When you look in the mirror, do you just see a bunch of “problem areas”? 

You feel like your arms are too flabby, you wish your legs were thinner, and pinching your stomach just reminds you of the extra belly fat you want to get rid of. 

That’s when you think to yourself: Can you target fat loss in certain areas?

That’d be ideal, right? 

Being able to just zap away body fat from the areas you want?

The truth about fat loss is this:

You can’t determine where you lose it from.

The whole targeted fat loss thing is just a myth, a fallacy.

To put it another way, you can’t “spot reduce” fat.

In this post, we’re going to be talking about why targeted fat loss isn’t a real thing.

If you make it all the way to the end (don’t you go skipping ahead), I’ll be sharing 5 foolproof principles that, if you follow them, will enable you to not only lose fat but actually maintain your results 💪

 

Overview of the targeted fat loss myth

The whole targeted fat loss myth is as follows:

You can spot reduce body fat by doing exercises that target a specific area of the body. 

You’ve seen it all before online or while scrolling through social media:

• “Ab-sculpting circuit”
• “Arm-toning workout”
• “Thigh-slimming exercises”

Fasted cardio for fat loss follows a similar logic, that you lose more fat doing cardio in the morning on an empty stomach.

Both are a bunch of gobbledygook and as it relates to targeted fat loss, I unfortunately had to find this out the hard way…

Back when I was in elementary school, I saw an infomercial for this little home ab crunch machine that promised to help you get a 6-pack in just 60 seconds a day.

60 seconds? That’s it?!   

I just HAD TO have it.

To make a long story short, my parents let me waste $60. 

I only used the stupid piece of equipment once and it ended up just collecting dust in my closet 😂

That was my first lesson with targeted fat loss (it should have been my last but it wasn’t).

I know the thought of a specific workout or set of exercises to achieve a flatter stomach, thinner thighs, or more toned arms is appealing but I want to make this clear–that’s not how fat loss works.

You can’t spot reduce fat, nor can you control what parts of the body lose fat first. 

Losing fat comes down to being in what’s called a calorie deficit (more on this a little later). 

With a calorie deficit:

• You can have carbs
• You can eat fruit 
• You can go out to eat, etc

As long as you’re consuming fewer calories than you burn, fat loss is a GUARANTEE. 

By the way, for the little fruit tidbit above, I can’t believe I had to say that but some people are actually against you eating foods like bananas, watermelon, and apples.

Veggies too.

Who would’ve thought? 😅

 

Is there any research on targeted fat loss?

You don’t just have to take my word for it.

Plenty of research exists on the targeted fat loss myth:

• This study found that performing ab exercises for 6 weeks didn’t help people lose belly fat.
• Focusing on specific body parts did not produce fat loss in those areas, according to this study.
• In another 12-week study, participants were split into two groups. The first group focused on diet AND exercises aimed at targeted fat loss for their abs. The second group focused on just diet alone. In the end, both groups saw the same decrease in belly fat.

 

Well, if targeted fat loss isn’t real then why have exercises that train specific muscles?

Even though you can’t spot reduce fat, you can decide where you want to build muscle. 

Performing exercises targeting a certain muscle group (i.e. bench press for chest) helps you build muscle there.

In order to actually make the muscle you’ve built visible, you need to lose the layer of fat on top, which comes down to your nutrition

That’s where the whole “muscles are made in the gym but revealed in the kitchen” phrase comes from. 

 

How to reduce body fat for good: K.I.S.S. checklist  

So if you can’t spot reduce fat, then what does work for fat loss?

I touched on this briefly but in order to lose fat, you have to be in a calorie deficit.

It’s not a “being in a calorie deficit can help with fat loss” sort of thing.

It’s a necessity.

If you’re not in a calorie deficit, you won’t lose fat.

Period.

End of story.

So if you’ve been in a calorie deficit for a while now but still aren’t losing fat, guess what that means? 

You’re not actually in a calorie deficit. 

If you were, you’d be losing fat. 

I call what I’m about to share with you my K.I.S.S. (keep it super simple) fat loss checklist.

 

1. Dial in your nutrition

Picture yourself running on a hamster wheel.

You’re giving all this effort, you’re sweating a ton, and your lungs are on FIRE.  

But you don’t go anywhere or make any progress, you stay in that same spot. 

That’s how it’ll be if your nutrition isn’t in order.

With that said, here’s how to figure out the number of calories you should eat for fat loss:

DETERMINING YOUR FAT LOSS CALORIES

 

2. Become BFFs with protein

The main benefits of eating protein can be summed up like this:

• It’s the most filling macronutrient 
• It increases your metabolism
• It’s crucial to building/preserving lean muscle mass (having muscle = a higher metabolism and more fat loss)  

You want to shoot for somewhere between 0.7g-1g per pound of your goal body weight in protein daily. 

So let’s say you have a goal of 200 pounds, you’d aim for 140g-200g of protein every single day. 

I wrote this post to help you eat more protein if that’s something you see yourself struggling with.

 

3. Lift weights 3-4 times a week

“Fat-burning workouts” don’t exist, so I’ll save you some time searching for those on Google.

But what you can do is build or maintain muscle through strength training, which will give your physique a leaner, fitter, and more defined look. 

You don’t want to end up in skinny fatville.

That’s when you’re not necessarily overweight but your body appears softer, rounder, and a little pudgier in places you don’t want it to be. 

Get on a strength training program (something you can follow for the next 4-8 weeks) or you can learn how to create your own customized workout routine using the link below:  

HOW TO CREATE A STRENGTH TRAINING PLAN 

 

4. Get your steps in

If someone came to me and said, “Chad, I’m feeling overwhelmed and I have no idea about where to start on my fitness journey,” want to know what I’d say to them?

I’d simply tell them to walk more.

• It’s something easy you can do every single day
• It’s one of the most underrated things you can do to boost your metabolism
• It’s phenomenal for your health

That’s why, in my humble opinion, walking is the best cardio for fat loss. 

 

5. Go to bed at a decent time and manage stress

Not getting enough sleep or being stressed makes you hungrier. 

And when you’re super hungry, sticking to your calorie deficit is like trying to run uphill during a mudslide.

You have absolutely zero shot.  

Do yourself a favor and cut down on the mindless internet scrolling in bed. 

As for managing stress, here are some things you can try:

• Meditation
• Journaling
• Yoga 

I’ve really been into mindfulness meditation as of late. 

If that’s something you think you might want to try, just go on YouTube and type in “guided mindfulness meditation.”

A whole bunch of results should pop up for you to choose from.

 

Key takeaways on targeted fat loss

It’s a myth, targeted fat loss.

Doing exercises on a specific body fat doesn’t enable you to lose fat there. 

If you want to improve your body composition and see more fat loss, make sure you’re remaining consistent with the following: 

• Hit your daily calorie goal
• Eat enough protein
• Strength train 3-4 times a week 
• Get between 7,500-10,000 steps every single day 
• Sleep more and manage your stress

 

Targeted fat loss FAQs

 

What parts of the body lose fat first?

That’s different for everyone and it’s not something you have control over (genetics determine this).

Every time I go on a cut, I tend to lose fat and lean out in my shoulders, chest, and arms first.

But then you have my lower abs…

The absolute LAST place I see fat loss.

You’ll be waiting until the end of time trying to achieve targeted fat loss.

 

Can belly fat loss be targeted?

You can’t target belly fat specifically.

Losing fat just comes down to being in a calorie deficit.

 

What is the target zone for fat reduction?

Burning fat and fat loss are two different things.

You can burn fat as a fuel source without losing fat and improving your body composition. 

So I wouldn’t pay any attention AT ALL to trying to reach some “target zone.” 

That’s not some automatic way to lose fat if that’s what you’re thinking.

You lose fat by being in a calorie deficit and remember, nutrition plays the biggest role in this.