Spot reduction – Reducing body fat in specific areas such as the stomach or thighs has long been acknowledged to be a myth. No magic cream or celebrity endorsed gadget is going to melt away cellulite or a lower belly pouch to reveal rippling abs and defined muscles.

However, that’s not to say there’s no hope. Modern advancements in exercise endocrinology have provided trainers with tools to target areas of stubborn build up. TP uses Biosignature, the scientific method developed over 20 years by world-renowned strength coach Charles Poliquin, to help athletes reduce body fat, improve performance and build lean functional muscle.

Poliquin developed Biosignature Modulation through his work with professional athletes and Olympic medallists. By testing blood, urine and saliva, he discovered that some areas of stubborn fat storage can be caused by imbalances in the body’s biochemistry, especially when it comes to hormones. His findings have also been backed up by many other professionals in the functional medicine industry.

For example, fat in the lower abdomen may be caused by an excess of the ‘stress hormone’ cortisol, while, when it comes to fat stored in the hips and legs, oestrogen could be the issue.

We’ve answered some of the common questions about Biosignature testing below.

The TP Fitness Biosignature Modulation Nutrition programme focuses on

Biosignature Modulation Testing

Biosignature Modulation works by testing 12 major skin fold sites such as the cheek, pectoral region, triceps, quadriceps and hamstrings using high quality skin callipers. This determines the amount of fat in each of the major fat-testing sites as opposed to the overall body fat percentage tested by many other methods. And no, it doesn’t hurt.

The Biosignature readings allow me or any other practitioner to analyse areas of excessive fat storage and prescribe a diet, exercise and supplementation protocol to target your specific problem. They won’t be shared with anyone else.

Nutrition Plan

You’ll be assigned a safe and effective tailored diet plan. Nutritional modifications could be as simple as cutting down on caffeine and sugar to reduce cortisol or controlling blood sugar levels with frequent meals and low GI food choices.

Supplementation

After your Biosignature testing you’ll also be assigned natural supplements depending on your results. This could be liquorice root and ginseng to target fat on the back of the arms for example, or supplements containing iodine to strengthen the thyroid gland.

Six-Week Exercise Programme

For best results it’s recommended you undertake one of our six-week exercise programmes alongside your nutritional programme. This will be individually tailored to work with your Biosignature results. For example if you have high body fat, you may be prescribed a weight training protocol of high reps and short rest intervals to burn the fat and stimulate muscle growth.

Please be aware that if one would like to get the full benefit from the nutritional consultation and nutritional program you will need to budget between £200 and £300 for supplementation. You can find a selection of all the supplements that we use here.