In other words, spot reduction isn't possible. Where and how fast you lose weight is subject to your genetics and unique body, according to the CDC.
And if your weight-loss goal is to get a thigh gap, remember that this often-unattainable trend reinforces the distorted "thin ideal," which claims that skinner is better and weight loss is necessary. In reality, you can be healthy at any size — no matter what your thighs look like — so instead, focus on a routine that helps you feel good mentally and physically.
If weight loss is your goal, eating fewer calories can help you shed pounds. The Mayo Clinic recommends a daily deficit of to 1, calories for that gradual weight-loss rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week, respectively. Your exact calorie goal depends on several traits, like how active you are, your age and sex.
Estimate your calorie needs with the help of this Dietary Guidelines for Americans chart that breaks it down by those factors. From there, subtract your calorie deficit to get your daily calorie goal for weight loss. Just make sure that your daily calorie intake doesn't fall below 1, per day if you're assigned female at birth or 1, per day if you're assigned male at birth, unless you're under the supervision of a health professional, per Harvard Health Publishing.
While, technically, any calorie deficit can help you lose weight, it's best to prioritize healthy eating so you don't deprive yourself of nutrients. The CDC recommends including the following types of foods in a well-balanced diet.
Protein is an important source of long-term energy and helps build and repair tissue, according to Harvard Health Publishing. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults eat 5 to 7 ounce equivalents of protein per day. Ounce equivalents account for varying amounts of protein in different foods, per the U.
Department of Agriculture : For instance, the protein in one egg is equivalent to that in an ounce of meat. Including protein in a weight-loss diet helps you feel full and helps you hang on to lean muscle mass as you're losing fat, which supports a healthy metabolism. Protein-rich foods include:. You'll also want to eat plenty of fiber, a type of carbohydrate that provides lasting energy and aids digestion, according to the National Institute on Aging NIA.
Fruits and vegetables are one solid source of fiber , according to the CDC. As a bonus, they're also loaded with water to help you stay hydrated, per the Cleveland Clinic.
Getting slim thighs isn't all about deprivation, but you'll want to limit your intake of processed foods. These foods typically contain lots of unhealthy fats and carbohydrates, according to the NIA. They also tend to be calorie-dense, which can make it difficult to create a calorie deficit if that's one of your goals.
Per the NIA, consider skipping processed foods such as:. Plan ahead so you don't hit the vending machine or the drive-thru. Cardiovascular exercise burns calories and strengthens your heart. It also helps reduce body fat. Including both high-intensity-interval-training HIIT and steady-state cardio in your overall exercise plan will help you reduce your total body fat and tone your thighs.
For a more advanced workout and calorie burn, consider adding one session of metabolic conditioning to your fitness plan. The CDC recommends that adults get at least minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, each week.
Many of the above workouts will burn calories and strengthen your muscles simultaneously. Remember, losing weight slow and steady is the best way to maintain loss over time. People who do so are more likely to keep the weight off. And, the benefits of weight loss go way beyond aesthetics. According to a study , losing inches in the thighs, hips, and buttocks may lower other risk factors for heart disease. Looking for more? This article has lots of practical tips on how to lose weight. If weight loss is also a goal, dietary changes combined with strength and aerobic exercise will help you lose fat, gain muscle, and improve your overall fitness.
If you're concerned about how to lose leg fat, here's what you can do to target and tone. Genetics may make you more prone to store fat in your inner thighs. You can use exercises to tone the muscles in this area, but spot training alone is….
CoolSculpting for the inner thighs is a noninvasive procedure that can be used to help remove unwanted fat. You may begin to see results in as little…. A recessed maxilla can cause cosmetic issues like flat cheekbones and a prominent jaw, and lead to dental problems, speech issues, and obstructed…. If you do tear a meniscus, you might be tempted to "walk it off. A lateral pelvic tilt is when one hip is higher than the other. Learn about five exercises that can help with this condition.
Enthesopathy refers to pain and inflammation around your joints. This includes your wrists, knees, and ankles. To work out how many calories you should be eating, read this blog post on how to calculate your daily calorie intake.
If you eat high fat, moderate to low protein and low carb , while staying at a slight calorie deficit, your body will use fat and protein muscle for energy, rather than carbohydrates. If you follow these 3 steps, your leg muscles will start to decrease. However, it is also important to know what NOT to do. You will still continue to build or maintain leg muscle, even if you are doing cardio and eating at a calorie deficit. As I mentioned, some women experience bulky legs when they do running, barre, or even yoga.
It is very individual, and you need to do what works best for you. However, if you are an endomorph, if you are very short, or very very sensitive to building muscles in your thighs, these exercises still might cause you to build too much muscle for your liking.
So, I would do these with caution. Again, think of sprinters vs marathon runners legs. Sprinting engages fast-twitch muscles responsible for fast bursts of energy, especially in your quads. Your muscles will adapt to the size they are needed for an often performed activity.
So, make sure your cardio is always done steady-state to lose muscle from your legs faster. There are still lots of different types of exercises and resistance training workouts that you can do to tone up, without targeting your quads and hamstrings and making them bigger. ALL of the workouts on my blog are designed to help you tone up without getting bulky, so I would highly recommend giving them a try! In the video below, you can find a full-length workout for a whole body that is designed to get you toned, but not bulky.
The 3 Steps to Lean Legs Program includes cardio, a complete 8-week meal plan and the style of resistance training that I have mentioned in this blog post. Article written by Rachael Attard Rachael is an Australian born certified personal trainer and nutritionist who holds a Bachelor degree in Science.
After struggling for years to find an exercise and diet program that is tailored to women striving for lean and toned body with no bulk she designed her Lean Legs Program. This program is tailored to each body type and focused on helping women get toned but feminine bodies, without getting bulky. Her mission is to empower women and help them stay in shape in a healthy and balanced way. Your email address will not be published.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. What exercise should I do? Hi lovely! In the meantime, it would be best if you put more focus on nutrition. Overusing your leg muscles can cause bulkiness. If your style of dance requires lots of jumping and moving from sitting to standing, then it may cause bulkiness.
But again, this depends on your body type too. Sign up for my Monday Newsletter.
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