Fact Check: Can You Target “Problem Areas” in Your Workout?
When starting a health and fitness journey, many people have certain problem areas where they want to focus their efforts. People carry their weight differently because our bodies are all different. Some people carry their weight fairly uniformly across their body, whereas others carry their weight more heavily in certain areas. “Gender, age, genetics and lifestyle all play a role in weight gain and the accumulation of stubborn areas of body fat. For instance, women have a higher percentage of body fat than men do and tend to store excess fat in the thighs and butt, especially during their childbearing years. However, during perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes can cause weight to shift to the belly region. On the other hand, men are more likely to put on pounds in their midsections throughout their entire lives.”[1]
Many people want to focus only on one part of their body, but doing crunches alone will not reduce belly fat and give you washboard abs because that is not how weight loss works. Frankly, you cannot really control where your body will pull from when you are exercising because it all comes down to genetics. Your body might first drop weight in your arms and legs, but perhaps your best friend’s waistline will shrink first. “Losing fat throughout your body, though, will help reduce fat in any area you’re targeting.”[2]
That being said, it is possible to build muscles in certain areas of your body. For example, using a bench press is great for your arms, but it will not do much for your legs (do not skip leg day). Unsurprisingly, everything in your body is interconnected so as you increase your physical activity, it is possible to lose weight and build muscle. It would be convenient if you could just target one area at a time, but there are no shortcuts when it comes to overall fitness and health. However if you put in the effort, you’ll reap the rewards of all your hard work. A healthy diet and exercise routine is an investment in your quality of life, so talk to your physician before starting any new dietary or exercise regime to learn how to best enhance your personal experience while pursuing your health and fitness goals.
[1] “Is It Possible to Target Fat Loss to Specific Body Parts?” Healthline, Healthline Media. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/targeted-weight-loss#section6.
[2] Rush, Morgan. “What Parts of the Body Lose Fat First?” LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group, 18 July 2017, www.livestrong.com/article/333182-what-parts-of-the-body-lose-fat-first/.