Exercise is King, Nutrition is Queen

The term “spot reduction” has many people talking and subsequently we have heard many misguided opinions. Technically, spot reduction is impossible to achieve and both science and practical experience has repeatedly denied the concept. Your body does not restrict weight loss to only one particular section, but rather it loses weight overall. This means that you can happily trade your abdominal crunches for a cardiovascular workout or a cross training session in the gym. Doing abdominal exercises along won’t bring you a six pack - in fact you have to first burn off they layer of fat covering them, before they will be visible.

The best way of achieving this would be a combination of cardiovascular training and toning exercises, since your aim would be to reduce the overall percentage of body fat that you currently have. You should not discount your diet either. Eating healthy meals and reducing your total calorie intake per day will also allow your body to lose unwanted fat. This is essential to weight loss and you should try to stick to an eating program that works for you, something that will be sustainable in the long term. If you can permanently trade in your current lifestyle for a healthy one, your body will quickly follow suit.

Spot Reduction vs. Targeted Training

Many people confuse spot reduction with targeted training. Targeted training can refer to an athlete or individual that wants to strengthen a certain muscle group, for e.g. a bodybuilder that trains his calves, or an athlete training his quadriceps to improve his speed on the track. Targeting a specific muscle group can be very effective if you are looking to build and tone your entire body and you have a specific area that is lacking behind. But as far as fat loss go, you cannot lose fat in a single area only, your body will gradually lose fat all over – so spot reduction is a complete myth.

It is normally used by companies wanting to sell a specific product that claims to help you lose fat, very similar to abs belts. There simply is no substantial research to support it. Although abs belts may help to tone the abdominal muscles themselves, they simply cannot cause your body to lose fat in one specific area only; and many of these companies know it.

It’s a well-known fact that exercise causes your body to sweat but how effective is this in terms of weight loss?

Quite a lot, actually. By sweating, your body flushes out toxins and excess water, which can definitely lead to weight loss. It’s a very healthy, natural process and it is also one of the reasons why physical exercise is much better than using a single piece of equipment such as a heated abs belt. Physical exercise improves your blood circulation and lowers your body temperature, whereas an abs belt focuses only on one single area. As for weight loss, you will not lose weight in one area only - so the idea that an abs belt can help you lose your belly fat is totally inaccurate.

If you are really looking to get a well-toned body and superb abdominal muscles, your best bet would be to stick to the proven methods – healthy eating habits, regular toning exercises and cardiovascular activity. It’s the natural, effective and healthy way to go. You will be improving your overall health and well being, while constantly training your muscles and improving your fitness levels - something that no single piece of equipment can ever accomplish.