The Truth about Spot Reduction

At any point, we can pick up the latest fitness magazine or see a television ad for the newest "abdominal reducer" exercise. These gimmicks are feeding on society's obsession with a "six pack" and everyone is searching for the answer to lose those love handles.

How many times have you heard these statements? "I do a hundred abdominal crunches a night". "I have this one trouble area that I need to work." "I just want to do exercises to lose my hips." These are common requests of many fitness clients. But the truth is performing an exercise that moves a portion of the body does not necessarily mean you are burning the fat there. Hundreds of abdominal crunches or leg lifts a night will not rid the fat in those specific areas.

Here are the top five things about spot reduction that they do not mention in fitness and health magazines.

1. Muscle and fat are two distinct tissues. They have different properties and characteristics. It is not physiologically possible for one to be transformed into another. When performing these exercises, it is our skeletal muscle that is working, not the fat that may surround it.

2. When we perform any activity, we need energy for that movement. We get this energy from the foods that we consume. When we need energy for exercise, we do not choose which fuel will be used (determined by intensity). In addition, the energy used comes from the entire body not just the skeletal muscle that is moving. So the energy to perform those crunches may not necessarily be coming from your abdominal region!

3. Another key point to these "spot reduction" exercises is that they are anaerobic exercises. What does this mean? We have two energy systems that help us perform all activities. We have our aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. When performing these exercises effectively, the anaerobic system is the system of choice. Biochemically, carbohydrates are the primary fuel choice and fats cannot be used as an energy source.

4. IF you still are not convinced, here's another point. Fat is stored as adipose tissue. If we were to use it as a fuel source, it needs to be broken down by the liver into fatty acids and then circulated into the bloodstream to be used as a fuel. The body is going to release fat stored from the entire body not from those specific areas we wish.

5. Deposition of fat is genetically predetermined. We do not control where we will carry most of our weight. This is also something that cannot be altered by performing specific movements.

In order to lose fat, you need to burn more calories than you use. The key is to engage in aerobic and anaerobic exercise along with proper nutritional practices. This will decrease the fat stores throughout the entire body and preserve your muscle mass. Steer clear of the latest fitness craze and "ab buster" exercise. There is no quick gimmick or exercises that will spot reduce a "trouble" area. But it is possible with hard work.

Teri Mosey is a Exercise Physiologist currently working at Peak Performance Fitness (http://www.peakptfit.com). She is also an Instructor for Health and Fitness certifications, Certified Personal Trainer (NASM), Health and Fitness Instructor (ACSM) and Resistance Training Soecialist (RTS)

---

Why Core is Key

Do you currently suffer or have you ever suffered from... Read More

Online Fitness Coaching

If I were to tell you that you could burn... Read More

The Degradation of Fitness Science

The world and our selves evolve and exist in a... Read More

Get Fit From Home-Part 2

Using The StairsNot everybody has stairs in their home, but... Read More

Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 4

Welcome to article number 4 in our series "Bodybuilding Sins... Read More

Exercise and Diet ? For Your Waistline

Caring for your body is the most important thing you... Read More

3 Steps To Starting a Successful Fall Exercise Program

Ah, the crisp cool breeze, the invigorating feel of the... Read More

Triathalon Racing, It Starts At The Beginning

Long before you can enter into triathalon racing, you will... Read More

How Exercise and Beta-Glucan Help the Immune System

It is thought that moderate exercise, such as speed walking,... Read More

How to Keep Your Body Fit

Fitness is just as imperative as health. As a matter... Read More

The Many Benefits of Exercise

Health experts encourage us to include exercise as a necessary... Read More

3 Great Weight Loss Exercises

It's a given that effective weight loss is much more... Read More

Exercise & Motivation, Part 2: Overcoming Inertia & Getting Started

In the first article in this series (http://tinyurl.com/8ztbo), we gave... Read More

Complete Physical Transformation Using The Purposefully Primitive Fitness Methodology

The Purposeful Primitive approach to the art and science of... Read More

VO2 Max- Exposing the Myth

VO2 max is defined as the maximal amount of oxygen... Read More

Stretching for Health

Lack of flexibility is now seen to be a major... Read More

Strategies for Alleviating the Boredom Associated with Exercise

Just about every expert in the ADD field will tell... Read More

Essential Power Walking Tips

Ever since I took a power walking class in college,... Read More

The Lactate Threshold ? Reality or Fallacy?

For many years exercise science has perpetuated the concept of... Read More

7 Ways To Guarantee You Stick To Your Workout Program

1. Begin Looking at Exercise Differently. Think of exercise as... Read More

The Abs... More Important Than You Think

What comes to your mind when I say the word... Read More

Salsa Dancing for Fitness is Hot

Salsa dancing is emerging as a refreshing replacement for conventional... Read More

Use an Exercise Training Diary to Keep Your Workouts on Track

A road map is a very handy tool when you're... Read More

Exercise and Losing Weight for Life ? Avoid the #1 Mistake Everyone Makes!

Do you ever feel like you are working out so... Read More

Get a Health Screening Before You Start Training

So, you have decided to hire a personal trainer to... Read More

Arthritis Exercise ? One Way to Relieve Pain & Stiffness in Your Joints (part 3)

There are three main types of exercises to include in... Read More

The Fundamentals of Pilates

There are people who are fond of getting an exercise... Read More

Weight Loss, Bodybuilding, and Exercise Tips ? Keeping Your Body-fat Low: Part 2 of 10

My name is Greg Ryan. I am a fitness expert,... Read More

Bodybuilding and Exercise ? The Ten Commandments in Making of a Champion!

1. Fill your life up with different hobbies! ? Bodybuilding... Read More

Arthritis Exercise ? One Way to Relieve Pain & Stiffness in Your Joints (part 2)

Even when you cannot make it out to walk or... Read More

Exercising With Kids -- Tips For Parents

Making exercise a priority is a challenge for everyone. And... Read More

Yoga

Yoga traditionally conjures up images of long hair, loin cloths... Read More

When Exercising Right Looks Wrong

For most of us we live in a black and... Read More