Spot Weight Reduction – Does it Work
Greetings!
As you age, your body naturally undergoes changes that causes you to gain weight which is the underlying reason why obesity is so prevalent. While we all know that we should watch what we eat and exercise, it is not always possible to achieve this goal on our own and we turn to the world of cosmetic science to find a safe and effective way to reduce body fat. Specifically, most women want to lose weight in their midsections, thighs, underarms and behinds. Men typically want to lose that gut around the middle that seems to have appeared overnight. This leads us to the desire to have a quick way to reduce fat in a specific area of the body, known as spot reduction. This desire has been around for hundreds of years, if not thousands! Check out these ads from 100 years ago! So – does spot weight reduction work?
Why Spot Weight Reduction?
The idea behind spot weight reduction is that you can lose weight in a specific part of your body – if you do the right things. For instance, if you are a woman who is carrying excess weight around your waistline, spot weight reduction involves targeting that part of your body. If you want to see your options, just google spot weight reduction products and you will see thousands of things that you can try. If you can find a pill, cream or diet that will easily solve your problem – why not go for it!
The Lure of Spot Weight Reduction
The lure of spot weight reduction is that it is easy. People are lazy by nature and want the quick fix. The easy way. Something that won’t require either of those two four letter words – work and diet. Let the buyer beware. Anyone wanting to make some easy money will use this desire to entice you into buying something that won’t work. Yes – it won’t work. There I’ve said it. The science is there and it is irrefutable. Follow any of the links below for a lot more detail.
Barbend: The Fat Loss Myth You Want To Be True: Spot Fat Reduction
Very Well Fit: Why You Can’t Target Fat Loss to Specific Body Parts
Healthline: Is It Possible to Target Fat Loss to Specific Body Parts?
Livestrong: The Truth About Targeted Weight Loss
The Basics of Weight Loss
To put it simply, where you store fat is mostly determined by genetics and your own body. Period. There is good news though! IF you keep your daily intake calorie intake below what your body needs to function – YOU WILL NOT GAIN WEIGHT! Medical issues aside, the only reason you gain weight is that you are eating more than your body needs to use. I also have some good news or bad news for women depending on how you look at this. Research has shown that changing hormones due to aging do NOT contribute to weight gain. If you are using that as an excuse, then it is bad news. If you are using it for hope, then that is good news!
- You gain weight as you age (both men and women) because your metabolism slows down AND we don’t decrease the amount of calories we eat AND we do not increase our activity level.
So the good news is – to lose weight – you need to decrease the amount of calories and increase your physical activity. This is so simple – yet – so hard. This is why people keep coming up with spot reduction remedies that don’t work.
Bottom Line
- Eat less than your body needs on a daily basis (Find out what that is here – NASM Weight Loss Calculator) and you will maintain or lose weight.
Remember – You are Built For More!
JT