Consider these statements:

All I want is to slim my thighs down.

I’m trying to get a flatter stomach. You know, maybe even a nice 6-pack?

My butt is so big! I just hate it!

Will you just look at this flab on the back of my arm??

It’s easy to get caught up in the simple logic of “If I work my legs, I’ll burn fat there.” Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. The truth is that spot reduction does not work. It never has worked, it never will work. All those ab gizmos won’t flatten your tummy. All those stair-climbers and stationary bikes and elliptical machines won’t slim your legs or shrink your butt.

In fact, that might make your problem worse.

Here’s a thought experiment. Imagine that you pick up a dumbbell and decide to do bicep curls for 20 minutes every day. For the sake of argument, let’s say this is the only lifestyle change you make right now. What happens to your biceps over the next 30 days?

They get bigger, of course.

So then, what do you suppose happens when you don’t change anything else, but you spend a half hour daily on cardio equipment that focuses on your legs and buns for 30 days?

Those get bigger, too.

Sure, your legs and butt will be stronger and more muscular at the end of those 30 days. And there’s no denying that it’s good for your heart and lungs to get in a regular cardio workout. But this workout regimen alone is never, ever going to slim your thighs and make your jeans fall down around your hips. Research even shows that doing abdominal exercises as often as 6 days per week won’t make your abs stronger, won’t slim your waist, and won’t reduce your body fat percentage.

Why is that? The simple answer is that your body doesn’t just burn the closest available fat for fuel, but collects the calories it needs first from the food you eat and then from fat stored all around your body. The slim, beautiful muscle you’ve been working so hard on is trapped under a layer of fat, making it look even bigger and mushier! Slimming down your hips or abs means you have to slim down all over.

The only way to reveal the toned, muscular legs, butt, abs, and yes even arms that you want is to combine a healthy diet and an all-around fitness regimen to get rid of the fat covering them.