Fitness Fact or Fiction: Spot Reduction

Back when I was an orientation coach at a gym, spot reduction would come up all the time with those new to exercise. Some people just have that one area of their body they can’t stand, often their stomachs or upper arms, and all they want is to get rid of it. I can understand this goal, but is spot reduction a realistic tactic for exercise?

What is Spot Reduction?

For those unfamiliar with the term, spot reduction, or targeted fat loss, is the idea that you can lose weight from certain parts of your body by exercising the muscles in this area. In a way, this seems like it would make sense! If you work on developing your muscles, it seems like the fat around those muscles would melt away.

This supposed logic fuels a lot of gym-goers, as do the many fitness influencers producing content on “Getting rid of that one stubborn spot!” As we all already know, you can’t trust everything you see on the internet (and should have some reservations about most uncertified fitness coaches and influencers), so let’s check out what the experts say!

Science Says…

Unfortunately, much of the scientific community generally agrees that spot reduction is fitness FICTION. This meta-analysis of 13 studies on spot reduction concludes that “localized muscle training had no effect on localized adipose tissue deposits,” In other words, performing every triceps exercise you know every time you’re at the gym isn’t going to do much to change the physical appearance of your upper arms.

This study had participants engage in 12 weeks of resistance endurance training of their non-dominant leg. After the 12-week period, participants were shown to have significant loss of fat from the arms and trunk region, but no significant change in either of their legs.

Though muscle growth and fat loss, also known as body composition, can happen at the same time, they are not directly inverse of each other. It is true that resistance training likely will increase muscle tone and the increase in energy output can cause weight loss. But, where the visible weight loss comes from isn’t that easy to manipulate.

What Can You Do?

It can be difficult to hear that spot reduction is more myth than reality. Being self-conscious and having a negative body image can take a real toll on people in a lot of different ways, from their mental health to their social life. Finding out that making these physical changes isn’t as easy as you thought can be disheartening, but the physical and mental benefits of exercise are still more than enough reason to get active!

I’m going to take the science out of this conversation for a moment and focus on what I’ve experienced: when you don’t like yourself or the way you look, exercise might not change that. Yes, your body might look different, but the negative perceptions you have of yourself might stick around. The way you look isn’t a problem, the way you feel about yourself is.

Again, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise, or shouldn’t try to have a balanced, nutritional diet. But instead of trying to find motivation in how you look or basing your goals on aesthetic changes, dig a little deeper. Are there some movements or activities that are hard for you, does your body hurt, or are there things you want to do but don’t feel like you physically can? Focus on how you physically feel and the things you want to experience because these are more tangible than your opinions of yourself.

If you need help exploring more concrete goals for yourself, let’s talk! Even if you’re not looking to sign up for personal training, sign up for a consultation or contact me. I believe everyone deserves to figure out how to set realistic, healthy goals, and I want to help as many people as I can do that.