You CAN Spot Reduce

elle18287
elle18287 Posts: 267 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I may get a lot of crap for this, but I am so tired of people saying you cannot spot reduce.
When someone asks, how can I lose inches off my stomach or asks for good arm exercises, please do not response "you cannot spot reduce".
Weight training and programs like the 30 Day Shred really do help you "spot reduce", You can lose inches in particular spots by doing particular exercises. Otherwise, why to we kill ourselves with push ups and crunches? It is because they work.
I have done 30 Day Shred several times and a lot of inches in places that were focuses on during the workouts.
Another example, if I only weight train with my arms and not my legs, I will see a big difference in my arm "spots" lol, and not my legs.
There is hope! You just have to work for it!
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Replies

  • gogophers
    gogophers Posts: 190 Member
    You can't spot reduce.

    What your referring to is the building of muscle and changes to muscle fibers in those areas. You aren't actually necessarily reducing your fat content in those areas.
  • elle18287
    elle18287 Posts: 267 Member
    You can't spot reduce.

    Oh, ok. My body must be magic then.
  • medoria
    medoria Posts: 673 Member
    I repeat, you can´t spot reduce.
  • Louttie
    Louttie Posts: 138 Member
    You definitely cant spot reduce, sorry.
  • skinnyfithealthyme
    skinnyfithealthyme Posts: 213
    You can tone areas up by building muscle in said areas. When people say "you can't spot reduce" they mean that doing crunches over and over WILL NOT burn the fat off your stomach (I mean unless you incorporate into a cardio routine- now we're talking) It will only build up muscle so that it may look like you are slimmer but to lose that fat you have to do cardio and eat clean.
  • elle18287
    elle18287 Posts: 267 Member
    Could any of you tell me why you think you cannot spot reduce? I have even had a trainer tell me "you can't spot reduce" is a myth.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    *Puts on seatbelt*
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    Stop spreading misinformation.
  • gogophers
    gogophers Posts: 190 Member
    You can't spot reduce.

    Oh, ok. My body must be magic then.

    Sorry, you're "study" isn't exactly scientific.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    I guess you are some genetic abnormality and you have managed to achieve what thousands of bodybuilders and fitness models have been unable to do in the last 50 years.
  • elle18287
    elle18287 Posts: 267 Member
    You can tone areas up by building muscle in said areas. When people say "you can't spot reduce" they mean that doing crunches over and over WILL NOT burn the fat off your stomach (I mean unless you incorporate into a cardio routine- now we're talking) It will only build up muscle so that it may look like you are slimmer but to lose that fat you have to do cardio and eat clean.

    Of course you need to eat clean and burn fat with cardio, but you can build muscle in certain "spots" to improve the amount of muscle vs. fat in those spots.

    I just hear so many people so frustrated with certain spots on their bodies and people are not giving them helpful info regarding how they can improve those spots.
  • JPod279
    JPod279 Posts: 722 Member
    You CAN spot reduce with my miracle Unicorn Cream. It's $150 for a bottle of it. PM me if you are interested.

    This statement has not been verified by the FDA. :wink:
  • ChristyMomx3
    ChristyMomx3 Posts: 176
    2 different people above you told you WHY you can't.

    All you are doing is toning up the muscles. To get rid of the actual fat, to reduce the fat you have to have cardio and clean eat. Crunches and weights build muscle..
  • skinnyfithealthyme
    skinnyfithealthyme Posts: 213
    Also- the 30D shred is a lot of cardio so that is why you burn fat. It also tones the body by incorporating strength but there is a reason that she tells you not to take breaks during the workout. It's to keep your HR up so you burn fat.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Could any of you tell me why you think you cannot spot reduce? I have even had a trainer tell me "you can't spot reduce" is a myth.

    Because exercising a tricep for example, does not encourage the body to burn fat from around the tricep area......that isn't how the body works.
    Of course you need to eat clean and burn fat with cardio, but you can build muscle in certain "spots" to improve the amount of muscle vs. fat in those spots.

    Increasing muscle mass in a specific area is not the same as reuducing fat from a specific area, these are 2 completely difference things.

    If i make my tricep twice as big, yes this is a bigger ratio of muscle/fat around that tricep -that is not the same a spot reducing.
  • Fatal1ty2k5
    Fatal1ty2k5 Posts: 333 Member
    dis-gon-b-gud.gif
  • GnochhiGnomes
    GnochhiGnomes Posts: 348 Member
    Could any of you tell me why you think you cannot spot reduce?.

    Because when you work certain areas, your working certain muscles. Working muscles may burns fat but your body wont take it all from that area, because your body has absolutely no way of 'knowing' where you want the fat to go from.
  • ChristyMomx3
    ChristyMomx3 Posts: 176
    http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1305014


    Very informative!
  • SteveTries
    SteveTries Posts: 723 Member
    You really cannot spot reduce. We all have pre-determined fat storage patterns and when we maintain a calorie defecit we lost body fat according to those patterns.

    You'll probably know a friend who has really slim legs and bum but who's belly and chest are disproportionately larger. Or the other way around.

    Certainly it can appear like your crunches are burning fat around the waist, but only because this is where you personally lose your fat from first. In fact it's fairly common for women to lose upper body fat before losing from bum and legs.

    The proof that you can't spot reduce is readily visible; the part of our body that moves the most is undoubtedly the fingers. Pretty much everything we do has them bending and flexing away constantly. All the more so since the keyboard became the chief tool for many of us in our workplace. Obeserve any very overweight person (including your stereotypical computer geek) and you'll see sausage fat fingers. It spot reduction worked they would be nice and slim.

    You cannot spot reduce.
  • elle18287
    elle18287 Posts: 267 Member
    I knew I would get a lot of crap for this, but I don't see any of you who are opposing me giving any examples of why you think the way you think . I gave examples and I have discussed this with a trainer. No need to be hateful.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I don't think of it as "spot reducing" so much as it is "spot toning." Yes you CAN increase a particular muscle while ignoring the rest. You CAN focus on one part of your body while ignoring the rest.

    People who continue the mantra "You can't spot reduce" are really talking about body fat, not muscles.

    (Another myth busted: fat does NOT turn into muscle)

    :smokin:
  • medoria
    medoria Posts: 673 Member
    you can build muscle in certain "spots" to improve the amount of muscle vs. fat in those spots.

    Sorry but this is not the same as spotreducing.
  • skinnyfithealthyme
    skinnyfithealthyme Posts: 213
    You can tone areas up by building muscle in said areas. When people say "you can't spot reduce" they mean that doing crunches over and over WILL NOT burn the fat off your stomach (I mean unless you incorporate into a cardio routine- now we're talking) It will only build up muscle so that it may look like you are slimmer but to lose that fat you have to do cardio and eat clean.

    Of course you need to eat clean and burn fat with cardio, but you can build muscle in certain "spots" to improve the amount of muscle vs. fat in those spots.

    I just hear so many people so frustrated with certain spots on their bodies and people are not giving them helpful info regarding how they can improve those spots.

    Okay... if someone tells me they want a flatter tummy, I'm going to tell them to do cardio and eat less and quit doing a thousand crunches every day. Because usually when people don't know what they're doing they only do "spot reducing" and don't look at the whole picture.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    in reality,

    The body utilizes fat evenly, it doesn't know any better.

    however, if you increase bloodflow to a certain area, there is a small possibility that a teeny-tiny insignificant extra amount of fat might be absorbed from that area. Not enough to be noticeable.

    In the same vein of the OP's logic: If repeat use of a single limb really produced spot reduction, then there would be no typists with fat hands.
  • gogophers
    gogophers Posts: 190 Member
    I have even had a trainer tell me "you can't spot reduce" is a myth.

    Oh, well then... ;)

    Also, you're the one retorting with sarcastic responses.
  • skinnyfithealthyme
    skinnyfithealthyme Posts: 213
    I knew I would get a lot of crap for this, but I don't see any of you who are opposing me giving any examples of why you think the way you think . I gave examples and I have discussed this with a trainer. No need to be hateful.

    Who is being hateful and giving you crap? You asked for an explanation and multiple people have given it to you and you refuse to accept it.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    I knew I would get a lot of crap for this, but I don't see any of you who are opposing me giving any examples of why you think the way you think .

    It has been explained above.
  • Louttie
    Louttie Posts: 138 Member
    The reason for this is simple: a muscle does not own the fat that surrounds it. Sit-ups, for example, will definitely strengthen your abdominal muscles, but sit-ups alone will not get rid of the layer of fat that is covering the muscles. To lose fat anywhere on your body you need to burn calories by following a program that involves both cardiovascular training and weight training. In doing so, you will decrease fat stores throughout your entire body, including the problem areas.
  • lauraniwa
    lauraniwa Posts: 131 Member
    You can tone areas up by building muscle in said areas. When people say "you can't spot reduce" they mean that doing crunches over and over WILL NOT burn the fat off your stomach (I mean unless you incorporate into a cardio routine- now we're talking) It will only build up muscle so that it may look like you are slimmer but to lose that fat you have to do cardio and eat clean.

    Correct.
    I remember this debate in undergrad SO CLEARLY...because on the surface it makes no sense, if I do a billion lunges the weight will come off my thighs, it just seems logical.
    Certain areas of the body store different kinds of fat cells, some of which are more easily accessable for our metabolism than others. It's like having a cupboard full of cans. Your body is only willing to take out the ones at the front of the shelf, you can't make it reach behind the other cans to get the specific cans you want.
    There is study, after peer reviewed study, on how YOU CANNOT SPOT REDUCE. Anyone who tells you othhrwise might be trying to sell you something.
  • elle18287
    elle18287 Posts: 267 Member
    Also- the 30D shred is a lot of cardio so that is why you burn fat. It also tones the body by incorporating strength but there is a reason that she tells you not to take breaks during the workout. It's to keep your HR up so you burn fat.

    When I talked to a trainer about why I couldn't get the results I wanted, though I had been running for years, he told me I could spot reduce with certain exercises and that it was not a matter of me not getting enough cardio.

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