I’ve heard for a long time that spot reduction of fat is a myth. That the body burns body fat evenly, and that it is impossible to target one area of the body for fat reduction.
What about if a person has been dieting really hard, and there is little carbs in the bloodstream to use for energy. At this point, said dieter would be using mostly body fat for energy. And then what if the dieter were to do long sessions of exercising, say, walking. Wouldn’t it make sense that since the leg muscles are the ones needing some sort of energy, that the fat around the leg muscles would be the closest and most readily available form of energy? Wouldn’t it make sense that those fat stores around the muscles being worked the hardest would be burned first for energy?
I don’t have an answer, just a related question to tack on… I always heard that you lose fat from the “top-down”, meaning that your face, neck, arms, etc. will get slimmer before your stomach or hips will… is that true, or just a myth as well?
Just some quick links from the net. Everything I’ve read says that fat is released from a pretty much preset location on your body. It goes on and comes off in the same order. Just because your legs need energy, the evidence shows the fat released to provide energy doesn’t come from your legs. Doing situps won’t burn fat off your spare tire.
Spot reduction is indeed a myth. Fat isn’t used directly by the muscles, it has to be converted to usable glucose first. This doesn’t happen on site.
However, if your muscles in a particular place are firmer, it can certainly improve the appearance of certain places, even if they still have a layer of fat over them. A firm fat ass looks better than a flabby fat ass.
Telemark handled the OP rather well, so I’ll take this one.
No cite, but I’ve heard that this is true. From a mobility standpoint, it makes sense–it’s easier to keep your balance with weight on your legs than on your arms.