“These exercises can improve core strength, posture and balance,” Margo says. Instead, working your core muscles (opens in new tab) with abdominal exercises like sit-ups should be seen as a way to build a stronger, more functional body. What do ab exercises do?Įven if you use the best ab rollers (opens in new tab) or perform ab exercises like planks (opens in new tab), studies show you cannot spot reduce belly fat by performing exercises that target muscles in this area during exercise. She also says age plays a role, as “older adults tend to have more body fat”. Genes may also influence the amount of body fat you have and where in the body it is stored”. “Obesity tends to run in families, suggesting that genes may play a role. “Women tend to build up fat in their hips and buttocks men usually build up fat in their abdomen or belly,” Margo says. Or, in other words, women were found to hold more fat around their hips and thighs than men. Where you lose or gain fat will depend on contextual factors such as your genes, gender and age, as well as your stress-levels, hormone balance, genetics and lifestyle.įor example, a 2012 study published in the National Library of Medicine (opens in new tab) found that “gluteo-femoral adipocytes of women are larger than in men”.
She says that further studies into the subject are needed to draw a more definitive conclusion. Margo does say there are a couple of smaller studies that go against the grain, supporting spot reduction of body fat. “When you exercise, the triglycerides can come from any of the fat cells in the body, not only from the body area being exercised.” These smaller molecules are used to produce energy.
#EXERCISES FOR SMALLER WAIST FREE#
“Before they can be used for energy, triglycerides must be broken down into smaller molecules – free fatty acids and glycerol - which enter the bloodstream.
“The fat in body cells is in the form of triglycerides which are stored in body fat that can be used to supply energy,” she says.
The reason for this, and the fat loss process, is far from simple, as Margo explains. She trained as a chartered physiotherapist and did a Masters in Physiotherapy (MSc) at University College and Middlesex Hospital. She's also a qualified Pilates instructor and the author of The Good Sleep Guide. Sammy Margo has been a chartered physiotherapist for 32 years and has built up her clinic over the past 28+ years.