Diet & Fitness Blog

Have a question about your routine or anything fitness-related? Send it Raphael's way at askraphael@ediets.com.


Raphael,

I know that I can't spot reduce but surely there is a way to work on one area and the rest of the body will follow. I used to stand with a dumbbell in each hand and twist from side to side, swinging my arms back and forth like a lawn sprinkler motion.

Someone at the gym told me that would add muscle to my waist, and I would not accomplish the look that I am after. Is there anything wrong with what I was doing? Because it really felt good when I did that. -- CR


CR,

The exercise you were performing works the oblique muscles (love handles) to some degree but if you’re looking to lose body fat, it won’t accomplish a lot. And, if you’re trying to make your waist smaller it won’t work. In fact, yes, it can increase the size of the waist if the weight is challenging.

I realize your question has a bit different slant because you’re asking if working one area such as the obliques will affect the rest of the body and create fat loss. Without being sarcastic, the answer is yes -- if you did it for hours and hours each day. That’s what it would take to burn the amount of calories you’d need to create the loss you desire. In reality, it’s an inefficient way to approach the goal.

The truth is there is a system for losing fat that works for everyone. It’s important that you understand that it is in fact a system -- not simply one exercise.

I’m outlining the system point by point. If it doesn’t seem impressive and it appears overly simple,that’s because it is. It may not necessarily be easy at the start, but it will work with consistency on your part. Also, it will become easier as you gain more discipline and see the fruits of your labor.

1. Nutrition: This is, in my opinion, the most important component to losing fat. Nothing is more important than food.

You’ll need to control blood sugar levels in order to lose body fat. This is best accomplished by consuming 4-6 small meals and snacks per day combined of protein, carbohydrates and some good monounsaturated fats. eDiets Glycemic Impact meal plan accomplishes this beautifully.

2. Ratios: It’s unlikely that you’ll lose body fat by consuming 70-80 percent of your calories from carbohydrates (rice, pasta etc.). Ratios can vary quite a bit, but consuming more than 55 percent of your calories from carbohydrates will not be optimal for fat loss.

Many people do quite well on extremely low-carbohydrate plans and others on more moderate plans. As long as you follow the "not more than 55 percent of calories from carbohydrate" rule, you’ll be at a good starting point.

3. Timing: I realize 4-6 meals/snacks sounds like a lot, but this strategy helps to control blood sugar, which is the most effective way to lose body fat from a nutritional standpoint.

Think ahead and prepare meals beforehand. Buy a small cooler and place some healthy snacks in it when you know you’ll be gone for long periods on a weekend day, for example.

4. Calories: It doesn’t matter how healthy your nutrition program is if you’re eating too much.
It’s important that you find maintenance calories first. Maintenance represents the amount of food you consume without any change in your weight. This will take some experimentation and some effort. You’ll also need to document your foods: total calories as well as grams of protein, carbohydrates and fats.

Sounds like a lot of work? It can be at the start but with the vast array of online tools available and the fact that food packages list nutrition information, it won’t be that difficult.

5. Slight Calorie Deficit: If you wish to attempt it on your own, simply reduce your calories by 200 after you’ve found maintenance calories. The goal is to have you eating as much as possible and still losing fat and retaining muscle. I don’t want you eating as little as possible (thereby slowing the metabolism and losing valuable muscle tissue).

6. Exercise: Just 2-3 strength training sessions lasting no more than 30-35 minutes will do the trick. Make sure to work the entire body (legs, calves, chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps and abdominals).

Weight training does not need to be long and arduous. Keep things brisk and always use proper form. Hiring a trainer for five sessions or so may also be a good way to start on the right path.
Perform 3-4 days per week of moderate cardio exercise for approximately 30-40 minutes and find an activity you enjoy.

I realize this is a lot more than you asked for in a response, but it’s very important that you have an appreciation for the process because I would hate to think that you would continue the oblique twist in the hopes of losing fat or reducing any area of your body.

Best of luck in your health and fitness goals, and thanks for submitting your question.

Have a fitness question you want answered? Email Raphael at askraphael@ediets.com and you could have your question picked! And if you missed a previous column, see the archive here.

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Labels: ask raphael, Raphael, spot reduction, working out, workout routine