Which Part Of Your Body Actually Loses Weight First?

If you've been trying to target a particular area of your body where you want to lose weight, but no matter what you seem to do, the bulge is just not budging, you're not alone.

Depending on a combination of factors such as genetics, your lifestyle, and how your body stores fat, you may be predisposed to having consistent challenges disposing of fat in certain areas (via Livestrong).

Healthline states that your sex can also play a role in where you will lose weight first. Research has shown that men typically experience greater weight loss in the trunk area, while women will lose more weight in their hips. Healthline goes on to also describe age as a key factor in affecting how you lose weight. For instance, middle-aged men and post-menopausal women will tend to keep the weight on in their midsection. But it's important that you keep an eye on your midsection because developing too much fat in the waist and belly area could potentially lead to diabetes or heart problems.

If you're trying specific cardio and weightlifting routines with the goal of targeting areas where you want to lose fat, the bad news is that you probably don't have the level of control that you thought. "Asking your body to lose fat in one area is like trying to remove a cup of water from one corner of a filled bathtub," personal trainer Lecia Whitlock, an instructor at The National Personal Training Institute tells WebMD. "The overall water level will go down, but there won't be a divot in one corner of the tub."

So, if spot-reduction doesn't work, then what is the best course of action? Insider reports that, rather than targeting, the best consistent approach is to engage in a minimum of two and half hours of moderate cardio each week and give all your major muscle groups an equal amount of attention through resistant training at least twice a week. And be sure to match this weekly workout plan with a diet filled with vegetables and other nutritious foods.

So there is no singular answer to where people lose weight first, and, unfortunately, if you are having issues losing fat in a particular spot, constantly targeting that spot may not yield results. Instead, stick to a balanced weekly workout regimen while leveling up to a more nutritious diet, and don't be surprised if isn't long before you not only start to feel better — but look better, too.