How to Avoid Falling for Myths About Losing Belly Fat (and Weight Loss in General)

Out of the endless myths about weight loss, none are more ubiquitous than those about how to specifically lose belly fat. While no one likes the idea of having belly fat, our society has unfortunately made it such that most women in particular dread the very thought of it, whereas most men find it somewhat amusing to slap their beer bellies while chuckling.

Both advertisers and the news media are very well aware of the situation, and that most people want a very simple solution for getting rid of their belly fat, and quickly no less. As a result, myths and misinformation are very quick to develop and spread. They are repeated endlessly in different contexts, and ultimately enter the public's collective consciousness as though they are fact when they are not.

This article shows you the steps to avoid falling for myths about how to lose belly fat, which of course are applicable to weight loss in general. The article is based on my personal experience of overcoming 35 years of overweightness, as well as my own extensive research based on scientific, non-profit studies and publications, as well as consultations with independent medical professionals who have nothing to gain by spreading misinformation on the matter.

As with any medical article, discuss everything with your doctor, do whatever you feel is best for your situation, and decide for yourself what to believe and what to dismiss.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. The most important step is to not fall for the so-called "spot reducing" myth in the first place. When a calorie deficit is attained, it is biologically impossible to instruct the body as to where to draw its fat from. This concept is easily observed in reverse by examining your pattern of weight gain. Try as you may, there is simply no way to tell your body where to store its extra fat.
   
   Most men tend to store extra fat in their bellies, and most women in their hips, thighs, and butt, but certainly plenty of people experience the exact opposite, or variants of the above. That is simply genetics and biology at work. You cannot spot reduce. If you believe that you can, pick a spot, exit this article, and go spot reduce following whatever procedure you think will work.

2. The way weight loss works is that the areas of your body which are first to put on weight are unfortunately the last to lose weight. If excess weight always goes first to your belly and then elsewhere, you'll need to first lose the excess weight everywhere but your belly, and then continue to lose weight in order to get rid of the belly fat.
   
   Of course the same holds true if you first gain weight in your butt, or anywhere else. It's a last-in-first-out queue. You can think of it as Nature's idea of a practical joke if it makes you feel any better. There is no such thing as "stubborn" areas of your body. Your body parts do not have an "attitude."

3. With all of that said, there is certainly great merit in toning various parts of your body. You can spot-tone, but you cannot spot-burn fat. Any parts of your body that you tone will have a more appealing appearance than those that you don’t. In particular, sit-ups certainly do tone the midsection area, no differently than dumbbell curls tone the area around the biceps.
   
   To some extent, the muscle that you build in various body parts can function as a girdle, holding your fat in place more efficiently. Certainly most people would choose less giggly fat over more giggly fat. Toning typically also results in tighter skin which is certainly appealing, but again has nothing to do with actual fat burning.

4. Do not fall for the myth that fat actually converts into muscle. It is absolutely, positively not how it works. If you do specific strength training exercises you can tone specific parts of your body, thereby building muscle underneath the fat. As mentioned above, this will contribute to an overall better "look," and certainly better physical health overall, but in no way does it actually directly burn belly fat or fat from anywhere else.

5. There is only one way to actually get your body to burn fat, although there are many different paths to accomplishing it. The one and only one way is to consume fewer calories each day than you burn. Your body needs to make up the energy deficit somehow, and from somewhere, so it burns your fat stores in the order that it is genetically programmed to do so.

6. In theory your daily diet and exercise could be comprised of anything at all, as long as a calorie deficit is attained. However, common sense dictates that your calories should come from an assortment of healthy foods, including lean proteins, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables, with a minimal amount of simple carbs and saturated fats.

7. Your daily exercise should of course be based on activities that you enjoy, combining cardio and strength training exercises, gradually building in intensity. That is absolutely all there is to it unless your doctor tells you that you have a rare and very specific reason why it doesn't work like that for your body. Most people are simply just not putting in the required effort, and are endlessly searching for a magic diet and/or exercise pill which doesn't exist.

8. It is very important to understand that although doing exercise is extremely beneficial, if you compensate for that exercise by eating more food than you normally would, you will not lose weight, but you will gain weight. It is as simple as that. If you're going burn 50 calories doing sit-ups, but follow it up with 400 calories from a glass of Gatorade and a PowerBar that you normally wouldn't have had, you will have a 350 calorie net gain, or about one-tenth of a pound. Sure, your abdominal muscles may become a bit stronger in the process, but the excess calories will be converted by your body into fat.

9. If you are trying to lose weight, you can't exercise and then eat extra food with the logic that you have "earned it." You need to do more exercise each day than you normally would, and eat fewer calories each day than you normally would. If you do that, your body will burn your fat stores in the order that it chooses. If you keep up the effort consistently, your body will eventually burn fat from the area that you most want it to, but that area will probably be chosen by your body last.

10. Understand that there is some evidence that certain foods, such as some lean proteins, will help your body to burn more calories than it normally would. For that matter there are pills that accomplish that same thing. However, that in no way conflicts with any of the above information, nor does it at all change the situation. You still need to burn more calories than you are burning each day, and you still need to eat fewer calories than you normally do.
    
    There is abundant evidence that taking special diet pills can be very unhealthy and in some cases deadly. There is also abundant evidence that any healthy diet should include some lean proteins, so there is nothing more to think about on the matter. In particular, nothing changes the fact that you cannot spot reduce.

11. If you do all of these steps, it is very safe and realistic to expect to lose about 1% of your body weight each week. That means a 300-pound person can set a goal of 3 pounds per week, and as that person gets down to 200 pounds, the weekly weight loss goal would gradually decrease to 2 pounds per week.

12. That is absolutely all there is to it. While you should weigh in frequently, just compare your weight over two-week or four-week periods to look for overall trends. If you see that you are gaining weight, or your weight is remaining constant, or you are not losing weight as fast as you would like, simply put in more of an effort by eating less and exercising more. You can do it. You can be fit and healthy! ☺

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[lorisae18]

on 9/20/2009 Good article, I do lifting and cardio fairly seriously and I had never heard the 1% loss idea. I like that a lot, it is a very realistic goal. Good job!

[capfriend]

on 7/29/2009 This article could be turned into a workshop. Great job! 5*

[computerctrl]

on 7/14/2009 I hate those myths that say they spot fat weight loss. I also hate those that make you starve for weeks just to lose 10 pounds and then gain it back plus some. I dont know how people fall for those.