The myth of ‘spot reduction’

This week’s article is on an area that I hear a lot about, ‘Spot Reduction.’

Everyone has seen those TV commercials where someone is trying to sell you some kind of machine, abdominal cruncher, or thigh minimizer, while also saying that you can lose that midsection or slim those thighs by using their product in just a few weeks.

Well, you can’t.

‘KK’ is a 43 year old women who would like to tighten up her midsection. We all would like to tighten up that area KK.

Every woman deals with this so-called ‘pooch,’ even men deal with this, they just call theirs a ‘gut.’ The only way to get rid of that pooch or gut is a combination of things: Weight training, abdominal exercises, lots of intense cardio, and eating all of those healthy foods.

Probably one of the biggest myths in the fitness industry is that you can pick out one area of the body and ‘spot reduce.’ No matter how many crunches, chest exercises, leg lifts, or arm curls you do, you will only tone and strengthen the muscle underneath that layer of fat strapped to you belly, arms, or legs.

‘If spot reduction worked, people could chew gum and have super skinny faces.’

I frequently explain to women that the place where they want to lose weight first, is probably going to be the last place that they actually lose it. The reason for this is that the genes you are born with help to determine where your body is going to store fat. You can, however, work to change your body’s shape with weight training, abdominal exercises, lots of intense cardio, and healthy eating habits.

Weight training helps the body to gain strength and muscle, therefore increasing your body’s metabolism ‘ or your body’s ‘furnace’ for burning fat. The more muscle you have in your body, the less fat you have in your body, giving you a leaner and sleeker appearance.

Remember ‘LM’ from last week’s article? She added weight training to her cardio program and now she is idolized in the gym and she has gone from a size 11 to a size 7.

There are three areas of your abdominals that you need to work: Upper, lower, and obliques (your waistline). Crunches will work the upper abs giving you the 2 pack of the ‘six-pack abs.’ The pooch area is really your lower abdominals and this area is worked when both the spine and hips are flexed. For example, hip raises and reverse curls work the lower abdominal region. Obliques or your waistline are worked when you combine a crunch while turning to alternating sides. Abdominal exercises will again help you to tone and strengthen the muscle underneath that layer of fat and without this tone muscle your stomach area would just be a blob.

Cardio is the the only way that you are going to burn that layer of fat that you can grab or pinch on your stomach, butt, and legs. A lot of people think that just a simple stroll outside will be enough cardio for them. Your wrong, you have really got to bust your butt, break a sweat, and hustle. Why do you think that most runners are skinny? Or why do beginning runners lose weight? They are busting that butt!

The last part of reshaping your body is healthy eating habits. You have got to watch what goes in your mouth. Taste is acquired, a mind set so to speak. Some people love sushi or guacamole and some people can not stand it. Therefore, you need to change your acquired tastes. After not having that FAT-LOADED ranch dressing for a while, you will not miss it.

So, to everyone out there, if you’re tired of lugging around that spare tire, pooch, flab, saddlebags, gut or whatever you want to call it, you can change it, but it is going to take commitment and hard work on your part. It is also not going to happen in just a few weeks time like so many of those TV commercials tell you.

KK, I hope that this has helped to answer your question, thank you for writing in. Remember, if you have a question, please email me at [email protected] and label it ‘Fitness Question.’ Or write to me at Paige Northcutt P.O Box 7281, McMinnville, TN 37111.