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3 Tried and True Methods of Successful Weight Loss.

successful weight loss

Targeted Fat Reduction – Myth or Reality?

There’s a rumor floating around the Louisville fitness scene that you can target certain areas of the body where you want to lose fat, a theory more commonly referred to as “spot reduction.” While you can absolutely target specific areas for toning muscle, the reality with successful weight loss is that there’s no scientific evidence that you can hone in on one specific area of your body to trim away unwanted fat.

Although the idea of targeting fat loss in specific areas of the body would indeed be ideal for exercise enthusiasts who desire that perfectly chiseled physique, spot reduction has not been proven by any scientific studies thus far. But it’s understandable why this is such an appealing notion. After all, it seems perfectly reasonable to assume that the fat you burn while exercising comes from the area around the muscles you are using the most. Sadly, that’s just not the case. To understand why spot reduction isn’t effective, we must first learn exactly how the body burns fat in the first place.

How Fat Loss Really Works

There are some basic physiological reasons why targeted fat loss doesn’t work. The fat in your cells exists in the form of triglycerides, which are stored fats that the body can use for energy.

The cells in your muscles cannot directly use these triglycerides as fuel. The fat must be broken down into smaller sections called free fatty acids and glycerol, which then can enter the bloodstream more freely. Due to this process, the fat broken down and converted to fuel during prolonged exercise can come from anywhere in the body, not just the area that’s doing most of the work.

Think of scooping water out of a bathtub one cup at a time. While the water level does go down little by little, there won’t be an indention in the section of the water where you dipped your cup.

Ultimately, the key to getting that chiseled look you long for in your midsection, for example, isn’t necessarily doing crunches until the cows come home. Your true saving grace is always going to be regular exercise that works the entire body coupled with eating a sensible diet containing all the right nutrients.

Here are the three tried and true paths to successful weight loss:

1. Cardio – High-intensity cardio will help you burn a great deal of calories in a relatively short amount of time. In fact, high-intensity interval training (also called HIIT – alternating between brief periods of high- and low-intensity exercise) can be particularly effective.

2. Strength Training – Though cardio can help you burn a good bit of calories while working out, the right kind of strength training can help you burn calories longer, meaning even when your body is at rest! That’s because the more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate, which equates to more calories burned.

3. Healthy Diet – To top off all your efforts and solidify your weight loss results, a healthy diet is crucial to ensure you’re taking in the right amount of calories to fuel your workouts and maintain your ideal weight. The best overall thing you can do is eat a diet high in vegetables and other nutrient-rich foods.

Successful Weight Loss in a Nutshell.

Successful weight loss ultimately comes down to the basic principle of how many calories you consume versus how many you burn with physical activity. While doing 100 crunches a day can effectively strengthen your abdominal muscles, it most likely won’t make them any more visible unless you also reduce your overall body fat.

So, to sum it up, the idea of spot reduction (though popular) is indeed a myth. But exercising and eating right will always win when it comes to losing weight, promoting good health, and creating a body you’ll be proud of.

Learn more about successful weight loss in Louisville with our Vibrant Med Wellness Program!

True health and wellness can be a bit of a difficult road to navigate, especially with the overabundance of fads and misinformation out there. If you need any help on your journey, our highly skilled wellness team is always standing by ready to help you succeed. Reach out to us at (502) 618-0995 to learn about all the ways we can help.

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