Why We Can’t Spot-Reduce and The Best Way to Lose Fat

The way we add muscle and the way we lose fat seem like they should work in a similar manner, but in fact, physiologically speaking, are opposite. It’s quite common for me to speak with clients who want to lose fat in particular areas of their body - arms, thighs, hips, belly, neck, etc., and gain muscle in others. While we can add muscle to, for example, our biceps which would give the appearance of leaner arms simply through manipulating fat/muscle ratios, we cannot choose to lose fat in our biceps simply by exercising them more.

Our bodies store fat in biologically determined areas that have higher percentages of fat cells. In females, this often is in the arms, thighs, butt, and belly. In males, the midsection is the most common. Each person is different in where they store fat, and each person has a unique pattern of fat storage and loss. For example, I add fat first to my hips and belly, followed by my thighs, followed by my arms. When I lose body fat, I first lose it in the opposite order: my arms first, then thighs, then belly and hips. If you have ever gained and lost any amount of fat you have probably noticed the pattern that your own body follows.

This pattern of fat loss is the reason why we can’t spot reduce, or eliminate fat in specific, wanted areas. Our bodies will follow the pattern of fat loss regardless of how much you work the muscles around the area you want to lose fat. 

Adding muscle works differently. The reason our bodies add muscle is to respond to specific stressors on that muscle. Generally speaking (there are always exceptions), you can only add muscle to areas that you specifically exercise. 

So then, how do we go about losing fat in those ’stubborn’ areas? The stubborn areas are generally the areas our bodies want to let go of fat the least. But, the same principles apply to those areas as to losing fat everywhere else: strength train to add muscle all over your body which boosts your metabolism, eat adequate protein (1g per pound of ideal body weight), and burn more calories than you consume. I promise you, it won’t matter how many bicep curls you do, if those 3 things aren’t dialed in, the stubborn arm fat won’t go away.