What causes fat to collect on my back?

Nature, more than nurture, decides when, where, and how much fat will build up on each of our bodies. Gender, for instance, plays a large role. Males tend to store their fat in their midsections; for females, it’s usually the butt and thighs, but some women also get pockets of upper back fat. A poor diet and lack of physical exercise are what usually leads to those unsightly pounds, but where those pounds are added is largely a case of genetics.

Back fat is not popular with women. Even ladies who are okay with bits of fat in strategic places intensely dislike the back fat that forms ridges around their bras and would like to get rid it.

You may have gotten the idea from some late night TV commercials that you can concentrate on reducing flab from any specific part of your body by using a miracle “As Seen on TV” device to beat, squeeze, jiggle, or rub fat away from that area. The American Council on Exercise and others tell us that everyone has areas of the body which favor fat formation more than others and that exercising muscles underlying those particular areas of fat will not make them go away. The only way to lose fat from any part of your body is to launch a program to shed pounds from your entire body – exercise combined with a permanent eating regimen that stresses healthier foods in smaller quantities.

Are there any exercises that can target back fat?

A fat-burning aerobic workout burns excess fat throughout the body. Choose activities that you enjoy, are easily accessible, within your budget, and effective in shedding pounds. Weight-resistance training is good, but be sure to get some aerobic exercise, too. Even walking helps. Work up a good sweat.

You may want to tone and firm up the upper back muscles for a better appearance; this is something resistance training can do. Working your back also lessens your chance of back injury, improves your posture, and provides stronger support for your entire body.

Here are a few exercises for the back:

• Rows: Standing next to a sturdy chair, place one hand on the seat for support, and bend forward from your hips, keeping your stomach sucked in and your back and head almost parallel to the floor. Hold a moderately heavy weight hanging straight down in your free hand. Retract your shoulder blade, bend your elbow, and draw the weight up until your hand is touching your torso. Slowly lower the weight back down. Switch sides. You should feel this exercise primarily in your back, not your arms. Use a weight heavy enough so you start to tire around the eighth repetition.
• Opposite arm and leg lifts: Lie flat on your stomach with your arms extended over your head and your legs straight. Either rest your forehead on the floor or turn your head to one side. Slowly and simultaneously raise your right arm and left leg until it’s difficult to keep your pelvis and chest flat on the floor. Lower and repeat with the opposite arm and leg combination. Don’t twist or rock your body to make this easier. Stop if you feel pain.
• Rear delt fly: Sitting on the edge of a chair or bench, holding light weights in each hand behind each leg, lean forward from the hips with your back flat. Tuck your chin into your chest. Raise your arms to the sides, gradually bending your elbows as they come up. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Pause at the top of the extension and then slowly lower your arms.

If a diet and exercise is not your cup of chocolate ice cream, a faster way to remove the fat is liposuction. Although no type of liposuction is a substitute for dieting and exercise, it’s definitely faster.

How can I hide my back fat?

1. Stand up straight. Good posture is cheaper than liposuction. It not only makes you look lighter but can make your back smoother.
2. Layered camisoles and undershirts give clothes something else other than your back fat to cling to. Smooth, body-skimming (not body-clinging), fabrics work best in minimizing friction.
3. Stay away from jersey tops and dresses. Favor knits – cashmere, cotton, merino, or viscose. Because of their thicker texture, they are less revealing of back fat.
4. Support undergarments that specifically target the area between your bust and your hips such as waist cinchers, which create a smoother side and rear view. A mid-torso length sports bra worn over a regular bra and under a tight shirt gives better shape, lift, and separation.
5. A lightweight capelet or shawl (wearing a big woolly cape indoors makes you look fatter and kind of silly) that ends midway between bust and belly button makes the waist look slimmer while hiding that back fat.