“How do I make my butt smaller?” or “How do I get rid of this spare tire around my waist?” or “How many crunches do I need to do to make my abs flat?” are questions I get asked all the time.

Many people are under the impression that they can “spot reduce” a certain area on their body that carries more body fat than other areas, or that’s just bigger (because that’s the shape of their body). Unfortunately there is no such thing as Spot Reduction when it comes to exercise. No amount of crunches will make your abs flat, nor will tons of leg lifts get rid of those pesky saddle bags. What it takes is total body resistance training, a healthy eating plan, and a willingness to DO WORK.

Even though you may not be focusing on a specific body part, total body resistance training is definitely the way to go to develop a lean, toned and healthy body. Choose compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time (for example our Exercise of the Month – Reverse Plank with Chest Press). This helps you to burn more overall calories than exercises that just focus on a single muscle group.

Another great thing to do is to grab heavier weights. Some people, mainly women, are scared to death to use anything heavier than a 5 pound dumbbell for fear they may end up looking like the Hulk. But if you’re still using the same weights you’ve used since you started your exercise program three years ago, you won’t see results.

Picking heavier weights will not only get you more toned, you’ll get stronger and increase your metabolism even more. Still don’t trust me? Just look at the pics of our Body OverHALL Body Overhaul Transformation contest winner Becki Deisley. One thing she changed besides her eating was picking heavier weights. I don’t know about you, but to me Becki looks super toned, buff and strong yet feminine.

The last thing you’ll need to do to make certain areas shrink is, of course, eat clean. Like we always tell our clients, you can’t out-exercise your mouth. No matter how hard you work out, unless your eating is clean and free of foods that are processed and full of sugar and trans-fat, you just won’t see results. Sure, you’ll still get the benefits of being stronger and more fit, but you’ll never see the six-pack hiding under that layer of fat or have smaller hips and thighs.

I hope this helps dispel the myth of spot reduction. When it comes to shrinking certain areas down, remember to be patient. Things won’t happen overnight, but they will happen as long as you stay consistent with total body workouts, challenging yourself by picking heavier weights, and keeping your eating clean.

Be Well,

Heather Hall
Body OverHALL, LLC
For more information please visit www.bodyoverhall.com