What we'll cover:

• What is spot reduction?
• What does the research say?
• What this means for day-to-day life
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What is spot reduction?

Spot reduction is the idea that you can lose fat from one specific part of your body by exercising that specific area. For example, doing sit ups to specifically reduce belly fat or bicep curls to lose arm fat.
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What does the research say?

While the belief in spot reduction is common, it is not supported by scientific evidence. Most research suggests that the body is unable to do this. During fat loss, your body uses energy from fat stores all over rather than in just one place. 
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What this means for day-to-day life

People should expect fat loss to happen across the whole body. It is important to involve a range of exercises which targets all muscle groups. It is normal for fat to come off unevenly.

Some people notice changes in their face or upper body first, while others might see changes in their stomach, hips or thighs much later. This pattern is mostly down to genetics and hormones, not the type of exercise you are doing.  
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Here is what we know:

• Your body decides where fat comes off first in no particular order
• Genetics play a big role in fat storage and fat loss
• Targeted exercise can strengthen specific muscles in one area but does not guarantee fat loss there
• Changes in shape/aesthetics is often a mix of fat loss and muscle gain
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So doing stomach exercises can make your core stronger, but it will not specifically burn fat from your belly on its own. A lot of people get frustrated when they do exercises for a certain area but do not see fat loss there.

That is often because fat loss is happening, just not in a way you can control or see in one spot. This is why focusing on overall habits works well - focusing on regular movement, balanced meals and consistency over time make the biggest difference overall. These  factors can change how your body looks over time, even if it is not “targeted” fat loss.
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Summary

Spot reduction is the idea that you can lose fat from one area by training it specifically. Research suggests that fat loss happens across the whole body. The best results come from steady, healthy habits as a whole rather than trying to target one specific area.