Sick of hearing......

.... you can't spot reduce!!!

Yeah, yeah... I know!!!  But honestly,, it's not the answer to every question and lately every post is followed by the answer...." you can't spot reduce, you cant target one area...."

What would a more appropriate answer be to "How do I lose fat from this specific part of my body?"

I'm sick of hearing "how do I get rid of my love handles?" or "how can I make my thighs skinnier?"

you guys are making me want to start a new thread...

"i know you can't spot reduce, but what can I do about these thighs and love handles?"

=D

"How do I make it so my thighs don't touch?"

Original Post by crazydiamondchrysalis:

you guys are making me want to start a new thread...

"i know you can't spot reduce, but what can I do about these thighs and love handles?"

=D

 I like this....

And I know it's the correct answer overall.... but there are some questions it just gets sort of thrown in there lol...

I'm much more worried about the advice that ignores that fact.

If I had a nickle for every time I've read (usually in a magazine, but also on CC), to get "beach-ready arms", do this triceps exercise.

Note that it never actually says that it will slim the arms, but most women aren't worried that their arms don't have enough muscle - they want less fat!

I still remember the summer that I planned on doing those triceps exercises, so that I could have "beach-ready arms" and... well, I got bored of them and stopped after a month, but they weren't going to do anything when they were up against my every-other-day burrito habit (man I miss being 20 - I still lost weight that summer! Just not in my arms.)

I think generally speaking we all know you can not spot reduce but if a questions is asked about specific areas ie: arms, thighs, behind maybe instead of always saying you can not spot reduce we can offer suggestions for those areas but include with the proper work-out if you include this.

I don't know just a thought because I work-out like a mad-woman but sometimes want additional exercises for trouble areas.

Obviously I am also aware of the myth that is spot reduction

HOWEVER (and please don't eat me alive, I'm new here) I find that certain exercises on certain spots go a long way to change the shape of the area (like it moves the fat around to a more flattering position?). So while no amount of crunches will give you a six pack if you have too much fat to show it, it can shape your torso and give you a more flattering silhouette.

Thats completely anecdotal evidence from my own workout, so I could be wrong, but it does seem to make a difference.

I'm sick of hearing "Ooo you've lost weight! I can see it in your face." My face... how about my rear end! All kidding aside, I am happy that that people notice.

I agree with minda_spk. Though you may not be able to "spot reduce" I do think tacking a few squats on after your cardio will do something for your tush and a few extra push ups will work wonders for your arms. Now, about that back fat ...

IMO Stacy

I also agree with minda...My mom keeps telling me "the muscles do not own the fat that's around them,"  but I have found that improving my muscle strength, mass and definition it tends to tighten up/rearrange the fat that's around it...change it's form.  And when the fat actually does disappear --WOW!

I also agree with minda.

and I got the face comment yesterday. I was glad to hear it because my face used to be oval and now its double rounded. I HATE MY FACE. I hate pictures. They make me want to cry. My face looks like stuffed sausage. >:(

So anyways, if it looks less stuffed thats awesome. Plus at work, its kind of asking for a sexual harrassment suit if you comment on ppls ass/legs. :D

Could be we all say this because its a fact-- Great arms legs and butts are made in the kitchen good diet and exercise.  Your body is going to lose fat from areas you probably don't want it to first then your so called "problem" areas are usually the last to go. 

I'll be the first to tell you that weight lifting has made my shoulders look awesome (at least compared to how they used to look) - it's also helped balance out my lower body, so that even though I'm still a pear, I look more hourglass. Deadlifts have helped make my butt perkier (but probably not as much as losing 30lb).

But here are the questions that people ask:
How can I get rid of love handles? How can I make my thighs smaller? How can I get rid of underarm fat? How can I get rid of back fat? How can I get rid of my lower belly pooch?

All of those are simply pockets of fat. And just like doing pushups won't make your breasts get smaller, doing leg lifts won't make your hip fat go away, and carrying a one pound weights while you walk won't make your arm fat go away. It just won't.

Working your muscles definitely can help make an area look better, strenghtening your core (which is more than just abs) will make you stand straighter, and using your larger muscles (quads, glutes) will help burn more calories to get a deficit. So there is no doubt that working out helps.

But when clangworthy said "generally speaking we all know you can not spot reduce" I have to say... no. People really think that working a muscle will burn the fat over it. They really really do. And some people think that fat and muscle are actually the same, and can switch back and forth. Literally.

Even more than the spot-reducing questions, I get sick of the "How much should I eat?" or "Am I eating enough?" questions.

It ought to be a FAQ, somewhere posted right on the splash page of this website, and sticky in every single forum.  No bigger deficit than 1000 kCal per day, and absolutely not less than 1200 kCal for women and 1500 for men, and YES, you eat back what you burn in exercise when you make that computation.