I regularly hear from people asking for tips to lean out certain body parts. You might even believe this is possible yourself, the old adage “too good to be true” comes to mind.

The science is extremely strong to debunk this one. I’m sorry to disappoint, whilst the idea of spot reducing fat is great, the science and evidence just isn’t there. Spot reducing body fat is akin to removing water from a specific corner of a filled bathtub, it’s just not going to work.

So where do we go if you have fat all over?

Firstly, I want you to start treating your body as whole, stop focusing on those body parts that are bigger than others. Secondly, dial in the basics and your body will lean out as a whole. Clean up your diet and follow a sound training program. All forms of exercise have there benefits, however, strength training has advantages cardio alone simply cannot achieve. Whole body workouts give you the most return on your investment, the added muscle you build will speed up your metabolism, giving you the potential to drop more body fat.

Remember this isn’t a race but rather a marathon, we learn to crawl and then we learn to walk. Stay focused and consistent, understand that consistency is essential; nothing is achieved without it.