Do you want to get slimmer and thinner thighs?
Many people make the mistake of focusing on the upper body like chest or waist. Legs or thighs are usually the last thing in mind when someone is looking to get in shape. Even fashion models are not keen to work on their legs.
However, legs or thighs are too important to be ignored. You need to have a well-proportioned body and voluptuous thighs can spoil your looks, no matter how slim you are from shoulders, chest, or waist. Strong legs will help you get more active, which is important for staying in shape. They are also good for mental health. According to a study, strong leg muscles contribute to a healthy mind in old age.
Problem is that losing fat from thighs can take quite some time, especially for ladies with the pear-shaped body. So, the earlier you can start working on your thighs, the better.
Keep on reading if you want to get stronger, slimmer, and shapely thighs in next to no time.
Cardio Exercises:
Have you seen the legs of those marathon runners? They are quite lean and slim, and at the same time, strong enough to carry them for several miles. You can achieve the same look (and strength) by spending 20 – 30 minutes on running on a daily basis.
The best thing about running is that it helps you lose fat from the thighs and also keep them in shape. Running has tremendous health benefits but the most important is the calorie-burning effect that lasts for several hours. It means that you will not just burn fat during the cardio but also when you have stopped. This study shows that 45 minutes of exercise can boost your metabolic rate for the next 14 hours.
Just make sure that you are maintaining a steady state like jogging or treadmill. Avoid High-intensity cardio like sprinting. It will burn calories but it can also result in large thigh muscles, which is something you don’t want. Try inclined treadmill to make it harder and burn more calories.
Weight training:
You cannot have a strong, healthy body without having strong legs. But at the same time, getting too muscular or bulky will not look good if you are looking for a slim physique. Therefore it is important to be careful with heavy-lifting exercises like Squats or Dead-lifts.
Heavy weights or resistance training can result in larger, more developed muscles. You need to focus on shaping exercises like lying hamstring curls or seated leg raise. Keep the weights on the lighter side and focus on more repetitions.
If you are going to gym, it is important to do a complete body workout. Don’t get obsessed with legs or thighs exercises. Having more than one or two “leg days” can result in overuse injuries.
Calisthenics:
Bodyweight or calisthenics are great because you don’t need any equipment and you can do them at home. They will also improve your balance and posture.
Try the exercises like wall sit, close-stance squat, chair step-ups, seated bridge, and different variations of lunges.
It is better to train with a professional trainer or coach. Calisthenics or weight training requires a certain level of fitness. If you are very obese or not physically fit, some of these exercises can be risky. Qualified fitness trainers can recommend the right exercises depending on your fitness levels.
Diet:
Losing fat is a two-way process. You need to cut down on calorie intake and also work to burn the excess calories in your body. If you keep consuming more calories than your need, you will not see any progress, no matter how hard you work in the gym.
If you want to lose 5 pounds in a month, you need to cut down around 300 calories in a day.
Processed or bakery items should be avoided at all cost. Eat a lot of salad and use low-fat dairy. Focus on the right nutrients like protein, vitamins, fiber, and carbohydrates. It is important to include good fat in your diet too. Olive oil, nuts, or fish oil are good sources of fat.
Avoid sodas or any kind of sweetened drinks. Drink a lot of water. It will regulate your metabolism and curb unhealthy cravings.
Lifestyle changes:
Exercise and diet are the two biggest changes you need. But losing excessive fat will take a little more than that.
You will need to make lifestyle changes to avoid accumulating unnecessary fat on thighs or any other part of the body. If you are living a sedentary lifestyle and exercising only on weekends or some days of the months, you are not going to get significant results. You must adopt an overall active lifestyle. If your job involves a lot of sitting, you should consider standing desks or simply standing up and walk around after some time. Try to walk as much as you can. Use stairs instead of lifts. Take part in some outdoor sport. There’s no point trying to burn fat during the workout and that accumulating more by sitting all day.
Another problem in our modern lifestyle is the increasing level of stress and anxiety. While Yoga or meditation won’t burn a lot of calories, you will surely benefit from their stress relieving effects.
Last but not the least; make sure that you are getting adequate sleep at the right time. Poor sleeping habits can mess up your appetite and eating habits.
It is important that you don’t aim for losing more than 1 or 2 pounds a week. Trying to lose a lot of weight in too short time can result in medical complications. Give your body time to adjust to the changes.