Spot Reduction is Impossible

[Korean Version: 부위별 살 빼기는 불가능하다]

© Pixabay

Today, media and all kinds of social media show a lot of spot reduction strategies. Usually, thigh or belly fat reduction videos of around 5 minutes are popular. Such videos targeting fat reduction from a specific area seem to be very attractive. However, is it really possible to lose fat in a targeted area?

To tell the truth, spot reduction is the result of ‘a procedure or a surgery’, not of ‘a spot reduction strategy’. It is a fallacy that working out on a certain part would lead to losing fat on it. Working out on abs only would not result in the flat belly, and working out on arms only would not lose fat around them.

Even though ‘Spot Reduction’ from decades-old physiology book is proven to be false, there are still a lot of people who believe it. What are the reasons?

First, the people who want spot reduction are led to find such information. Such as a person who would like to lose belly fat while having the same breast size.

Second, there is a misunderstanding about personal experiences. It seems true that people lose facial fat first when they’re on diet. However, this is a misunderstanding. The reason for this is because microvessels per unit area developed the most in the face, which causes the high rate of fat breakdown. In addition, since the subcutaneous layer of the face is thinner than those of arms and legs, losing facial fat tends to be more apparent. Such experience causes delusion that there’s an order in the fat losing spot.

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Unfortunately, It’s Impossible to Burn Fat in Specific Area

Most energy that comes into our body is stored as fat. Fat not only serves as a cushion to protect our body, but it also stores energy in it. Thus, our body stores such valuable substance, fat, in a safe place where there is the least movement. That’s why inner thigh and belly tend to gain fat easily from our modern-day lifestyle of sitting too long.

While fat tends to be stored in specific areas of our body, it is burned evenly when we lose it. That being said, you’re losing fat in your arms, thighs and even fingers even though you’re doing abs workout. Of course, working out on a specific area may secrete more fat into blood temporarily, but, because a fat cell composes during resting period to return to the earlier status, there would be no difference.

The fat that has left the fat cells wanders around different parts of the body through blood vessels and goes into places where energy needs to be burned or transferred to other fat cells. For example, visceral fat can be used to move the toes, or fat from the heel may become a part of the arm fat. Our body utilizes the fat in our body evenly and efficiently.

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Study Results on Spot Reduction

Numerous experiments have been carried out as many people desire to do spot reduction. Let’s look at two interesting study results.

Subjects of a 6-week experiment were to do only abdominal work out to see if it helps with belly fat reduction. Unfortunately, it didn’t have much effect on belly fat loss, instead, their muscular endurance improved. Well, it wasn’t too bad after all since they at least earned some endurance.

In another study, obese women worked out only one leg to see the amount of body fat on the exercised leg would be less than the other leg. At the end of the work out study session, the result showed the same amount of fat in both legs, while it interestingly resulted in belly fat loss.

Then What about the Spot Reduction Products?

1. Body slimming products: fat decomposition cream, gel and patch

These are products that offer cooling or heating effect to the applied area that temporarily promote blood circulation in the skin. What’s interesting is that consumers who use body slimming products feel these products are ‘effective in losing fat’. The truth behind them is moisturizer effect they give. Such effect helps with the elasticity of skin, which confuses the consumers with the effectiveness of the product: losing fat in the applied area. The body slimming products, in fact, has very similar ingredients with moisturizer body lotion. Thus, let’s not just sit down and put on gel or a patch to lose belly fat, instead, eat less and exercise.

© Pxhere

2. Vibration machine for fat loss

This product is easily seen on TV home shopping channels. Vibration machine holds your body and moves it for you while you’re sitting or lying down. It seems very convenient. But does that really work? Muscles respond to electrical stimulation signals transmitted through the nerves connected to the brain. Which means that even with hundreds of times of repetitive forces are applied to your body, it can’t replace conscious muscle contraction.

As a writer posting this article, I also wish that spot reduction strategy works. But keep in mind. Five minutes a day abs workout doesn’t help with losing belly fat. So, let’s exercise steadily without relying on a chance.


References

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