Do you want to lose fat around your middle, arms or maybe it’s your thighs?
One of the most common questions I get asked by my PT clients and class participants, is. “How do I lose fat on my stomach’ or “how do I lose fat on my thighs or “how do I lose my bingo wings.”
I really wish! I could say, “here you go, do these abdominal crunches and these core Pilates exercises every day for the next month and watch the fat around your abdomen melt away.” Unfortunately, it is so much more complex than just doing exercises to target your problem area.
First, if you want to reduce fat anywhere on your body, you should be in a calorie deficit. In plain English, you must be using up more calories than you are consuming. This can put you into what is known as a “negative energy balance” where fat must be used to provide the body with more energy. “As a rule of thumb”, weight loss is 75% diet and 25% exercise.
Now I’m not saying that exercise targeting a specific area on the body is a total waste of your time, they are most definitely not. There are many added benefits to building muscle in any area of your body through regular, safe and healthy exercise:
• Improved energy levels
• More muscle enables your body to burn more calories at rest (increases BMR)
• Increased muscle strength and endurance
• Increased joint support
• Not to mention increased body confidence/self -esteem/self-acceptance.
• Increased positive mental health
I think it must be made clear, that fat and muscle are two entirely separate substances within the body. What I’m trying to explain is fat on your body does not become muscle and muscle does not become fat. You can have a whole heap of fat on your body and still have a large amount of muscle if you eat a lot and train at the same time.
We cannot spot reduce fat by targeting a certain area. When we lose fat through a calorie deficit, we lose it from wherever the body decides to take it to produce more fuel. SORRY LADIES, hence, why when we don’t want to lose our boobs or bum, we still do. Especially if those areas were predominately fat. We lose it all over.
Now I know everyone stresses the importance of a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. I just have. But I must state; there are a whole heap of people who are exempt from this very simplified “black and white” answer to losing weight. There are many people suffering from medical conditions that make losing fat even in a calorie deficit very difficult.
• Hypothyroidism
• Menopause
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome
• Sleep apnea
• Certain medications can also cause weight gain.
We generally feel that fat is a horrible, useless substance. However, we must remind ourselves of the many important roles it plays within our bodies. It is vital for our health that we carry a percentage of bodily fat. This differs between males and females and is also determined by our age. Fat protects our organs, insulates us, supports cell growth and helps the body absorb vital nutrients. Fat also produces a hormone sometimes referred to as the “obesity hormone” known as Leptin. Leptin signals to the hypothalamus in the brain, which controls our appetite.
Kelly and Tania's Fitness 