The number one exercise and fat loss fantasy among individuals is that you can spot reduce fat off your body. For example, if you have too much fat on your abdomen, crunches will help trim your waist. I want to let you down easy, but I have to tell you it just isn’t so.

The reality of this fantasy is that you burn fat over the entire body. There are no nerves going into fat cells, so your body has no way of choosing where to take the fat from. Your body does not discriminate between fat cells on your legs versus fat cells in your stomach versus fat cells in your arms. All fat cells are created equal and your body will take it wherever it can get it.

In fact, the stomach is probably the last place your fat will come from in the end. Why is this? You can think of our stomachs like a camel’s hump. It is an evolutionary leftover. We store large sums of fat in our stomach to help get us through months of famine. You can blame evolution for the pregnant man belly and the female large lower belly.

Remember, just because you’ve heard something a lot in the gym, doesn’t mean that it’s true. I can tell you if you keep up with weight loss, you can trim all the unnecessary fat away. Eventually your stomach will get flat, but the key is to not give up. Even though you may think you are entitled to a flat stomach because you have put all that work in, it does not necessarily mean your work is finished. Your body may require more to be done before you get those washboard abs. If you have questions about exercising for fat loss, I highly recommend talking to a knowledgeable personal trainer who will be able to guide you in the right direction. Make sure they are ACSM or ACE certified. This ensures quality of education and information.

There you have it; I am finished ruining those fantasies. You can keep the other ones you still have until it’s time for another reality check. I have a lot of fantasies I love but subconsciously know have no basis in fact, but they are comforting and I am keeping them. And, no, I am not sharing.