Over the years, we always get asked how do you lose fat from ‘here’, pointing to certain body parts.

Most commonly talked about areas; the stomach, the hips/butt and the “wobble under the arm.”

I’ll tell you exactly to lose fat in any of those parts—and anywhere else, for that matter.

Ready….

You can’t actually target fat loss in a specific body part. There are so many Facebook and Instagram adverts that tell you you can but these are empty promises. There is no magic pill, lotion, tea or diet can target fat loss in one place.

The truth is that you must use fitness to reduce overall body fat. Your body will decide where the fat is lost, but if you lose fat in general, you’ll improve problem areas, too.

You can double down on that process by building a bit of muscle. We aren’t talking bulky, bulging bodybuilder muscle. We’re talking about very small increases. In essence the more lean muscle mass you have, the less body fat you hold. You won’t ever suddenly become “bulky”—but that’s a myth for another time.

Our ‘Fat-Loss’ Program

So how do you use fitness to reduce body fat and build muscle?

Well, there are lots of ways to do it. We’ll tell you how we do it, and we guarantee it works! 

We use the CrossFit methodology. This is a combination of cardiovascular training and strength training to burn calories and build muscle. So that means we don’t just run for 30 minutes or just lift weights for 3 sets of 8, of course they serve a purpose but we do things differently. Our coaches create programs that are perfectly designed to help clients accomplish goals.

Sometimes, a single workout might have two parts: one “cardio” element and one strength element. Other times, we might blend cardio and strength training together. That might look something like this: Do 5 barbell back squats at a certain weight and then run 200 meters—repeat 5 times. Sometimes we do focus on either strength or conditioning in a single session. But overall, we focus on both!

The end result? You get stronger and build a little muscle. And you burn calories and body fat. Do this regularly, and you’re going to begin to see some muscle definition. No, your abs won’t instantly pop out. That’s a long-term goal. But you will notice that clothes start to fit better, and you’ll be able to see some visible changes. You’ll also be able to see clear progress in your workout log.

Another secret: You can accelerate your progress by improving your diet. (We can help with that too. We have our very own Nutrition program here at CrossFit Harrow.)

So think about the spot you want to lose fat. Your “right here.”