Sit-ups are useless, expert tells how to lose weight the right way

Fitness

Per Brooke Kato

These push-ups may not be absolutely necessary.

Exercises that target certain fat groups, whether thunder thighs or love handles, may be futile, experts say.

In fact, it’s simply not possible to lose fat through area-specific exercises. Fitness influencers be damned.

Nick Fuller, author and obesity researcher at the University of Sydney, debunked the viral myth, claiming that science, genetics, gender and age determine how the body stores and burns fat.

Writing for Conversa, Fuller explained that when the body needs energy, think: during a workout, it removes fat reserves from the entire body, making localized reduction impossible.

As a result, the fat stores we use for energy when we exercise come from all places on our bodies, not just the areas we target for fat loss, Fuller wrote.

Instead, genetics determine where fat is lost.

So if your mom tends to store and lose weight in her face first, there’s a good chance you do too, he explained.

Gender, he said, also plays a role.

Women tend to have more fat mass, due to specific fat reserves to support pregnancy and breastfeeding, and often lose fat in their calves, arms, and face more easily, while fat in their hips, thighs, or buttocks remains stubbornly unchanged. .

The aging process triggers changes in muscle mass, metabolism and hormone levels, which can affect where and how quickly fat is lost, Fuller added.

Postmenopausal and middle-aged women tend to store visceral fat around the belly and find it a stubborn place to transfer fat.

Fuller also debunked the promising mirage of weight-loss supplements, explaining that a number of independent studies do not support the sweeping claims of waist-slimming benefits touted by some dietary supplements.

Instead of relying on a magic pill to lose weight, he suggests an overhaul of lifestyle, sleep, diet, exercise, and consistent physical activity to build muscle and increase metabolism.

Spot reduction is a myth that we can’t control where our body loses fat, he said. But we can achieve the results we are looking for in specific areas, aiming for global fat loss.

Regular exercise is not just an aesthetic issue, but it can also positively benefit your internal organs.

Research has shown that just 22 minutes of physical activity every day can prevent the negative health consequences of prolonged sitting.

Exercise as mundane as a brisk walk or gardening can make up for hours spent relaxing in front of the TV or working in an office.