The myth of targeted fat loss. Can you really just lose belly fat?
So many people want to lose weight and the first thing they normally want to get rid of is their stomach fat. There’s nothing more motivating than picturing yourself with a rock hard six pack. The idea of targeting a specific area of the body for fat loss is also referred to as is localized fat reduction or spot reduction. These methods are simply ineffective and the practice of targeted fat loss does not work. There are several studies supporting this. One study tested targeted fat loss in 14 men and 10 women. The participants completed ab exercises 5 days per week. The exercises consisted of 7 different abdominal movements and each exercise was performed for 2 sets of 10 reps. After doing this for 6 weeks they found that it had no effect on spot reduction of fat on their core. A similar 27 day study also focused on abdominal exercises for belly fat reduction. The results were the same and showed that spot reduction of fat was not seen in the participants in the study. The research on this topic goes beyond exercises of just the abdominal muscles. Another study looked at 104 subjects who performed resistance training in their non-dominant. At the end of a 12 week period they found that targeted fat loss did not occur in the non-dominant arm. These are just a few of the studies which display how focusing on a single body part to lose fat is not the right way to go about it. Truth is you lose fat in a generalized way throughout your body. You may notice that you lose or gain fat in some places first when dieting or falling off your diet. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t train abs. There is no doubt that core strength is important within an overall fitness routine but sit ups will not help you lose stomach fat and get the six pack you want. The best way to chisel away fat is by sticking with a diet built for your personal goals and keeping up with a workout routine. If want to read an article on how to get started with weight loss check out our article on that topic.
Sources on targeted fat loss:
Effects of Sit up Exercise Training on Adipose Cell Size and Adiposity
Subcutaneous fat alterations resulting from an upper-body resistance training program.
The effect of abdominal exercise on abdominal fat.