As a personal trainer, I often get asked how to make [x body part] smaller. Is this possible? Let’s discuss the truth about spot reduction.
Spot reduction can be defined as reducing body fat in one specific area, and only that area. It is also something many novice exercisers believe is possible.
Unfortunately, focusing your training on one muscle group will NOT help that area get smaller. You can’t do a million crunches to lose your gut. It takes a little more than that.
When a fat burning program is done correctly, you will lose body fat equally from your whole body. Again, you can not target your fat loss to one specific area. As annoying as it is, typically the area that you store the most body fat will be the last to slim down. This is because that area likely has the least amount of muscle and an excess amount of fat tissue. I know, it’s annoying.
I do have some good news though! Even though fat loss can’t happen in one specific area, muscle gain CAN be isolated. And having more muscle promotes fat loss! Let me explain…
Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue. The more muscle you have in your body, the more calories you burn at rest and in movement. So, start strength training if you want help burning fat! Building muscle all over your body will help you shed fat faster from head to toe.
More muscle, even if it’s underneath a layer of fat, will always make you appear smaller. Fat and muscle look very different underneath the skin. Having more muscle makes your skin look tighter and thus your body slimmer.
The truth about spot reduction is that it is not possible. However, building muscle in those trouble areas is the best way to start seeing changes all over you body!
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