You probably see many posts or videos on social media claiming a reduction in belly fat in 7 days or drink this to reduce belly fat overnight. First, spot reduction is known as losing fat from a particular body part. The question here is, is it possible to make a spot reduction?
First, we must understand that our body is a single interconnected unit; it does not work in isolation. When our body starts losing fat, it does so from the entire body. not just a single body part. Belly fat is more common in men than women because, genetically, men are more likely to store fat around their belly area when their weight increases than their counterparts. Women are more likely to store fat around their hips, arms, and legs. That’s why you see more men with belly fat than women. These areas are called problem areas, and it takes more time to lose fat from this part because the fat stored here becomes rigid over time.
As you know, our body needs energy to perform functions such as digestion, walking, running, and other essential functions such as eye movement, breathing, etc. So, when we go on a caloric restriction diet or start working out, our body converts fat (fatty tissues) and glycogen stores (the storage form of carbohydrates in the body) into energy and uses it. When our body converts energy from adipose tissues, it not only uses fatty tissues around your belly area for energy but also from your whole body, including the belly.
To burn fat, your body must first release it from fat cells—a process called mobilization—before it can be used for energy.
Strength training not only builds muscle but also increases blood flow to the fat surrounding the muscles being worked, aiding in fat mobilization.
However, belly fat is particularly challenging to lose because it typically receives less blood flow than fat in other areas. Additionally, abdominal muscles are often trained less frequently, which further reduces opportunities for mobilization in this region.
While some research supports the concept of spot reduction—targeting fat loss in specific areas—others do not. Let’s explore the science behind this concept in detail.
A study named ‘Regional Fat Changes Induced by Localized Muscle Endurance Resistance Training‘ conducted on young males and females found that training a single body part did not result in fat loss covering that body part. In this study, participants performed a lot of leg presses on one leg and did nothing on another leg 3 times per week for 12 weeks. This study measured the change in fat mass in the leg doing all the leg presses and also measured overall fat mass changes in the whole body. After 12 weeks, the entire body had a fat loss reduction of 1.5 pounds, but no fat mass changes were found in the trained leg. In other words, even 12 weeks of training on one leg did not result in fat loss in that particular leg.
In 1983, Katch and colleagues explored whether a sit-up exercise routine could specifically reduce belly fat. Their findings showed it did not. The sit-up regimen had no greater impact on reducing fat cell size or the thickness of the fat layer in the abdominal area compared to other regions, such as the back and buttocks.
Another study on subcutaneous fat alterations from an upper-body resistance training program revealed mixed findings. Skinfold measurements suggested that spot reduction might occur in men but not in women. However, MRI assessments, which provide a more comprehensive analysis, showed generalized fat loss regardless of gender, disputing the idea of spot reduction. MRI’s sensitivity to variations across the entire upper arm uncovered inconsistencies that single-point skinfold measurements failed to capture. Overall, the study concludes that evidence does not strongly support spot reduction as a reliable outcome of resistance training.
A study titled “Effect of Abdominal Resistance Training on Abdominal Subcutaneous Fat in Overweight and Obese Women“ found that adding abdominal resistance training to a calorie-restricted diet did not lead to a greater reduction in abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness compared to diet alone. This suggests that localized fat loss, or spot reduction, is not significantly influenced by targeted resistance exercises.
The study “The Effect of Abdominal Exercise on Abdominal Fat“ examined the impact of a 6-week abdominal exercise program on abdominal fat in 24 healthy, sedentary adults. Participants were randomly assigned to an abdominal exercise group (AG) or a control group (CG) while maintaining an isocaloric diet. The results showed no significant differences between the groups in body weight, body fat percentage, abdominal fat, circumference, or skinfold measurements. However, the AG exhibited significantly improved abdominal muscular endurance compared to the CG. This study concluded that abdominal exercise alone does not reduce abdominal fat but does enhance muscular endurance.
Spot reduction might actually happen in theory. Research shows that fat near active muscles burns more than fat further away. For example, exercising your left leg burns more fat from your left thigh than your right. This is likely due to higher temperature, blood flow, and delivery of fat-burning hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine in the area. Muscle-released compounds like IL-6 may also boost fat burning in nearby tissues.
In a 2023 study, researchers divided 16 overweight men into two groups to test the idea of spot reduction. One group followed a traditional cardio workout on the treadmill, while the other group did a combination of treadmill cardio and targeted abdominal exercises like torso rotations and machine crunches. Both groups exercised for the same total duration and burned the same number of calories over 10 weeks. At the end of the study, both groups lost a similar amount of body fat overall, but something surprising happened. The group that included the ab exercises lost almost 2.5 times more fat around their belly compared to the treadmill-only group. Even more intriguing, the treadmill group lost more fat from their legs. This could suggest that while targeted exercises might reduce belly fat more effectively, general cardio still helps reduce fat in other areas.
However, there were some limitations to the study. The participants in the spot reduction group started with more belly fat to lose, which could explain some of the results. Additionally, the measurement technique, though solid, could have been even more accurate if MRI scans were used instead of DEXA. And while the workouts were carefully controlled, the participants’ diets weren’t, which could have affected the results.
In a study titled “Effect of Combined Resistance and Endurance Exercise Training on Regional Fat Loss“ , researchers examined whether localized fat loss could be achieved through targeted resistance training combined with endurance exercise. Over 8 weeks, participants focusing on upper body exercises followed by cycling lost more fat in their arms, while those doing lower body exercises followed by arm ergometer workouts saw greater fat loss in their legs. The study concludes that combining specific resistance exercises with endurance training can effectively target fat loss in particular regions of the body.
In 2021, a study titled “Effect of an Endurance and Strength Mixed Circuit Training on Regional Fat Thickness: The Quest for the ‘Spot Reduction'” explored the concept of spot reduction by combining abdominal exercises with cardio. The researchers aimed to mobilize belly fat through abdominal training and then burn it as fuel through endurance activities. The study found promising results, particularly in the upper belly area, suggesting that this approach could help reduce fat in targeted regions, similar to findings in the 2023 study. Both studies highlight the potential of combining strength and endurance exercises to influence regional fat loss.
Before diving into the studies, it’s important to understand that losing belly fat requires being in a caloric deficit. It’s highly unlikely that you can spot-reduce belly fat while simultaneously gaining weight.
Dr. Bill Campbell suggests that to get the best results when working on belly fat, it’s crucial to combine abdominal exercises with cardio. He recommends using weighted ab exercises, like weighted crunches and hanging leg raises, alongside low to moderate-intensity cardio. This combination, when performed either before or after the ab exercises, maximizes fat burning. For example, a well-rounded routine could include performing 4 sets of 8-15 reps of weighted crunches, followed by 4 sets of 6-15 reps of hanging leg raises, and finishing with 20-30 minutes of cardio, such as cycling, jogging, or using the elliptical. This strategy helps target belly fat effectively while also building strength in the abdominal area.
It’s probably real, but it probably doesn’t matter. The research suggests that spot recomposition – an increase in local muscle mass alongside a decrease in local fat mass can occur in response to resistance training in that area. The magnitude of fat reduction only appears potentially meaningful when the muscle is rapidly gained, as would occur in beginners, for example. However, even then, the effect is small – you’re not going to lose a dramatic amount of fat in some “problem area” without also losing a lot of body fat overall via an energy deficit
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Paoli, A., Casolo, A., Saoncella, M., Bertaggia, C., Fantin, M., Bianco, A., Marcolin, G., & Moro, T. (2021). Effect of an Endurance and Strength Mixed Circuit Training on Regional Fat Thickness: The Quest for the “Spot Reduction”. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3845. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073845
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