Fat Distribution and Spot Reduction
Body fat has a mind of its own. It appears where it wants to, and seems to disappear (under great duress) from all the wrong places. Is there any rhyme or reason to fat distribution?
Here is a complete guide to body fat distribution.
Types of Fat
We have adipose tissue all over the body. This tissue is made of adipocytes (fat cells) whose sole job is to store energy in the form of fat. Body fat distribution differs from person to person. There are generally two types of fat storage: visceral (surrounding organs), or subcutaneous (beneath the skin - about 80% of all body fat (src)).
When it comes to losing fat - it often does not go according to plan. Despite many claims of spot reduction (i.e. "lose belly fat first") - it rarely happens this way.
Gaining Fat
Basic Areas- Women - generally around the buttocks and thighs (gluteofemoral): "pear-shaped".
- Men - generally around the abdomen: "apple-shaped".
Specific Areas
| Knee | Fat often builds up on the inside region of the knees in women. |
| Upper Arm | Also common in women, fat build up can occur in the middle to upper area of the upper arm - typically covering the tricep area. |
| Abdomen | Fat buildup around the navel area is common in both men and women. It is also one of the few fat deposits that are also found in slim women. |
| Inner Thigh | Fat storage between the thighs is common in women - but also occurs with men. It is more noticeable in women due to the width of the pelvis that in turn influences the position of the thigh (femur). |
| Outer Thigh | Sometimes called "Riding Breeches" - this area is the most likely place for the pitted or 'quilted' appearance of cellulite. This fat concentration also blends with fat tissue on the inner thigh and the buttocks. |
| Buttocks | Without fat here - sitting would be quite uncomfortable. Fat is held in place by the gluteal fold. If significant fat is lost from the buttock, then only appropriate training can prevent the buttock from sagging down against the thigh. |
| Lower Back | This fat concentration often merges with the buttock area. |
| Chest | Breast tissue comprises the mammary gland (one's 'endowment') surrounded by fat. Men also have atrophied glands and fat in this area. Both sexes gain fat in this area. In men this can sometimes be mistaken for the condition of gynecomastia - a condition that includes not only fat build up, but growth in gland tissue. |
Ethnic Variation
There is considerable research showing that fat distribution varies between ethnic groups. For example Asian adults are more prone to visceral and central obesity than Europeans. Mediterranean women are prone to fat gain in the outer thighs.
Losing Fat
Many people compare subcutaneous fat to the layers of an onion. Rather than disappearing from a particular place, it comes off layer by layer from the whole body.Moreover, the way fat is shed is different from person to person. It tends to go from the most recent place it appeared. If your tummy started gaining first - this will be the very last place for the fat to disappear from.
This is why, for example, a man may complain of getting too thin in the face - and yet still have a small 'spare tire' around his waist. Or a woman may complain of a smaller bust, and yet the hips may have barely moved in inch.
This is further compounded by cellulite. With cellulite tissue, fatty acids are contained in a net of fibrous connective tissue. As fat loss occurs the net becomes compressed - making it difficult for the blood supply to readily remove the fat from these stubborn areas.
During weight loss, the following trends have been observed:
- Obese men tend to lose more visceral (internal) fat while obese women lose more subcutaneous fat (src).
- Exercise seems to result in more subcutaneous fat loss. Diet alone results in more visceral fat loss (and less surface fat loss) (src). This explains how you can lose weight - but not necessarily have any radical change in appearance.
The Outcome
The upshot is - there is very little you can do to influence specific subcutaneous fat distribution. Exercise should always be a part of any fat loss program - but vigorously exercising a specific body part will not have any influence on local fat in that area. This myth has been debunked again and again. Neither will high-repetition (e.g. 20-30 reps) weight training lead to greater fat loss. In fact the loss of intensity may ultimately result in less fat loss than lower-reps with heavier weights. Higher reps are good for muscular endurance (more).It can be very frustrating but everybody is different. Stay committed to your training and nutrition - and don't be dissuaded by the commercials and images that show perfectly proportioned clones. Understand how your body works, and set achievable goals accordingly.
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Btw... Spot reduction is 100% possible...Keep reading
The problem with diet and exercising alone is the substantial loss of muscle mass. At times it may feel like you have gotten fatter due to increased loss of muscle.
The only way 98% of us can lose fat, preserve 100% of the muscle and look like the people on TV is with GH or Steroids, both at the same time is better.
Things like Anavar, EQ, Winnie, etc... are the drugs of choice.
Note: Natural body building competitions are not natural at all. Many of the people or I would say all of them have taken steroids, but a lot earlier and the stuff is usually out of the system before the competition. lol
Some of them might have taken it early on in their lifetime but nevertheless they have and just hide it well.
Btw... You still need to diet when you are taking steroids.
Spot reduction can be achieved with things like lipo dissolve, kynoselen, Quick fat loss with some drugs not mentioned here due to the fact they are too dangerous to be mentioned here.
ReplyRegarding Organic Foods:
There is little to no evidence that "organic" produce has any more nutrients than foods grown using conventional farming methods. Furthermore, organic crops use more land resources and have a greater risk of contamination from bacteria than other crops.
As far as the advice to eat organic foods, it's mostly hype and elitist snobbery (sorry health nuts). (Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/906530.stm)
ReplyThere is a lot to be said regarding eating WHOLE foods (not just food from Whole Foods) and fresh foods, like raw or cooked vegetables, fresh fruit, nuts, whole grains and ethically farmed meat. Also, buying from vendors at a farmer's market saves money and supports local farmers. However, the label "organic" means nothing as far as the nutritional content of the food is concerned.
This article helped me.. i just started my water therapy today and i'll do this for 2 weeks without eating anything.. but it's not plain water.. i added a little amount of pineapple juice and a table spoon of tomato juice.. will this work? is this fine? and i also want to add that coffee technique in the morning with an empty stomach but is decaf ok? OR drink water only..?? but water has no calories?? i need calories, right?
ReplyDON'T DO THIS. This is not healthy unless your body is used to fasting and if you generally eat very healthy. Fasting forces your body to use whatever stores it has and detoxes you pretty quickly, but as the toxins are being purged, you will feel like crap. And fasting that long when your body is not used to it can cause major electrolyte disturbances, headaches, dizziness, fainting, heart arrhythmias, etc. If you really want to fast this long, you have to work up to it, and it's not the best idea anyway; you want some calories--your brain needs glucose to stay alert and focused, and you need protein--it's better to be taking in calories and have enough energy to workout than to be completely zapped because you're "dieting" so strictly. You will lose weight quickly by fasting, but you will lose a lot of muscle mass, and when you start eating again (esp if you eat junk food at all) you will gain back fat instead of muscle because your metabolism has shut down and it will hold onto any calories you eat because you'll be in starvation mode.
ReplyCheck out http://www.freedomyou.com/fasting_book/Fasting_For_Weight_Loss.htm for a lot of information on the benefits of fasting. (I am not affiliated with this site, but have learned a lot through it.)
Finally, DO NOT do the coffee thing--it is a stimulant, caffeine, which will counteract the detoxing process, worsen headaches...
Losing weight is easy, but takes time and dedication.
regular 30 minute cardio workouts, that actually keep your heart rate up, is great for fat loss, as is unprocessed, healthy food. A plentiful intake of cold water daily ( At least 3 litres ) will boost metabolism greatly, as will doing strength training, as your metabolism gets higher, the more muscle mass your body has.
Simple things such as no soft drink, limit alcohol, more sleep, limiting sweets and fatty foods, swapping whole milk for skim milk etc are easy, yet very effective methods when attempting to lose weight.
ReplySpot reduction by traditional means may not be possible, but there seems to be other methods coming to light. Check out the biosignature modulation seminar at www.charlespoliquin.com.
ReplyGail, the solution to the flabby look after you lost a lot of weight is, unfortunately, plastic surgery.
ReplyI think it is funny that perfectly healthy, active people care about fat on the back of their knees. Most of us are not professionally beautiful people. I for work about 70 hours, 7 days a week. I spend about 5 hours in the gym, I don't eat processed foods or meat. I drink about 4 liters of water a day and I feel great, even though I'm towards the high end of my healthy BMI. Sure, if I had another five hours a week, I'd tone up, but am I worried about it, no.
Replymy prob is that there r some fatty tissue accumulated arnd my nipple part that makes my chest look like breast.plese sugggest me some way of loosing those fats n look lik a normal guy
Replyread this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7386405.stm
Body fat found under the skin - and particularly on the buttocks - may help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, research suggests.
ReplyWhy do women with naturally large breasts carry more fat cells or tend to gain weight quicker?
ReplyI'm not positive, but i think estrogen levels affect breast size and also how much the body "holds on" to fat. Very thin women can have hormone disruptions and even amenorrhea (not menstruate); so it could be just too much of a good thing: estrogen increases fat deposits on breasts and hips?
ReplyHi James
ReplyI am working with a personal trainer at a gym. I have a lot of foundational muscle. I was diagnosed as having around 25% body fat. I was in the Army so I really am in good shape?I carry a lot of fay in my inner thighs and I want to be a body builder/personal trainer. I am discouraged about my inability to lose the fat and not look good enough to be successful as a trainer mostly. What do you think?
Thanks, Sherri from Roanoke
I have learned that "eating like a man" has made me look more like a woman(i.e; man-breasts)....
ReplyIf you ever visit one of the death camps of Central Europe, you may learn that the residents there (the ones not sent to the gas chamber) lived on a diet of rotten vegetables, stale bread crusts and dirty water and, if they were able to stand, were forced into hard labor from sun-up to sun-down. It was the only reason they were kept alive. And yes, it was a very effective weight loss regime.
Replyspot reduction is not a myth but a reality
Replyone can certainly decide from which obese area of body to lose fat and in what proportion
area specific exercises are devised and have delivered amazing results to thousands of individuals in the last 13 years!
im a body builder... so i have to eat to gain muscle but im starting to gain lots in the tummy.. i thought fat would also start hitting my arm region but it all just seems to go gut......... how can i balance maybe
ReplyI am also a bodybuilder... Natural bodybuilder... Increasing muscle size is a myth in terms of nutrition... It's a #1 way to get overweight quick.. EVERYONE needs to be physically active to maintain a healthy bodyweight... Many reasons should motivate us to do so..
1) Stress relief and feeling better
2) Sense of accomplishment
3) Health benefits
4) Looking sexy/good
5) Being a role model
etc etc....
I've researched the entire notion of spot-reduction and I must say I still don't truly understand how one can do such a thing... Look at my website, I've been totally ripped before, but to maintain this look is impossible...
Most infomercials shot the testimonials when ppl peak... But being at peak is not something a person can do year round...
So herein lies the essence of the issue..
What is your residual bodyweight/appearance given optimal healthy eating and exercise?
There comes a point where we must accept ourselves and be happy with what we have... Everyone is different and lifestyle is the biggest thing we have control over...
My only trouble area is my waist... I have a 6-pack, but not as deep as when I'm in competition.. Should that matter to me? NO... I'm in excellent shape and good enough...
I'd personally like to figure out how to keep the waist fat lower...
I've been maintaining a healthy body weight and body composition my entire life... The only thing I've noticed that is different is I have a little more fat around the waist...
I'm currently trying to research and understand this better...
ReplyMy organ was thick and long.. I lost 1" off girth..and 2" off length..I am not well-hung anymore..
ReplyHow do you check your metabolic rate ?? plz reply really trying to lose this spare tire. Thank you.
ReplyI have this problem with my abdominal area, I'm actually a very slim guy, i'm 17, 6 feet tall and 136 pounds. I can't seem to get rid of this small deposit of fat right over my stomach, and its rather out of place, its the only place you can see any fat on my entire body. I've been trying to work out and gain some muscle mass, but its frustrating because i can get muscle tone everywhere except for my abs. Any advice? I've resolved to start running more, a 5k every day...
ReplyEli
What is your diet like? Have you tried to eat foods that are less bloating? My ex husband was just like you, although he was 6 foot and only weighed 124 lbs. He was super skinny with a little bit of a belly. Before we were dating all he would eat was fast food because he hated to cook. Then when I started to cook healthier things, the belly went away.
ReplyJust another comment, or maybe even a question. Yesterday, I was visiting a gym where my husband was playing in a racquetball tournament. There was an asian lady who kept going in and out of the steam room. She would be in there for about 5 mins. at a time, then come out and splash her face with cold water, then go back in. I didn't think anything of it until she laid down on one of the benches and proceeded to remove about 20 rolls of plastic wrap from her waist. Was she trying to spot reduce or is this a cultural thing?
ReplyFinally, someone who realizes that "organic" is just another advertising gimmick.
Replyyou are a racist bastard! No wonder nature gave you big thighs!!!!!!!!!! PIG!!!!!!!!
Replyvery interesting! I like hard facts like these. :) not gibberish, just blunt facts.
Reply`try to gain some weight. I wish there would be a front body graphic as well though?
I have a question, what about the frontal hips or the area between hip bone and frontal low hip/thighs? or the ribcage?
hey, well there are 2 things , the first is that i have a perfect body (170cm height,65-70kg weight) but there's that problem... i used 2 be fat but lost weight without doing any exercise and since then my whole body is slim except for my hips, bottom and thighs which is really annoying
Replyplease any body comment or tell me what to do
i am a guy and i get alot of fat to the thighs..it really sucks.. can someone tell me how to get rid of this fat.. i am a size 34(im 13 yrs old) and my goal is to get in a 30 or less
ReplyDon't pay attention to the previous idiots. There is no such thing as spot reduction. You simply have to cut the calories and accept the fat reduction wherever it comes. Fat will come off the arms/legs/face before it comes off the torso. That is my experience. Also be prepared for moderate results, be patient.
Reply