How to Target Back Fat

Excess body fat can accumulate anywhere on your back. It is possible to lose it and shape and tone up with a healthy combination of diet and exercise. Set realistic goals and have realistic expectations. There is no such thing as spot weight loss, so if that is what you want then you should consider plastic surgery such as liposuction as a viable alternative. You will need to lose overall body fat to lose back fat without resorting to surgery.

Things You'll Need

• Sneakers
• Proper workout attire
• Water
• Towel
• Journal
• Cardiovascular machines
• Dumbbells
• Gym membership (optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Track your caloric intake. Note what you are eating and how often and aim to consume fewer calories than what you burn off every day.

• 2

  Control food portions. Do not skip meals and consider splitting your meals into five small ones a day. Drink at least eight glasses of water daily. Introduce fiber into your diet and eat a healthy balance of proteins and carbohydrates.Snack on fruits, raw vegetables and yogurt. Greens will make you feel full, so load up on lettuce and spinach. Have heavier meals earlier in the day. Avoid keeping sweets in the kitchen so you do not falter, but do not beat yourself up if you slip up and have dessert once in a while.

• 3

  Develop a cardiovascular routine and maintain it. Run, jog, walk briskly or use a tread mill, elliptical trainer or rowing machine. Swimming is also a very effective means to get a workout. Depending on the shape you are in, start at 30 or 35 minutes and start adding on until you get to 45 to 60 minutes. Aim to work out at least three times a week. The key is to do something that is realistic and that you can squeeze into your schedule so that it becomes part of your everyday routine. You can always build on it afterward.

• 4

  Introduce weights into your exercise routine. When starting any weightlifting routine, consult a fitness expert to ensure you are holding the weights correctly and doing the weight that is right for you. Lifting too little will not do much for your weight loss, and lifting too much could hurt you. Holding the weights correctly is likewise crucial to prevent hyper-extensions and other injuries. Adding weights to a cardiovascular routine helps boost your metabolism and actually helps you to burn more calories.

• 5

  Incorporate exercises specific to the back in your routine and weight-resistance training. Back exercises will give you a better appearance and improve your posture. Exercises that target your back include the bent-over row, rear delt fly, opposite arm/leg lifts, straight-arm pullovers and bent-over and cable rear lateral raises.