Lose Thigh Fat – The 7 Things You
Probably Didn’t Know
Here’s to introduction the seven things about leg weight-lossing that you do not know.
Whether you’re just starting with building your fitness or you’re a seasoned gym-goer, thigh fat is a challenge for everyone. While you can perform exercises that work to reduce thighs fat, there are a number of things you can do for your whole body that will be more effective. Here’s seven things you probably didn’t know you could do to help lose stubborn thigh fat!
High intensity interval training
High intensity interval training (HIIT) is great for increasing your heart rate quickly, challenging your body and getting your workout done quickly. Due to the high intensity of these workouts, your body continues working hard long after the workout to recover meaning you’re burning calories even when you’re resting! Circuits of high intensity exercises work best such as a 4 set rowing workout starting at 1000m and decreasing in increments of 250m or three rounds of 1 minute sets of mountain climbers, burpees, squat jumps, bicycle crunches and skipping rope.
Increase your cardio
Cardio helps to lose the layer of fat covering our muscles all over the body. Losing this fat reveals more muscle, presenting a better toned physique. Aim for at least two cardio workouts of 45 minutes or more each week in addition to your other workouts. You could take a walk, go for a run, enjoy a social game of soccer or tennis or sign up to a cardio group fitness class.
Learn to love leg day
It’s probably the most dreaded workout of the week amongst gym goers! Make sure you start with a warm up including 5 minutes walking on the treadmill; light stretching of the hamstrings, glutes, quads and calves and some shoulder rotations for mobility. Secondly, find leg workouts that you enjoy doing. You could try anything from 3×12 sets of weighted walking lunges, squats, leg lifts and calf raises to pilates or yoga if you prefer a more calming workout. Pilates and yoga work to strengthen and stretch your posterior muscles while a traditional leg workout will work your big muscle groups.
Do the crab walk
Take a resistance band and tie it firmly around your upper thighs. With a slight bend in your knees, take 5 side steps to the right, repeat back to the centre, take 5 side steps to the left and return to the centre. Aim to perform these moves to your favourite song at least 3 minutes in length.This exercise is particularly helpful for people who prefer a low intensity workout and need to protect their knee joints.
Stair runs
Stair runs are a quick, inexpensive and effective way to tone your thighs. Find some stairs that have at least 40 steps. Starting at the bottom landing, quickly run up each stair or skip every second stair for a more intense workout. Aim for 5 rounds (upstairs and back= 1 round), take a 1 minute break between rounds and repeat 5 times.
Stretch it out
Not only does stretching help you recover more effectively from your workout, but holding your stretches for at least 30 seconds each in a quiet space will bring calm presence to your mind which helps in decreasing stress levels. Take 5 minutes to stretch your hamstrings, calves, quads, things, chest and back after each workout. This will help in maintaining consistency in your workouts so you don’t miss a session due to muscle soreness.
“Moisture is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty”
If it’s good enough for Derek Zoolander, it’s good enough for us! Drinking more water helps detoxification and keeps you hydrated to ensure you recover quickly from your workouts. Aim for at least 2 litres a day. Keep your water close by, especially when you think you’re hungry. Sometimes our brains trick us into thinking we’re hungry when we’re actually dehydrated and in need of water. Bonus points if you add a slice of lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice to your H2O!
While there’s no magical cure for losing thigh fat, staying consistent with the exercises above, combined with healthy eating will put you in good stead for losing those pesky inches around your thigh area. Remember to set long and short term goals for your fitness so you can reward yourself along the way for your hard work. Think a massage, good book, some new make-up or some fancy workout leggings– not your favourite salty or sugary treat!