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Why is it so hard to lose fat on my legs?
Answered by Nikkiey Stott and her guests · Updated
The short answer
Leg fat is usually the last to go. On Ep. 13, Nikkiey explains that for most women, fat loss tends to happen from the head down, with the lower half last. Fat storage patterns vary, but if you're seeing changes everywhere else, your plan is likely working. Your legs just take longer.
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Nikkiey on why fat loss usually starts at the head and reaches the legs last
Plays from 12:04 · Ep. 13: Fat Loss Myths: Carbs, Skipping Meals and Spot Reduction
Why the legs are typically the last and most stubborn fat to lose
Plays from 12:42 · Ep. 13: Fat Loss Myths: Carbs, Skipping Meals and Spot Reduction
Nikkiey on waiting until her third show to see real leg definition
Plays from 13:12 · Ep. 13: Fat Loss Myths: Carbs, Skipping Meals and Spot Reduction
The full answer
Nikkiey hears this one all the time: a woman notices she's leaner almost everywhere and asks why nothing is happening in her legs. On Ep. 13 of The WarriorBabe Show, she explains that when you're doing things right, fat loss tends to show up first in the face and upper body and then work down to the lower half. That makes the legs and below the most stubborn area for most women. She says it's exactly how she experienced it herself.
She also adds some nuance. Not everyone follows this pattern, because people have different body shapes and fat storage patterns, so some women naturally carry more or less fat in certain areas. Slow legs don't mean you're failing. They usually mean your legs are simply later in line.
She gives an honest example from her bodybuilding days. It took her until her third show to see the leg definition she had expected at her first. If someone dialed in for competition had to wait that long, it's fair to give yourself the same patience.
In the same episode, Nikkiey lists the idea that you can target specific areas of your body for fat loss as a myth. Her advice is to focus on your overall body composition, your health and enjoying the process, rather than chasing one body part. Keep losing fat overall with a plan you can sustain, and the legs will follow in their own time.
From Nikkiey Stott and WarriorBabe's coaching. For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.
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19 minFat Loss Myths: Carbs, Skipping Meals and Spot Reduction
Episode 13 · Feb 6, 2023