Buzz
Core exercises help strengthen your abs, but they don’t touch the fat layer on top. Similarly, leg exercises won’t slim down your thighs. This is what’s known as ‘spot reduction.’ No matter how many articles or social media posts you see claiming that you can shrink specific body areas—whether it’s flattening your stomach or doing a miracle move for leaner arms—spot exercises are excellent for building muscle but can’t deliver the unrealistic results they suggest.
For instance, consider this outdated health.com article titled “10-Minute Love Handle Workout.” It starts by mentioning that a standard ab workout won’t target your love handles (true) and then suggests isolating your oblique muscles (which, unfortunately, won’t be much more effective). But then comes a moment of honesty:
That being said, it’s a myth that you can spot-reduce fat. Yes, targeting your obliques will tone them, but fat loss is achieved through cardio and a balanced diet. We've all heard the phrase “abs are made in the kitchen,” and, sadly, it’s accurate. You can crunch all day long, but unless you reduce fat through proper nutrition, your abs will remain hidden. So, here’s the most effective approach for saying goodbye to your love handles:
The approach consists of three parts. First, you’re advised to follow a diet, summed up in four simple words: “Eat lean. Eat clean.” Helpful, right? Next, you’re told to include some cardio in your routine. The third part is the promised “love handle workout.” Of these, only the first two can help reduce love handles. Still, the focus of the article is mostly on the third part, which isn’t effective for fat loss.
Take, for example, this shape.com article about the “Best Inner Thigh Exercises for Women.” They asked 16 trainers to share their favorite move for achieving slim, sculpted hips and thighs, even though there’s no exercise that can directly slim your hips or thighs. (You can exercise a muscle to make it larger, though.) The first seven trainers offer moves to strengthen the inner thighs, while the eighth trainer points out that fat loss is the key to slimmer thighs, since you can’t spot reduce. However, he still suggests an exercise, and so do all the others.
These examples might be older, but it won’t take long to find new ones using the same misleading framing. Most trainers, despite being highly qualified, likely understand the difference between fat loss (which happens throughout the body) and muscle strengthening (which can be targeted). Several others mention exercises that burn calories, hinting at the truth. But articles are still written with headlines that misrepresent exercise physiology. This serves as a reminder: Exercise is vital for overall health, but you can’t target fat loss as some magazine covers might lead you to think.
