Can muscle building reduce localized fat? Bellydancers

joowelz

I recwntly took up bellydancing as a secondary cardio and am noticing all bellydancers have lean legs even if their upper bodies are fat (arms, face, neck, bellies). Is it possible all that shimmying prevented thigh fat from forming? Or is it just coincidence ?

cwolfman13

You can't spot reduce fat. Fat distribution is genetic. I'd wager that most belly dancers are genetically predisposed to having the mid section as primary fat stores...that said, most belly dancers I've seen aren't particularly fat...maybe just a little fluffy around the midsection. I've also seen quite a few belly dancers with no belly whatsoever and quite lean.

AnnPT77

Research suggests spot reduction doesn't happen. I do think that when a body area is strong/muscular, it can be tighter/firmer so smaller in appearance; and it does seem like there may be some patterns of active people looking kind of overall tighter (less puffy, somehow) than inactive ones of similar weight.

My main exercise is very legs-centric (rowing, cycling), but my last-off fat areas are below my waist, but knees and above. I do get some upper body exercise from the rowing (less than many people think, relative to legs), but my upper body looks substantially thinner - bony and a little cut-looking in spots, even - vs. lower body, which looks more wobbly/blobby, even though my quads (for example) are quite strong and firm to the touch (if I do say so myself 😉😆).

It seems like any given exercise regimen tends to include lots of people with a certain body type, but I think that's a two-way issue: An activity tends to preferentially develop certain areas of muscularity, sure . . . but certain body types are better at doing certain activities, so people with those body types may gravitate more to the activity, too. That bias - if one can call it that - could even apply aesthetically, i.e., if women with more ample upper bodies get more praise/positive feedback on their belly-dancing vs. women with other body types, maybe they're more likely to stick with it? Dunno.

joowelz

I'm also thinking maybe theyve just had liposuction on their inner and outer thighs.