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“I need to get rid of the belly fat so I’m going to do a bunch of crunches”.
This concept makes so much sense when you think about it that, no matter how many studies come out to the contrary, people will still think it is possible to spot reduce. The idea that you should be able to exercise an area and reduce the fat in only that area is a very attractive one. Don’t confuse this with simply strengthening the muscles. Yes, when we do ab work we are making the abdominal muscles stronger but it doesn’t just burn fat there. The key to getting rid of fat is to make all the muscle groups stronger so our bodies burn more calories. Clients get confused when we talk and they point to their mid-section and tell me they want to lose it, and I start to talk bench press and strengthening back muscles and legs. Making those areas stronger will do so much more for burning fat than ab work.
More importantly, there is a saying, “six-pack abs are made in the kitchen”. Most of the time when we have excess body fat it is because our diets are not in line with what we are trying to achieve. Making simple changes can help a great deal. When we are disciplined with eating so much good can happen!
Until next time…