Can You Target Certain Body Parts for Weight Loss?

From “Abs of Steel” to “Dance Your Ass Off,” we have long been subjected to commercial exercise programs that promise to let you blast away the fat in certain body parts. But the truth of the matter is that you can’t control where weight loss comes from.

Genetics Controls Fat Distribution

We all have a body plan that is built into our structure and coded by genetics. This code determines where the fat cells are placed in our bodies, a distribution that is largely set by the end of puberty. When we gain weight, these fat cells expand. When we lose weight, they shrink, but the distribution of cells remains the same, so that the relative size of the fat pockets remains the same: they all tend to grow and shrink together.

We like to think that if we’re working our arms, the muscles there will draw energy from the local fat cells. This may be true in the very short term and small scale, but overall our muscles draw their energy from the blood, and the body’s genetic plan determines how our body decides to allocate energy to our blood from our fat.

You Can Build Up Muscle

This is not to say that targeted exercise won’t achieve any noticeable results. In some cases, by building up muscle in certain areas, you can make the area firmer and change the proportion of muscle and fat, making that area look better. Other times, though, you may make it look worse. In some cases, as the muscles get bigger, they remain hidden behind the fat and make it look as though you have more fat.

Building up localized muscle works best as an approach when paired with general weight loss.

We Can Target Body Fat

Although weight loss won’t lead to fat loss in certain targeted areas, we have a body contouring technique that works great for doing just that. iLipo body contouring uses cool laser energy to stimulate fat cells in the targeted region to dump energy into the blood. When you exercise, your body will use that energy, making the fat loss from targeted areas semi-permanent. Essentially, once reduced, the area will stay reduced unless you gain weight.

Would you like to learn more about losing weight and getting rid of stubborn fat? Please contact Med-Fit Medical Weight Loss Clinic in Denver.

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Dr. Angela Tran