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Companies continually try to convince us that we can pick and choose where we lose our fat. I am sure you have seen the infomercials with the funky gadgets that will eliminate the love handles or the magazine articles for a workout that will give you a flat stomach in just a few weeks. These gimmicks are thrown at us in many forms and are based upon the theory that you can spot reduce your fat away.

Spot reduction is based on a belief that by targeting a problem area in your workouts you will lose fat in those specific areas. For example, if you do 1,000 crunches every day, you will see those love handles disappear and start to see a six-pack. As much as we all would love to see this happen, science and research continue to show that this is not the case.

Everyone is different. Factors that we cannot control, such as gender and genetics, will determine how and where your body will burn fat first. Some individuals are lucky and may see results in their desired area, but very few will get the results they strive for right away.

The science of how our bodies use fuel backs this up. Our fat cells are made up of triglycerides. Our muscles cannot use triglycerides directly. Other parts of our body need to break down triglycerides into glycerol and free fatty acids that can then enter our bloodstream to be used to fuel our bodies. The fat can be taken from anywhere in our bodies, not always specific to our targeted areas.

Multiple studies focusing on training a participant’s non-dominant arm or leg show that the loss of fat is generalized throughout the body, not limited to the trained arm or leg. These studies back up the science that our bodies will utilize fat from any general area of the body, not a specific area worked.

What you can do:

You can tone up an area. Although you cannot burn fat from the exact location you want, it is important to understand that you still have some control of where you build muscle or “tone” your body. By focusing your weight routines in certain areas, you can choose where you build muscles and get stronger. When you “generally” lose fat in those targeted areas, you will start to see that toned look you are aiming for in your goals.

You can lose fat generally. To lose fat you need to keep in mind that the fat burning process is firmly based on the number of calories you burn versus the number of calories you consume. If you do not burn more calories than you consume, you will not lose fat.

One thing to be careful of is that you do not take the “calories in vs. calories out" equation too far. To avoid this it is helpful to be aware of your basal metabolic rate (the number of calories or energy our body requires to maintain functioning at rest). If you burn calories and don’t consume enough calories to fuel your body, your body will go into survival mode and start to store fat, working against your overall goal.

You can use effective exercise options to help burn more calories:

• Cardiovascular exercise is an effective way to burn calories in a workout.
• HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) will help burn calories during the workout but also adds in the “after-burn” effect that increases your resting metabolic rate for up to 24 hours after exercise.
• Increasing muscle mass through weight training can also help optimize fat loss. It increases your basal metabolic rate while also helping you to get that toned look. It’s a win-win!

You can put together a healthy plan to work toward that toned or chiseled look:

• Eat a sensible and well-balanced diet that will fuel your body.
• Strength train targeting a full body workout to build muscle and increase your basal metabolic rate for the long term.
• Last but not least, participate in cardiovascular workouts to help burn calories in the short term. (Note that interval workouts are more effective for fat burning than long, steady cardiovascular workouts.)

There are many ways to achieve your workout goals and our personal trainers and dietitians are here to help. They can help you successfully navigate new workout and diet terrain and guide you to results more quickly and effectively than on your own. Additionally, if you have an interest in finding out your basal metabolic rate they can help you determine it with a Total Body Analysis session.