By dotFIT experts
on September 29, 2008
As if the task of improving one’s health or fitness level isn’t challenging enough, fitness myths can cause confusion and frustration, and often result in wasted time. More...
By Registered Dietitian
on September 16, 2008
Controlling your weight comes down to one thing - managing calories. More...
By Registered Dietitian
on September 26, 2008
Years of misjudging your intake by just a few calories at a time will end up sabotaging your weight. For example, if you gain the average amount of one pound per year, this means you’re off by only 10 calories a day. More...
By dotFIT experts
on October 07, 2008
Dieting to lose weight is difficult at best, and generally ends in frustration for the average person. The majority of people gain most of the weight back within the first year. However, there are three strategies that have consistently proven to be effective in losing weight and maintaining the loss. More...

Do excess carbs show up as fat in one area of the body and excess fat in another area?

Do excess carbs show up as fat in one area of the body and excess fat in another area?


Answer: No. While it is true that any food (carbs, protein or fat) can be stored as body fat when daily calorie intake exceeds expenditure, where the fat is stored is not determined by the type of food. This is determined by genetics and often gender. Women tend to store more body fat below the waist, while men’s fat deposits often accumulate around the middle, but this can change as we age. And unfortunately there’s no predicting where fat will leave the body first or last. Often where body fat is drawn from during fat loss is not the area you would prefer. For example, most dieting females prefer the body fat leave their posterior and/or legs, but often fat is pulled from the breast area long before the woman is satisfied with overall fat loss.

To prevent unwanted fat accumulation ANYWHERE on the body, be sure to eat fewer calories than you burn (or as many as you burn if your goal is to maintain your current weight) and be as active as you can.

For more info on spot reducing and other fitness myths, see Fact or Fiction? Enduring Fitness Myths.

 

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