Spot Reduction Is A Lie!

Please welcome this weeks guest post from Dr Fitness! Missed last weeks article? Click on Fitness menu bar to read last weeks article about Death to the 5 lb’r.

It’s nice to think about. I’m sure even you’ve thought about it before. Being able to simply exercise a certain body part a lot, and lose fat in that area. How many pieces of late-night T.V. infomercial junk have we been exposed to over the years that have promised us this. From the Thigh Master to the Ab Dolly to creams that’ll melt the fat off wherever you rub it in, we’ve all been lied to. I know, I know. How could Suzanne Somers have lied to me…I thought we were friends?!

Whether it’s your love handles, or flabby arms, or your inner thighs, we’ve had an endless list of D-list celebrities/pseudo-act-like-they-know-what-they’re-talking-about-wanna-be-fitness-experts hook us the cheesiest gadgets. And who could blame ’em? The scam works every time and they end up making 6 or 7 figures in the process. When will we ever learn?

Someday, you’re gonna have to face the facts – you can’t spot reduce.

So the logical question is, “Why can’t I spot reduce?”

The answer is pretty simple really. Your body loses weight proportionally. When you lose 2% body fat from your arms, you’ll lose 2% body fat around your waist.

Think of a bath tub. Now take a cup and scoop out some water. Is there a “hole” where you scooped the water from? Of course not. The level of the water drops as a whole, not just from one spot. And so it is with the body. When we lose a pound of fat, that pound came from everywhere in your body, not just from one spot.

While this may not be what you want to hear, this is actually a good thing! Now you don’t have to waste your time doing 500 crunches in hopes of losing fat in just your abs. Instead, you can focus your time on exercises that actually build muscle and burn more calories.

But the reality of fat loss is much more than just the exercises you do. In fact, about 80% of your fat loss success has nothing to do with exercise at all, and has absolutely nothing to do with the gym. Your success will be determined in the…kitchen!

That’s right. Your diet is what will either make or break your fat loss success. Simply put, you can’t out-train a crappy diet! Damn those laws of thermodynamics!

If you exercise 5 days a week, and burn 3500 calories in that time, while still going out to eat or drink 3-5 times a week, you’re not gonna lose any weight. And if you do, it’s gonna take forever!

Until you’ve got your diet under control, don’t expect to reach your goals any time soon.

By now you’re probably saying to yourself, “so what do I eat then?”

The diet I recommend for fat loss is so simple, a caveman could do it.

In fact, that’s exactly the type of diet I recommend. The caveman diet. Best part is, you don’t need a huge forehead to do it!

For me, the caveman diet is pretty easy. You only eat what a caveman would be exposed to. Meats of all kinds, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds and water. The closer to Mother Nature, the better. If it comes in a box, has ingredients you can’t pronounce, or is processed in any way, it’s a no-no.

Now, I know what your thinking. “I don’t see dairy/chocolate/favorite dessert on this menu!”

Well, first off, cavemen didn’t have access to that kind of food. And second, we’re talkin’ about fat loss! If that’s what you want, do it. No excuses. No shortcuts. Simply set your mind on your goal and follow through.

Besides, it’s not for the rest of your life. Just until you’ve reached your goals. Then you can have a little more room to add in those “cheat” foods. But until then, no cheat meals. They just serve to detract you from what’s important – reaching your goals.

DR Fitness – “Get Your Fitness On!”