a deficit in your daily total calories.
The second reason why this myth still exists is because of fitness terminology with words like “toning”.
Whenever someone says that they want to be toned, they’re usually describing a look where they have some kind of muscle definition but they’re not bulgy or blocky looking.
If you want to avoid being get a bulky look, stick to a diet that focuses on just losing fat and retaining muscle.
The Wrap Up
Fat can technically be spot reduced but you still have to lose your overall body fat to get rid of it in unwanted areas. Smarter diet and exercise training is going to be a step in the right direction.
What else do you want to know?
Different Ways To Add Intensity To Your Workouts
How To Really “Tone” Your Muscles
How 3-D Imaging Will Remove Your Body Fat Better
Posted on: July 18, 2016 Fat Loss