Targeted Fat Loss: Fact or fitness fairy tale?

Targeted fat loss, or spot reduction, is the idea that you can lose fat in specific areas of your body by performing specific exercises (1). 

While this may sound great, no clear evidence shows that it works (1-8). One of the main reasons it doesn’t work has to do with how fat is stored and then burned when you exercise. 👇

The energy your body uses to perform daily functions like moving, thinking, and breathing is measured in calories. If you eat more calories than your body uses, the excess is stored as triglycerides molecules (a type of fat) in adipose tissue found throughout your body (9,10). If your body is in caloric deficit (i.e. it uses more calories than you are consuming), it will signal these tissues to start breaking down those fat molecules into smaller molecules (i.e. free fatty acids and glycerol) capable of entering the bloodstream so they can be transported to the area requiring energy (1,11,12). 

Spot reduction is not possible because fat mobilization happens all over the body, not just in the specific area that is being exercised (1,8,13).
Fat loss and weight are complex and are dependent on many factors – some of which you might not have control over (e.g. genetic) (14-16). While a caloric deficit is primarily achieved through a healthy and balanced diet, exercise increases your energy expenditure, helps you maintain your weight, and most importantly supports your overall health (5,13,17-20). 

Beware of techniques or programs that promise fast, easy fixes or one-size-fits-all solutions for fat loss. If something sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
Check out our “Five things better than a fad diet!” post for healthier tips.

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