Targeted Fat Loss: Myth Or Reality?
posted on: December 14, 2017. posted in: Weight loss
We've had a question in our private mission groups.
"Potentially a really daft question so apologies.... So over the last three months since losing weight I’ve been working really hard on my fitness. I took a photo of myself at the beginning of these three months and one yesterday. I knew I’d lost some cms but was surprised at the difference in the photos. I’ve clearly toned and lost some body fat, particularly around my middle/hips...the thing is this isn’t particularly where I needed to lose it, my bum and thighs are the major problem area for me, I’m very much a pear shape! Obviously I’m pleased I’m toning and doing something right but just wondering, how does your body decide what body fat to lose/where from? I’ve been doing exercises that target all areas, maybe I’ve toned round thighs but it’s less obvious, I’m just intrigued at how it works as in my mind it would make sense to go to the place where I appear to have the most body fat first but that doesn’t seem to have happened. Thanks"
Not a daft question at all!
The first thing to be 100% clear about is this...
You cannot "spot reduce" fat.
Which means you can't pick and train specific areas, then see fat loss specifically from those areas.
This is a MYTH!
And science has proven it!
For example, doing lots of situps will not burn fat specifically from your stomach, nor will doing lots of squats burn fat specifically from your legs, nor will doing bicep curls burn fat specifically from your arms.
You can "tone" these areas, which means increasing the firmness of the muscle. But you can't specifically shift fat from these areas by exercising these areas.
What determines how and where you lose bodyfat is complex, but really comes down to three elements.
1. A caloric deficit
2. Hormones, and
3. Genetics
The good news?!
You can work on elements 1 and 2 here!
You can adjust your energy balance (Energy In vs Energy Out), by adjusting your calorie intake and calorie output, to create a caloric deficit and burn fat.
You can also adjust your macronutrient intake (carbs, proteins, fats), the type of exercises you do, and the amount of rest and relaxation you get, to improve your hormone balance.
But... and this is a big but...
You can't change your genetics!!
Some people are born to be more "apple" shaped, some people are born to be more "pear" shaped, some people born to be more "v" shaped.
So you get what you've got...
Then you work on elements 1 and 2 above (creating a caloric deficit and improving your hormone balance through nutrition, fitness and rest) to make the very best of it!
Someone who is born to be an apple can eat right, train right and have a slimmer waist and flatter stomach.
But they'll have to work hard for it!
Someone who is born to be a pear can eat right, train right and have slimmer hips and thighs.
But they'll have to work hard for it!
Someone who is born to be a v-shape is a lucky git, so they've got a head start on the rest of us.
But they'll still have to work for it!
The take home message?
We're all going to have to work for it, and work on our nutrition, fitness and rest, to burn fat from our whole bodies.
Some just have to work that little bit harder, and expect that if they're an apple they'll have more trouble shifting it from their waist, and if they're a pear they'll have more trouble shifting it from their hips / thighs.
It doesn't mean it's impossible.
It just means it's a challenge!
So embrace that challenge and be grateful that you're alive and able to commit to it!
Liam
p.s. If you want to learn more about how nutrition, fitness and rest can help you create a caloric deficit, improve your hormone balance and help you lean up your whole body, join us on the Fresh Start™ mission this January! Applications now open, find out more »
