When people ask me what I do for a living and they hear that I am a physical therapist, their eyes glaze over as they say with complete disinterest “OH, ok.” Because I am completely co-dependent I try to win them back by hitting them with “I am also a personal trainer!” NOW I’ve got their attention!

9 times out of 10 the next thing said is (with index finger and thumb pinching their love handles) “What exercise is the best to get rid of THESE??” I bet this kind of situation doesn’t happen to people who work in finance or in restaurants. Trainers get the luxury of hearing (and most times seeing) everyone’s “problem areas”.

So they sit attentive and anxious, waiting to hear my magic answer. They want me to hand over the cure to their life long battle with the “muffin top.” Since this isn’t my first time answering this question, I brace myself before I give my stock (but tireless) response: “SORRY, BUT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SPOT REDUCING.”

Now, we are in an immediate fight. All of a sudden THEY have become the fitness expert. I get to hear about what their mom told them, what Joey Meatballs said at the gym once, how all of those infomercials for the ab lounge/ab roller/body by jake machines MUST be out there for a reason yada yada yada, RIGHT!?

Look girls, unfortunately there IS no such thing as spot reducing. Sorry. Tricep exercises don’t make your arm fat go away, leg lifts don’t make butt fat go away and 2000 crunches CERTAINLY wont make your stomach get any smaller. It is scientifically impossible.

SO WHAT DOES???? If this is your 1st time reading any of my writings, you get a pass. But the rest of you BETTER know this answer, especially if you are in my boot camp. Do me a favor and write it down now so you will never forget.

>>>>>>>>>>>What gets rid of belly fat, is the combination of resistance training (weights), cardiovascular training (biking, running, elliptical) and a KILLER diet.

You lose body fat from the entire body, little by little, over time. You may see it leave from certain places 1st (like the face or the boobs), but this has everything to do with genetics and zippo to do with which particular exercise you choose to do that week.

Once again, there is no quick fix or magic exercise to lose inches in your problem areas. To make your stomach flat and tight you must be doing it all and giving it your all, every day. (Put that in your pipe Body-by-Jake.)