In an ideal world, we could precisely control where we want to “burn” fat. According to an article published on the Men’s Fitness website, for most men this refers to the abdominal area, the obliques, and the lower back, meaning the entire core region. The idea of burning fat in a specific area is called “spot reduction”, and a new study reveals that this dream may be possible.
Fitness
The method that will help you burn fat exactly where you want | The Jerusalem Post
Fat loss is a systemic process in which fatty acids are released from fat tissue, travel through the bloodstream, and are oxidized, meaning “burned”. This is different from how the body burns carbohydrates, which is indeed “specific” to a certain area. Carbohydrates are stored in the muscles in the form of glycogen. When performing bicep curls, mainly glycogen stored in the arm muscles is burned. When performing a leg exercise, mainly glycogen from the leg muscles is burned.
Since fat is not burned locally like carbohydrates, many believe that spot fat reduction is not possible. In practice, the body reduces fat according to its own patterns, and stubborn areas, of course, tend to be the last to shrink.
A new study presents a slightly more complex picture
In a study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, men were divided into two groups: One group performed abdominal exercises together with aerobic training, and the second performed only aerobic training. Using a DEXA scan, it was found that the group that combined abdominal exercises lost more fat in the trunk area. One might think that this group simply burned more calories, but the study was designed so that caloric expenditure was identical between the groups. In addition, DEXA scans are considered one of the most accurate methods for measuring body fat.
Another study from the University of Padua strengthened the findings. One group in the study performed exercises for the abdominal and arm muscles as part of a circuit aerobic workout, meaning it alternated between targeted exercises and aerobic activity. The second group in the study performed the same exercises, at the same volume and intensity, but in a standard structure of aerobic training followed by strength training. The result – the group that combined the two lost more fat in the abdominal area.
The findings indicate that training structure also matters. A combination of work on specific muscles and aerobic activity may increase blood flow to the active area, and this is probably one of the mechanisms that helps local fat breakdown. Studies show that fat breakdown is linked to increased blood flow in fat tissue, therefore it can be concluded that when working a specific muscle, blood flow and the release of fatty acids increase in the nearby area.
How can you “burn” more abdominal fat?
Based on this, if the goal is to reduce abdominal fat, it is recommended to perform abdominal exercises before aerobic training, and at high intensity. They should be treated like any other muscle group and not be limited to a few repetitions at the end of the workout. It is recommended to perform between ten and twenty sets that work the abdominal muscles from different angles, and then move on to aerobic training or integrate the exercises within a circuit aerobic workout.
It is important to emphasize that this is not a substitute for a caloric deficit and not a magic solution. However, it is a small adjustment in training structure that may influence how the body uses fat stores.
So is it possible to influence the area from which fat is lost? Possibly, to some extent. This is also physiologically logical. In the abdominal area there is usually more fat and relatively less blood flow, and it is also tended to be trained less and at lower intensity compared to other muscle groups. Therefore, increasing activity in this area may influence the fat loss process there.