Matt Jansen shares the brutally honest truth behind the myth of spot reducing stubborn fat areas.
Losing weight can be hard. It can become especially hard when you’re trying to build up muscle and maintain a sculpted physique at the same time. Each body is different. We are all familiar with having trouble areas. Spots on the body that carry more weight than the rest. How do you spot reduce those fatty areas without burning too deep into your muscle tissue? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, trainer Matt Jansen debunks the myth of spot reducing stubborn fat and how to really bring in trouble areas.
You’ve likely seen headlines and ads online all the time that claim to provide the secret to spot reducing stubborn fatty areas on your body. Whether it is a supplement promising a cure or simply a certain workout – the myth of spot reducing fat has persisted for decades.
Unfortunately, here’s the real truth. There is no way to spot reduct stubborn fat areas. It is physically impossible to target certain points of the body to burn stubborn fat. Crunches do not burn more fat in your stomach. Specific diets cannot hold the secret to burning fat in problem areas.
The general truth is this – when you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose fat. Since every body is different genetically – some areas might take longer to lose fat than others. But if you stay persistent, it will all drop off eventually.
Check out our GI Exclusive with bodybuilding coach Matt Jansen above!
When it comes to bodybuilding, however, this poses an interesting challenge. What happens if a bodybuilder has strong areas of their physique but carry extra fat in other specific problem areas? How do you burn stubborn fat without diminishing the hard earned muscle and taper?
We asked Matt Jansen this very question during our video interview. As we mentioned, he makes it very clear that you cannot target fat loss in certain areas. So if an athlete has a problem area, Jansen’s tactic is to plan a longer period of dieting leading up to a competition.
As Matt Jansen explains it, if a bodybuilder doesn’t carry fat evenly, then it’s a delicate balancing act to burn off fat in the problem areas and keep strong areas on point. This balancing act will be trial and error. That’s why a bodybuilder should plan a more extended time than usual during contest prep dieting.
This additional time allots for the athlete to cut fat from the problem areas and also then work on fixing any strong areas that might have been diminished through the fat loss diet plan. It’s almost like balancing a scale. You fall too much to one side, so now you put more weight on the other. Then it teeters too far to the other side, so you keep balancing until it evens out perfect.
Unfortunately, this simply requires more time and effort to accomplish. That’s the rub when it comes to having “less ideal” genetics. More work, consistency, and time need to be put in to perfect the athlete’s physique.
Top Supplement For Fat Loss
When it comes to your supplements, looking to the right ones are important. Weight loss products and fat burners are nice aids to work in tandem with your diet and training routine as you look to burn off stubborn fat. We’ve put one of our favorites here to make your decision that much easier.
National Bodybuilding Co. Strongest Fat Burner
National Bodybuilding Co. Strongest Fat Burner is a great supplement for weight loss and optimizing muscle building. A clean, high-quality, and science driven fat burner allows for optimal benefits.
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Check out our list of the Best Fat Burners for more great fat burning supplements!
You can watch Matt Jansen talk in more detail about burning stubborn body fat in our latest GI Exclusive interview above!
