Burning Belly Fat – Spot Reduction

One of the most common statements I hear as a trainer is, “I want to do lots of ab exercises so I can get rid of this,” as I see my client(s) grab at their excess belly fat. Unfortunately, that is not how it works. Many people have the common misconception that spot reduction works. Spot reduction is the notion that if you workout a particular body part, then you will lose body fat in that spot. Studies have shown that those who tried spot reduction for any body part, let alone the abdominals, did not experience any reduction in fat thickness. Therefore, “lots of ab exercises” is not the best solution.

Yes, doing ab exercises will help those muscles to grow and potentially be seen more prominently. However, your overall body fat percentage still must be low enough for those muscles to be able to show through.

So, how do you lose belly fat? First off, no one can choose where they lose body fat first. Where you lose fat first, versus last, depends on a few factors, but vastly correlates to your genetic makeup. For some people, they may lose in their waist first, while others lose in their hips first and waist last. So, cross your fingers for good genetics. Also, wherever you are genetically inclined to gain weight first, you will most likely lose weight here first as well.

Nevertheless, a strict diet combined with a well-rounded weight training program is the best way to reduce overall body fat, thus putting you into a caloric deficit (more calories out than calories in) and contributing to belly fat loss. HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is also great to incorporate for cardio infused resistance training. Therefore, if you’re looking to reduce your waistline, give these options a try for the best results.