Can You Target Fat Loss

Some diets come with the promise of making you drop a dress size, while some exercise routines claim to be able to eliminate bingo wings or achieve a flat tummy. Targeted fat loss, also known a spot reduction, is a popular idea because most of us have parts of our bodies we like and bits we don't.

Although it seems logical that exercising a certain body part, such as the tops of the arms or the stomach muscles, should use up the fat in that area, it doesn't work like this. The fat contained in fat cells exists in a form known as triglycerides, which working muscle cells cannot use. It must be broken down into free fatty acids which then enter the bloodstream. As a result, the fat broken down to be used as fuel during prolonged exercise can come from anywhere in your body, not just the part that is being worked the most. 

Targeting bingo wings

Women's arms are a constant source of fascination for the tabloid press. Even celebrity royals like Madonna and Michelle Obama have been caught out by the unflattering angle of the paparazzi's long lenses. Bingo wings are little pockets of stubborn fat at the tops of the arms; they wobble when you clap your hands and you can pinch the fat away from the muscle. 

Although bingo wings are difficult to get rid of, it is not impossible. But it is not a case of converting fat into muscle. 

It is a popular myth that you can turn fat into muscle with the right exercise or that muscle will turn into fat if you don't work out. Only a combination of diet and targeted exercise can help to reduce the appearance of bingo wings. There are no particular foods that will have a magical effect on your arms alone. Rather, it is a case of eating less to create a calorie deficit that will allow fat stores to be mobilized and used as energy. Fat will be lost from all over the body, and you may not notice much of an impact on your arms at first, but eventually some fat will be lost there. 

Exercising the triceps muscles (behind the biceps) will strengthen your arms and build muscle, giving them a sleeker appearance. Exercises for the triceps muscles include closed hand press up, bench dips and triceps pushbacks. For best results aim to do a 10-15 minute workout every other day. Be warned, don't expect an instantaneous change; it may take 8 to 12 weeks to see results. 

Adipose tissue (above) is made up mainly of adipocytes,
specialized cells designed to store varying sizes of fat droplets,
some of which can be very large. 

The bottom line:

The claim that a diet or a certain combination of foods can target fat loss from the desired area is sheer nonsense. It is impossible to predict exactly where weight will be lost, and patterns of weight loss vary greatly from one person to the next. Your genes influence fat distribution in the body, where you store it most and from where you will lose it. It is likely that, if you have recently gained weight in a certain area, such as around the stomach, this is the area from which you will first lose it when you start to diet, but tricky areas such as the tops of the arms and love handles, which are relatively small pockets of fat, are likely to remain, even if you are at your ideal weight.