Spot Reduction

by Lisa P | More from this Blogger

31 May 2008 10:02 PM

"How can I lose the fat around my stomach? I don't want to lose weight from any other part of my body because I am pretty skinny everywhere else. Is there a diet you could recommend that will just take off the belly fat?"

There is no such thing as spot reduction in dieting or exercising.

Contrary to popular belief, doing a zillion situps will not trim your waist. All it will do is provide a great base of muscle under your spare tires. The tires will stay.

The only way to remove the fat from your waist is to lower your overall bodyfat levels. You may seem to store it all in one place but, trust me, it is everywhere.

Losing overall bodyfat involves several things:

1. Lower your dietary fat intake.

2. Make sure you're getting enough sleep (I realize I harp on this).

3. Make sure you're doing regular weight bearing exercises (like lifting weights three days a week). This builds muscle and muscle demands more calories for maintenance meaning a higher metabolism.

4. Make sure you're doing high intensity aerobic exercise instead of treading at a leisurely pace on the Stairmaster for an hour every other day. (20 minutes of high intensity exercise will burn extra calories for a 24-hour period whereas low intensity exercise only burns what it takes to carry out the exercise itself. Try a 20 minute high intensity aerobic workout three days a week on days you don't lift weights.)

5. Add more fiber to your diet. (Fiber helps transport dietary fats out of your system so that they aren't absorbed by the body).

You just can't lose the fat around your stomach while keeping the booty fat and bustline. You'll need to lose overall bodyfat and just trust that your genetics will be kind when distributing what is left.

Learn more about Lisa P

Lisa used to be a freelance writer and Community Manager for Families.com, but she has finally made the jump to novelist.

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