You look in the mirror and the imperfections are all you can see. There is the second chin, the flabby arms, the huge pot belly and the equally fat thighs. You are ready to give up anything and try any diet to get the perfect figure. It also explains your obsession with push-ups and crunches and doing workouts that focus on either ‘upper body’ or ‘lower body’. While all this is alright, there are lot of questions being raised about spot reduction and its effectiveness. Here is what we found.
What is spot reduction?
Spot reduction is based on the belief that exercising specific muscles helps to get rid of the fat deposited in the area close to the muscles. For examples –crunches help to tone the abdominal muscles that we wish would lead to flatter abdomen….
Does it work?
No, as far as fat loss in specific areas is concerned, it is not possible. Even though you have forever heard that pushups and sit ups will get rid of the belly fat, it is unlikely to happen. The reason why spot reduction does not work is because working out specific muscles does mean strengthening them but it does not mean that the muscles will use the fat deposited close to it to obtain energy. Krishma Shah, former dietician in Affix Gym, says “Vigorously exercising one part of the body does not work, you need to get an overall workout to lose weight. Spot reduction does not happen.”
More about Fat
Deposition of fat is complex phenomena, lot of factors determine which section our bodies store fat. For example men tend to gain weight near their abdomen while women store fat in their buttocks and thighs. There is genetics also involved in this; you may observe that you inherit the same body shape (apple or pear shaped) as your parents.
However you cannot ignore some of these problem areas as research shows those who have accumulated fat in their abdominal areas are at risk for heart disease- atherosclerosis, inflammation and coronary artery disease. They are also at risk for diabetes and stroke. So all those with apple shaped bodies- start working out!
What does research say?
There have been hundreds of products like abs cruncher, sauna belts that promise to get you flatter abs but the studies state otherwise. In a study, researchers studied the arms of tennis players expecting that the arm that is involved in playing will have lesser fat composition than other. However, there was no difference in skin fold in the arms.
In another study researchers had participants do around 5000 sit ups over 27 days, after comparing the biopsies of arms, buttocks and abs, they found uniform fat loss in all these areas without specific fat loss in just one area. This proves that spot reduction does not happen.
But then what works?
Overall fat reduction works. When you exercise consistently for a long period of time, you are training your muscles, strengthening your bones and even losing your fat reserves. When you exercise chemicals reach your fat reserves and break the fat cells for energy. Research shows that subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin) is easier to lose from exercise while visceral fat (fat around the internal organs, which is dangerous) is lost through correct dietary changes.
Krishma shah advices, “Even if spot reduction does not happen, you are sure to lose weight throughout your body when you start working out or even start yoga. But remember to lose weight under expert guidance.”
Another word of caution is that though you lose weight all throughout the body, there are certain areas where it is difficult to lose weight- for some their thighs, for some the unpleasant pot belly. This is because we have a genetic predisposition to gain weight around that area. Other than that, it is observed that the first area you lose fat from is the one gained recently and the last area you lose fat from is the one you gained first.
What should you do?
Here are some tips to start living healthy and losing weight throughout:
- Eat foods rich in fiber- Whole grain foods, raw fruits and vegetables, oats, berries, green leafy vegetables and pulses. These contain very little fat, keep us full for long and help reduce blood glucose levels while fighting cholesterol deposition.
- Aerobic Training- Aerobic activity helps boost your heart rate, your breathing rate and helps to burn instant calories while increasing your stamina and relieving your stress levels. These activities include swimming, running, walking and jogging.
- Strength training- Strength training plays an important role in helping you lose weight. Strength training helps your muscles become strong which in turn burn more calories and keep off weight. Lifting weights and working out on the gym equipments help you train your muscles.
- Avoid doing these- Don’t stay up late and eat dinners early. Try to squeeze half an hour of exercise every day. Avoid alcohol consumption more than two days a week. Binge on healthy options like unsalted popcorn, bhel, sprouts than biscuits, soft drinks and other high calorie snacks.
Use these tips and lose weight throughout your body, not just your ‘problem’ areas!
