Is There Targeted Exercise for Fat Loss?
Targeted Exercise for Fat Loss?
Straight out of the gate I am going to re-iterate the science, you can not target fat loss, our bodies just don’t work like that.
‘Spot reduction is a myth – we can’t control where our bodies lose fat. But we can achieve the results we’re seeking in specific areas by targeting overall fat loss.’ (Sydney Uni)
‘Spot reduction training, conducted in a mixed circuit-training format (triceps and abdomen inside an endurance training), seems to be efficient in promoting adipose tissue reduction in the subcutaneous abdominal region, but was not efficient on the triceps site.’ (National Library of Medicine)
‘Technically there is no way to selectively burn fat in a specific area. Similar to the idea that we can’t choose where we gain fat, as this depends on hormones, genetics, and gender, we cant target fat burning in the body. For example, performing abdominal exercises alone will results in less abdominal fat loss then performing whole body exercise, such as running. Thus, even though you target this region with a specific exercise it still comes down to how much energy is being burned that determines overall fat loss. That being said, when looking at specific fat deposits, such as visceral fat vs subcutaneous fat, there is evidence that performing both aerobic and/or resistance exercise results in greater loss of visceral fat compared to a diet alone.’ (Metafact)
Translated this means cardio and weights: aerobic exercises at moderate to high intensity like High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), shorter runs at quicker pace, speed walking etc… combined with lifting weights to encourage the breakdown of muscle tissue for repair and growth along with a supportive diet this can be achieved with free-weights, gym machine weights, kettlebells, resistance bands. It’s this concept that made things like cross-fit and HIIT training popular along with classes like body combat nd Les mills.
[Update 2.11.24 - ‘Despite the fact adipose tissue is the human body's greatest storage of energy, and an essential fuel for metabolism during rest and physical exercise, it is still poorly understood whether exercise may lead to local rather than whole‐body adipose tissue utilization. The inconsistent findings suggest that the concept, if it does exist, remains inadequately described.’ (NIH)
Aerobic exercise involves the breakdown of glucose with oxygen to allow for longer less intense periods of activity.
Anaerobic exercise involves the breakdown of glucose without oxygen and this happens as a result of higher intensity of movement over a shorter period.
The easy example here would be a marathon runner vs a sprinter. As we are all built with different genetics we can say we are of a particular build to suit a particular style of exercise and perform well if not excel in that exercise.]
Fat loss or body composition goals need your exercise to be paired with nutrition as well as things like stress management, sleep, rest and recovery, and other stress factors to promote lean muscle gains and lose body fat. This means your desire would be the gains but your goal would be to build a consistent routine that means your desires are achieved as a side effect of your action.
What is the best way to lose fat for both health benefits and aesthetic desire?
As mentioned already there are a few considerations. Chronic stress may play a part and that depends on your genetics as well, we don not all respond in the same way to external stresses. For some people Chronic stress could lead to weight gain or habits that support weight gain, for others the opposite would be true- non of these necessarily result in a healthier result.
ELUK has a three books you can use to help guide yourself in these areas, along with our newsletter and other media channels which we keep updated to help keep you informed with well researched information alongside our training experience .
The simple rule of thumb is that the best way to lose fat for both health and body composition is to get a strong foundation understanding of fundamental principals of nutrition, exercise and well-being. This will give you all the tools and resources you need to manage and progress nicely alone, making it cost effective and workable to a schedule you choose. If you don’t want to do it alone those same resources will help you as you choose to work with professionals in each area, i.e personal trainers, nutrition coaches, health and well-being coaches. or even help you discover whether you need that extra support. Some people do, others are very good at being self-sufficient one they have access to resource.
Samantha
References
NIH- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8038840/ - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10680576/
Consensus https://consensus.app/home/blog/is-it-possible-to-target-fat-loss-to-specific-body-parts/
ELUK- https://www.embracelifeuk.com/food/food-made-easy-articles
