Articles  & Research

 Spot Reducing Is For The Laundry

BY: Dianne Villano, CPFI  www.custombodiestampabay.com

·         Can you give me an exercise that will get rid of the fat on my stomach ?

·     What exercises an I do to tone my thighs ?

·    Can you recommend some exercises to make my arms, thighs and stomach smaller and also speed up my weight loss??

I hear questions such as this on a daily basis, both from our clients and from people standing in the grocery line with me who want to know what exercises I do for such “toned” arms. Spot reduction works only in the laundry room, ladies and gentleman -  there is simply no such thing as localized fat loss. The reality is -  muscles which are stimulated with exercise will increase in size,  regardless of  what type of exercise gadget is used to “tone” an area. While resistance training is vital to overall fat loss and  sculpting the body that you want, “overtraining” an area with the hopes of “toning” it will lead to muscle being added disproportionately and the area getting larger. If you build muscle more quickly that you strip fat in any area , it will get bigger.

Many people focus on exercising a particular body part which is hidden by fatty tissue in an effort to "burn away" the localized fat and expose toned muscles. No amount of dips, lunges or abdominal work will “burn” the fat off in a particular area –.  Unfortunately, most people cannot see their beautiful toned muscles because they are covered by a layer of  body fat . 

That having been said here are the facts regarding “spot reducing, toning and “firming”

1.      Body areas which are not “toned” simply contain excess body fat.

2.      Physiologically, muscle is always firm

3.      our bodies are genetically preprogrammed to carry a certain amount in a particular body area.

4.      the area of the body that first notices a decrease in body fat will vary from person to person – it is genetically pre - determined

5.      In order to lose fat from your body an energy “deficit” must occur (ie” you must burn more calories than you consume

6.      it is impossible to “firm” fat , nor can you “tone” muscle

7.      No one can predict which area of their body will lose fat first

8.      Eventually you WILL experience fat loss in the more difficult areas.

Tips for a “toned” , firm you

1.      Perform a well rounded  resistance program at least 2 days a week to add lean body mass (muscle) to your frame, sculpt and shape your body . This will increase your ability to burn fat and food calories as well as your ability to sculpt your body just as you would like it. (each pound of muscle burns approximately 40 calories metabolically, each pound of fat about 3)

2.      Perform a minimum of 3  30 minute sessions of cardiovascular training each week to stimulate fat loss

3.      Watch your serving sizes and portions, eat a  balanced  diet of  carbohydrates, fats and proteins (The American Heart Association recommends a general guideline of 60% of your calories from carbohydrates, 20% from fats & 20 % from protein)  . Calories DO  count, if you eat more than you burn you will add fat regardless of the source.

4.      Use common sense and keep refined sugars, sodas  and processed foods  to a minimum

5.      Drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day

Copyright © Custom Bodies, Inc.  2004

Article written by  Dianne Villano, President of Custom Bodies Personal Training and Weight Loss Programs.  Dianne is a personal fitness instructor certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine with over 16 years experience who specializes in weight loss programs and programs for beginners.  For more articles or free fitness tools visit www.custombodiestampabay.com

The information on this web site is intended for information reference purposes only and is not intended as a substitute to professional medical advice. Prior to participating in any exercise program or activity, it is recommended that you seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care professional. None of the information on this web site should be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition.

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