Many people struggle with stubborn body fat around the thighs. It can be challenging to know what to do in an attempt to remove it.
To worsen matters, there is a great deal of conflicting information out there. This makes it difficult to know what approach should be taken.
This article will provide the essential information that you need and show you how to lose weight in the thighs.
[ez-toc]
What Causes Fat Gain
Before considering the steps to take to reduce fat around the thighs, let consider what causes body fat to increase.
You may have heard a multitude of potential reasons for fat gain. It’s not uncommon to hear it suggested that eating carbs, your genetics or a lack of exercise are the definitive reasons.
However, although these may contribute towards fat gain, they are not the direct cause.
The Impact of a Calorie Surplus
The main cause of fat gain is a calorie surplus. This is where more calories are consumed than burned.
As a result, the body stores the excess calories as body fat. Stored body fat’s primary purpose is to act as an energy reserve.
Should calories be restricted, the body will break down these fat stores to continually supply the body with energy.
If you consume too many calories over a prolonged time period, significant fat gain can be expected.
Fat Storage
Although fat is stored throughout the body, why does it feel like fat is stored in greater quantities in specific places?
The thighs, stomach, and hips are prime suspects, and many find it challenging to reduce fat in these areas.
It’s important to understand fat storage differences between genders and the role of genetics.
Firstly, women are prone to have a greater body fat percentage and tend to store fat in different areas to men.
Women are more inclined to fat storage in the thighs and hips while men tend to store more in the abdomen. ( 1 )
Further studies have investigated the role that genetics plays in fat storage. There is evidence to suggest that body fat distribution is largely determined by your genetics. ( 2 )
Therefore, it is very possible that some individuals are more susceptible to storing fat around the thighs than others.
How To Lose Thigh Fat
Regardless of body fat percentage, gender, or genetic disposition, it is still possible to get rid of thigh fat.
So, what is the best way to lose thigh fat? Well, there are three lifestyle factors that can significantly influence weight loss:
- Nutrition
- Physical Activity
- Sleep
Nutrition
Firstly, when it comes to fat loss, nutrition plays a critical role.
Your body uses calories for energy. By restricting calories, the body needs to find energy from another source.
Therefore, the body has no option other than burning stored body fat to supply the body with energy.
If you maintain a calorie deficit for a prolonged time period, significant fat loss will occur.
However, temper your expectations as results will not come overnight. Be patient and consistent.
As a consequence of reducing calories, body fat will be used up – this includes fat stored around the thighs.
Top Tips
If you maintain a calorie deficit for a prolonged time period, significant fat loss will occur.
Physical Activity
Regular exercise can help to reduce body fat too.
Physical activity requires movement and movement requires energy.
Therefore, the body will use calories from food or stored body fat as energy to fuel exercise.
As a result, regular exercise can significantly contribute to significant fat reduction.
However, it’s important to recognise that you cannot spot reduce fat through exercise. This is where targeted exercises are used in an attempt to bring about fat loss in specific areas of the body.
Unfortunately, there is a widely-held belief that spot reduction is possible. Scientific research would suggest otherwise.
Whilst exercise can improve muscular strength and endurance, they do not directly lead to fat burning in the working area. One study that highlights this looked at the impact of abdominal exercise on abdominal fat.
After six weeks of training, muscular endurance had improved, however, abdominal fat remained unchanged ( 3 ).
Therefore, performing leg exercises may burn fat generally but will not specifically burn fat stored in the thighs.
Sleep
When it comes to fat loss, the importance of sleep is often overlooked.
Getting good quality sleep can evidently prevent fatigue and tiredness, however, it can bring many more benefits. There is an abundance of research on sleep.
Studies have found that adequate sleep may lower the risk of obesity, maintain a healthy appetite, and generally promote health. ( 4 )
As a result, it is vastly important that sleep is prioritised. Something as simple as establishing a bedtime and a night time routine can have a huge impact on sleep.
It is recommended to aim for between six and eight hours of sleep per night. By addressing these three lifestyle factors and applying simple changes, you can substantially reduce body fat.
Top Tips
Studies have found that adequate sleep may lower the risk of obesity, maintain a healthy appetite, and generally promote health.
The Best Exercises to Tone Your Thighs
Okay, so sadly it’s not possible to burn fat exclusively in the thighs. But we can improve the definition of the thighs through exercise.
By reducing calories, body fat will reduce and allow the underlying muscle to show more clearly.
Additionally, you can use strength training exercises to improve the tone of the thigh muscles. By simultaneously decreasing body fat and increasing muscle definition, the thighs will look much more toned.
This section will highlight four key leg-based exercises to increase muscle definition.
Top Tips
By reducing calories, body fat will reduce and allow the underlying muscle to show more clearly.
Squats
The ultimate leg exercise. The squat will primarily work the quads, the muscle at the front of the thigh, and the glutes.
While this exercise can be completed using only bodyweight, there is great benefit in performing barbell and dumbbell squats.
Squat Technique:
Place the feet at shoulder-width and stand tall with the chest lifted and core engaged.
Hinge the hips and bend the knees to drop your backside towards the floor
Push hard through the heels and drive back up to standing
Deadlifts
While squats work the front thigh muscle, the deadlift will work the rear thigh muscle – the hamstrings. It will also place a demand on the glutes.
If this exercise is new, you may wish to start with a dumbbell deadlift and then progress onto the barbell version.
Deadlift Technique:
- Start with the feet under the hips, stand tall, and pull the shoulder back and down
- Come down to the weight by pushing the hips back and slightly bending the knees
- Grasp the weight and drive through the heels until in a standing position
- Squeeze your glutes together tightly before reversing the movement back to the floor
Lunges
The lunge is an excellent single-leg developer. It requires powerful contractions from the quads and activates a number of smaller leg muscles for stabilisation.
As with the squat, this can be performed using bodyweight only. Barbells and dumbbells can be used to provide a further challenge.
Lunge Technique:
- Place the feet under the hips, stand tall, chest up and pull the shoulders back
- Take a step forward and bend both knees to drop the trailing knee to the floor
- Focus on driving through the heel of the front leg and return to standing
- Change sides and repeat
Glute Bridges
As the name suggests, this exercise will develop the glutes. The movement also activates the hamstrings highly.
For single-leg development, perform a single-leg glute bridge. For this, simply lift one foot from the floor and perform a bridge as normal.
Glute Bridge Technique:
- Lie on the floor with the feet flat and the knees bent at approximately 90°
- Engage the core and then drive the hips up, squeezing the glutes at the top
- Drop the hips back to the floor in a controlled manner
Nutrition for Fat Loss
As briefly mentioned earlier, a calorie deficit is most important when it comes to fat reduction.
Therefore, your priority should be on establishing and maintaining a calorie-restricted diet.
Making small changes to your daily routines can go a long way. Simple things such as smaller portion sizes and swapping out snacks for healthier alternatives can massively impact calorie consumption.
Calorie counting is an option too. There are many apps that will allow you to track your nutrition to ensure that you are consuming the right amount.
Finally, it is recommended to increase your daily protein intake.
A high protein diet has been found to be beneficial during fat loss. Protein foods have an impact on satiety levels. Therefore, by consuming a high amount of protein, you will feel much fuller for longer.
Research has also looked at the impact of high protein diets on weight loss. It appears that high-protein diets can lead to a greater rate of weight loss. ( 5 )
Top Tips
There are many apps that will allow you to track your nutrition to ensure that you are consuming the right amount.
The Final Word
So there you have it. You now have all the information you need for slim thighs.
While other lifestyle factors can have an impact on fat loss, the focus should be on nutrition first and foremost. Be consistent with your nutrition and, soon enough, your thighs will be noticeably slimmer.
If you are looking to learn more about losing weight more effectively and sustainably, websites like Our fitness Life can be a great source of knowledge to achieve your health and fitness goals.
Disclaimer: The information on the Leanbean blog does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as such. If you would like to learn more about your dietary requirements and related aspects of your health, speak with a registered medical professional.
