You CAN Spot Reduce
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...:huh:muscle weighs more than fat, so rather than try to spot reduce, you might just want to tone instead. This weigh, you'll tone up and not add all that heavy muscle and lose weight.
Say that again?
He's being a smartass. :laugh:
Darn it, we need a font for that0 -
Not to be controversial BUT, I think the poster has a point. Certain exercises can make certain areas smaller or larger, and certain conditions you exercise on makes a difference. I noticed this while watching the Olympics and noticed that the sport a person played determined body shape even more than race. I noticed that the female swimmers, while having serious muscle mass also had a fat layer for insulation. The ladies had large backs and slim waists. The gymnasts had wide waists and large thigh and shoulder muscles, but very low body fat. The type of exercise and the conditions you do the exercise on make a big difference in what areas get small or big. So, in essence, you can spot reduce, just maybe in a different way that people normally think of spot reduction.
This is very similar to what I am saying. If you do the correct exercises for your body, you can reduce areas.
Thank you for posting this even if it was controversial.
A lot of people hear things, read thing and believe things for a long time, and then when someone opposes if even a little, they jump on immediately saying it is wrong.
I am just trying to give people hope that they can improve themselves when a certain "spot" is really bothering them. Because it has worked for me.
And we're back again to the term "reduce". Even the people that agree with you are saying that "reduce" is not the correct term. The reason swimmer's backs are big is because they have built those muscles up, not because they have reduced fat in any specific area on their body.
Another reason these individuals have these body shapes is about self selection. With regard to the top quote, gymnasts are not that way because of the exercises they do. Gymnasts have that body structure because if they don't, they can't be a gymnast. To a certain extent, exercises can change body structure, but in general, if someone doesn't have a very particular body type, they can't be a gymnast and that's why all gymnasts look very similar.0 -
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.
The excerpt "but you can build muscle in certain spots" is the exact opposite of "spot REDUCE" and not at all what people are talking about when they use the term spot REDUCE. REDUCE fat and BUILD muscle are two different things in case you didn't know that.... what an idiot. sorry, I am not typically mean on these threads but you're just stupid.
Yeah, that was pretty mean. Can you give me your exact definition of spot reduction?
you've already been given the definition of spot reducing multiple times. it's reducing the percentage of fat in a certain area. it's impossible.
thank you.0 -
Wow.... people hate me today... but I love this. Thanks!
I don't know where you keep getting the idea that people hate you lol relax...whether or not you understand this basic concept doesn't seem to be affecting your progress so keep doing what you're doing
I am getting the idea because people on forums feel a need to be sarcastic and down right mean (aka calling me arrogant and stupid).0 -
Yeah, the sport they play has an influence on their body shape. Sprinters have larger legs. Why? Because they have large leg muscles because in order to be fast over short distances, you need large/strong leg muscles. Gymnasts have large shoulders. Why? Because they spend a lot of time on their hands, which builds up shoulder strength. The exercises you do determine what areas get big, not the areas that get small.Not to be controversial BUT, I think the poster has a point. Certain exercises can make certain areas smaller or larger, and certain conditions you exercise on makes a difference. I noticed this while watching the Olympics and noticed that the sport a person played determined body shape even more than race. I noticed that the female swimmers, while having serious muscle mass also had a fat layer for insulation. The ladies had large backs and slim waists. The gymnasts had wide waists and large thigh and shoulder muscles, but very low body fat. The type of exercise and the conditions you do the exercise on make a big difference in what areas get small or big. So, in essence, you can spot reduce, just maybe in a different way that people normally think of spot reduction.
Swimmers do not have "slim waists" because they do a lot of ab work, which is the definition of spot reducing. Swimmers might appear to have a slimmer waist because their shoulders and backs are so large. This is NOT spot reducing. This is just an optical illusion. A woman with measurements of 40-25-40 appears to have a smaller waist than a woman with measurements of 32-25-32. Really, they have the same sized waist.0 -
elle, I understand what you are saying, because I, too, feel that I want to argue the "I can't spot reduce." To ME, spot reducing just means getting smaller in an area. I don't care if it's getting rid of fat or bringing out muscle, it just means making that spot smaller. People will post in the same thread, you can't spot reduce but to firm those muscles do such and such exercise. Well, if I do the exercise and that spot gets smaller then I've spot reduced. It may mean fat got less or muscle got tighter or any other number of ways you want to say it, but if that exercise effected that spot, it has been spot reduced!!!!
However, that doesn't seem to be what is really mean by spot reducing to the other people here. Spot reducing to them is getting rid of fat (if I understand what they are saying) and fat can't be controlled in any spot.
I think we just see spot reducing differently than others see it.
I understand what you mean...........but, it's no use arguing about it........nobody will win....
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Wow.... people hate me today... but I love this. Thanks!
I don't know where you keep getting the idea that people hate you lol relax...whether or not you understand this basic concept doesn't seem to be affecting your progress so keep doing what you're doing
I am getting the idea because people on forums feel a need to be sarcastic and down right mean (aka calling me arrogant and stupid).
Like one person called you stupid...maybe two? Probably because we're on the 8th page of this nonsense?0 -
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.
I would get a new trainer, you are getting smoke blown up your *kitten*, but you can spot reduce that later I guess0 -
Unfortunately I have to go get my second work out in and do not have more time to sit on MFP!
Everyone have fun calling me arrogant and stupid
Also, thank you for the kind words from several who posted and also for the messages from posters who were too afraid to post on the forum.... lol.
I have a genuine request, and I'm not saying this to insult you or attack you.
You should read the actual links provided in this thread. They have research that basically shows you that spot reduction does not exist to any meaningful degree whatsoever.
You should then either consider finding a new trainer, or at the very least, continue using your trainer for progress in your fitness goals but abstain from using your trainer as a source of information. It's downright scary that a trainer would fill your head with the notion of spot-reduction as this isn't even close to being a debatable dietary myth.
There ARE things that are sort of debatable like IF, nutrient timing, leucine dosing, etc -- but something like this is so trivially wrong that it's a massive red flag that your trainer would say something like this.0 -
you've already been given the definition of spot reducing multiple times. it's reducing the percentage of fat in a certain area. it's impossible.
Close, but not quite. It's not reducing the percentage of fat, it's the raw amount of fat. If I somehow build 10 pounds of new muscle without losing a single ounce of fat, my body fat percentage has still gone down
If you gained 10lbs to get that muscle, you barely changed your BF%. If you remained the same weight...then obviously you'd have lost 10lbs of fat...0 -
Unfortunately I have to go get my second work out in and do not have more time to sit on MFP!
Everyone have fun calling me arrogant and stupid
Also, thank you for the kind words from several who posted and also for the messages from posters who were too afraid to post on the forum.... lol.
I wouldn't call it arrogance. I would call it ignorance.
However, I would like to ask you: In the time that you have supposedly "Spot reduced," have you measured other areas you haven't been focusing on? Have they shrunk too? If so, then why? You weren't "spot reducing" them, yet they shrunk as well. If your "sport reducing" worked as you said, they should not have shrunk at all.
Sure, the areas you were focusing on have gotten smaller too, but if you have lost inches all over your body, you haven't spot reduced anything. You have simply lost all over, just you are getting better results in areas you were having difficulties with earlier.0 -
Love this!0 -
Many trainers spew about as much nonsense as Dr. Oz...0
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You should then either consider finding a new trainer, or at the very least, continue using your trainer for progress in your fitness goals but abstain from using your trainer as a source of information. It's downright scary that a trainer would fill your head with the notion of spot-reduction as this isn't even close to being a debatable dietary myth.
There ARE things that are sort of debatable like IF, nutrient timing, leucine dosing, etc -- but something like this is so trivially wrong that it's a massive red flag that your trainer would say something like this.0 -
Your trainer is wrong then. If they're telling you that, then they aren't well versed in the human physiology.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.
While in theory you CAN spot reduce (lose fat in an area with exercise), the article I read on it would requires continuous exercise on that particular area for at least 6 hours non stop. That also takes into consideration that there was no ingestion of food.
And if you train one body part and not another and that trained body part looks better, the reason why is because you're retaining muscle on the body part you're training and probably because the body part you're not training is losing lean muscle. You lose fat and lean muscle if that body part isn't trained while on calorie deficit.
Bodyfat is lost systematically. You lose 1%, you lose it from all over.
This is NOT disputed amongst Journals of Medicine. Anecdotal evidence and experience isn't evidence.
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Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
thank you for posting!!!0 -
Dang it, I step away from my computer for a walk and I miss all the fun. That's it, no more walking0
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you've already been given the definition of spot reducing multiple times. it's reducing the percentage of fat in a certain area. it's impossible.
Close, but not quite. It's not reducing the percentage of fat, it's the raw amount of fat. If I somehow build 10 pounds of new muscle without losing a single ounce of fat, my body fat percentage has still gone down
If you gained 10lbs to get that muscle, you barely changed your BF%. If you remained the same weight...then obviously you'd have lost 10lbs of fat...
I stated that the fat remained the same. This is pretty basic math: "percentage" means you're comparing the amount of fat to everything else. If everything else increases and the fat stays the same, then the percentage of fat has gone down.
If it's a "barely changed" thing that bothers you, then let's crank the number up to 50. Somehow, I've taken a giant steroid cocktail and put on 50 pounds of brand spankin' new muscle, but haven't lost any fat. Let's say I weighed 200lbs at the start and went up to 250, and that I have 40 pounds of fat on my body (both before and after).
Body fat percentage before = 40 / 200, or 20%
Body fat percentage after = 40 / 250, or 16%0 -
It is true! You CAN SPOT REDUCE! I believe it is called Liposuction.
Spot reduce? It is like saying you can turn an "Apple shape" body into a "Pear shape" body.0 -
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.
The excerpt "but you can build muscle in certain spots" is the exact opposite of "spot REDUCE" and not at all what people are talking about when they use the term spot REDUCE. REDUCE fat and BUILD muscle are two different things in case you didn't know that.... what an idiot. sorry, I am not typically mean on these threads but you're just stupid.
^^^^^
WOW that is mean..she is going by what a trainer told her. Whether she she agrees (for WHATEVER reason) with him or was
misinformed she doesn't deserve to be called names.0 -
THIS IS HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!0 -
And there's a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow.0
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Elle accomplished exactly what they wanted to......got a thread full of drama.0
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Unfortunately I have to go get my second work out in and do not have more time to sit on MFP!
Everyone have fun calling me arrogant and stupid
Also, thank you for the kind words from several who posted and also for the messages from posters who were too afraid to post on the forum.... lol.
I have a genuine request, and I'm not saying this to insult you or attack you.
You should read the actual links provided in this thread. They have research that basically shows you that spot reduction does not exist to any meaningful degree whatsoever.
You should then either consider finding a new trainer, or at the very least, continue using your trainer for progress in your fitness goals but abstain from using your trainer as a source of information. It's downright scary that a trainer would fill your head with the notion of spot-reduction as this isn't even close to being a debatable dietary myth.
There ARE things that are sort of debatable like IF, nutrient timing, leucine dosing, etc -- but something like this is so trivially wrong that it's a massive red flag that your trainer would say something like this.
+1
Elle - what you are missing isn't that people don't think that you can change appearance by reducing fat in a specific area, but you can change the appearance by increasing muscle in that area (depending on the area), and genetics plays a huge role.
For example, if my goal was to decrease the amount of fat on my belly while keeping the fat on my *kitten* consistent I could exercise and say anecdotally that I accomplished this . . . because I did . . . but I accomplished this because my genetic problem area is my *kitten* and not belly. Your trainer is feeding terrible information.
Look at the links, read the scientific studies, don't just rely on "well that's what my body did" because when it's time for you to be ready for your body to do something else you're going to get frustrated and disappointed when it doesn't happen again.0 -
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hahaha!! poor spot!0 -
That got me to laugh out loud in the middle of the office.0 -
I agree that calling someone names is uncalled for. However, for some reason, OP, now understanding what "spot reducing" actually means, has not stated whether she still believes spot reducing is possible. In fact, she seems to still be defending the fact that spot reducing is possible and backing it up with the fact that people have said what she is saying is happening is possible even though those same people are specifically saying that it isn't spot reduction.0
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If you could truly spot reduce, people that chew gum constantly would have very gaunt faces.. yes, you can spot train and the added muscle can make that area look better.. but adding muscle and not removing fat in no way can logically be considered a "reduction"
as for the "so why do we do pushups and situps then"? I do pushups to work my chest and I do situps to work my abs.. which is what those exercises are designed for
But the only way to spot reduce is through surgery0 -
Laugh so hard, I snorted! :laugh:0 -
I spot reduced! My pook disappeared:
0 lbs lost.
With that being said I just exercised and my middle decided to look better and my waist and butt measurements are the same, so not really :P My hips got smaller though, but that's not exactly what I was trying to do...
With that being said I think this is what most people mean by spot reduce "how do you get your stomach to look better" etc? They just don't know how to go about asking it. There are obviously ways if you look at some of the before and after pictures of some people on this forum. I think thats why the questions continue :P
Cardio. Strength training. *poof* I have no proof of this however, this is just what happened to me. I'd love to stalk some ripped person around for a while and figure out the how do you get this part to look better figured out :P
This is exactly what I am talking about. Also, you look amazing! Go you!
She reduced her overall body fat and added muscle, she didn't "spot reduce".
I wish I didn't agree but I do hahaha. Anyway, I don't think I made my point clear.
The OP said spot reduce. Not fat reduce a spot.
Spot reduce means several things to several people is the problem. Many people think "how do I spot reduce my pear shaped body to be a hour glass" or "how do I reduce fat on a certain spot". The first one is impossible. The second one I don't think anyone realizes what they're saying and I don't think that's what they ever mean. I think they just want to slim down a part, which can happen, and many of them won't care if it slims other parts.
Man if I could transform my skeletal upper body to a ripped she woman and my lardy thighs to something where I could buy clothes proportionality to my waist keeping my waist the same size. That'd be the day. Alas, my boobs grow the fatter I get and I do turn into a hour glass but I feel like crap. I got to goal with boobs but the minute I started moving and feeling better my boobs fell off. Alas I cannot chisels my bones away or change where my lard likes to get stored lol.
I think the OP and a lot of other people who make these posts just don't know how to go about asking how do these people with large stomachs go from what they were to being one of the people with ripped everything everywhere. Especially the ones that didn't lose any weight. Because it happens.
Summary: Spot enhance boobs: stop moving and hope for jiggly fat boobs galore.
spot reduce stomach: exercise, expect jiggly fat boobs galore to fall off
thighs: I'd love you forever if you can tell me this one haha0
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