19 Best Way To Get Slimmer Thighs

Summer calls for shorts in vivid prints, neons and bright colours. But not me! My bulging thighs kill the joy of wearing cocktail dresses and floral shorts!

Didn’t you always want to wear your little black dress on a dinner date, but ditched it at the last moment because of your heavy thighs? Well, you are not alone! More than 30% of the women suffer from heavy and bulging thighs. Bulging thighs not only look unsightly but also make it difficult for women to wear their favorite outfits.

Losing weight from the thighs may look difficult at first, but it is not unachievable. A combination of diet and exercise can help you achieve your goal. Eating right and exercising can help you lose fat from other parts of the body as well. Follow these useful tips to win the battle against bulging thighs.

A Healthy Diet:

Eating right is very important for reaching your goal. Sugar and salt cannot be completely eliminated, so go easy on them. Add a lot of fruits and vegetables in your diet.

1. Hydration:

For well toned thighs, hydration is very important so drink 2 to 3 liters of water daily. Water flushes out harmful toxins and carries the nutrients to the cells, providing a moist environment for the tissues to develop.

• Squeeze a lime in plain water to stimulate the weight loss process.
• Avoid drinking soda and other sugar-laden drinks as it can thwart your efforts of getting a slimmer thigh.
• Drink green tea every day to get your daily dose of antioxidants with minimal calories. Green tea contains three times more polyphenols than most of the vegetables, protecting the body from free radical damage. Do not add sugar to green tea. Try natural flavors like cinnamon or honey for sweetness.
• To induce satiety, drink a glass of water or tea before every meal. This will stimulate the metabolism and will suppress hunger.

2. Protein:

Lean meat is best for getting your daily dose of protein. Lean meat includes chicken breast and fish. Some other good sources of proteins are nuts, beans and soy products.

3. Sweet potatoes:

Eat a medium sized sweet potato with every meal. Sweet potatoes are low on the glycemic index when compared to foods like bread and pasta. Foods with a high glycemic index drive the hormone level up, leading to fat accumulation in thighs and arms.

4. Fruits and vegetables:

Super foods like kale, blueberries, pomegranate and Swiss chard can help you get lean and thin thighs.

5. Essential fatty acids:

Omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats are excellent for the system. They raise the good cholesterol in the body, preventing the body from heart diseases. Olive oil, fish, nuts and seeds contain good fats. Avoid foods like candy, cakes, and chips as they contain trans and saturated fat that can accumulate fat around thighs.

6. Dairy:

Stick to low fat dairy products like skimmed milk, Greek yogurt, paneer and hard cheese. Yogurt contains good bacteria that can help you digest the foods more efficiently.

7. Avoid junk food:

Get rid of all the unhealthy junk foods from your kitchen. Foods like ice cream, candies, pastries and cupcakes are extremely high in sugar and must be avoided at any cost. If you really crave for foods like these, then restrict the quantities.

Diet Plan:

Besides working out, you also need to follow a healthy diet plan to achieve your goal. Don’t opt for crash diet programs for weight loss, as there is a high possibility that you will regain all the lost weight in no time again.

Low carbohydrate diet:

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy. Foods that we eat are metabolized by the body for producing glucose, excess consumption of carbohydrates causes the body to release insulin. The body tries to control insulin by producing glucose, which eventually is converted into fat.

A low carbohydrate diet is structured around fruits, vegetables, soy products, lean protein and nuts. Do not eliminate carbohydrate totally from the diet, as our body requires glucose to function properly. The recommended daily amount of carbohydrates should not exceed 170 to 240 grams.

Foods allowed in a low carbohydrate diet are:

• Unprocessed and high protein meat like lamb, turkey, fish and chicken.
• Low carbohydrate vegetable and fruits.
• Low fat milk and milk products, unprocessed cheese.
• Artificial non-sugar sweeteners like stevia and splendid.

Foods not allowed in a low carbohydrate diet are:

• Refined food products like bread, cakes, pastry and pastas.
• Fruit juices and packaged foods.
• Starchy vegetables like corn, potatoes and beets
• Sugar and margarine

Low-calorie Diet

Calories are the fuel for our body, we need them to carry out our day to day activities. However, consuming too much calories will lead to the accumulation of fat in the tissue, leading to obesity and weight gain. Healthcare experts and nutritionists recommend consuming foods that are low in calories and take a longer time to digest. Calculate your daily calorie requirement according to your weight and the level of physical activity.

Foods allowed in a low calorie diet:

• The only possible allowed foods are green leafy vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

Foods not allowed in a low calorie diet:

• Avoid consuming all foods that are rich in calories and low in fibers.

Lifestyle Tips:

1. Beauty sleep:

Did you ever wonder why sleeping beauty was called by that name? Here lies your answer. Getting enough sleep could help you lose weight. Lack of sleep produces hormones called ghrelin and leptin in the body, which stimulate the appetite. On the other hand, brain does not send as many signals to the body that it is full. People suffering from sleep apnea are more likely to be overnight. Go on people it’s time you start catching upon your beauty sleep.

2. Rest:

Taking a short nap after exercising can also help you lose weight from the thighs. Exercise and physical activities stimulate the cells and enhance metabolism. Resting after a heavy workout session allows the muscle and ligaments to heal and repair.

3. Eat Dinner Early:

Eating dinner right before going to the bed converts the food into fat directly. This is because we do nothing to expend the calories consumed. Plan to have your dinner at least 3 hours before you go to bed. The basic activities like walking and brushing will burn some calories. Early dinner also contributes to a good night’s sleep. It is believed that the body does everything to preserve whatever little energy is left in it. This causes less tossing and turning throughout the day.

4. Don’t Starve Yourself:

Do not starve yourself to lose weight from the thighs. Starving usually slows down the metabolism to prepare the body for a long time without food. This causes storing of fat specially in the problem areas like thighs and hips. This is why people who follow starvation diets tend to gain more weight than they lose initially. Instead of starving, replace the unhealthy snacks with fruits and granola bars.

5. Eat Small Meals:

Divide your meals into half each time and eat them separately. It is recommended to eat smaller portions of food more often. Do not skip all meals and binge before bedtime. This can lead to fat accumulation.

Exercises:

Exercise is the most essential method in achieving the target weight loss. It helps to maintain the basal metabolic rate and strengthen the muscles. Exercise also stabilizes the posture, joints and ligaments. Thigh muscles are the largest our body and these muscles are connected to the legs which can be toned easily. Exercising helps to replace the thigh fat with muscle. There are varieties of exercises that can be performed to lose weight from the thighs. Some include:

1. Squats:

You do not need weights to do squat and these can be done anywhere even at home. Stand straight in a position keeping your legs and shoulder width apart. Lower your buttock down to the ground until the thighs are parallel to the ground. Balance the position for five seconds before standing up. While getting up do not straighten the legs suddenly, the knees should be slightly bent. You can also do squats using an exercise ball.

2. Cardiovascular exercises:

Cardiovascular exercise is very effective for reducing thigh fat. This workout usually includes cycling, dancing and swimming, as they tone the legs. These physical activities can help you to shed the extra pounds from the body as well as the thigh region. You can also perform cardiovascular exercises within the comforts of your home. Skip a rope around the house or climb the stairs, both target the thigh muscles. Cycling is a very effective workout for toning the thigh muscles. Cardiovascular exercises are also helpful for people suffering from joint or bone condition.

3. Lunges:

Both side and walking lunge can help to shed weight from the thighs. Lunges provide a good workout to the quadriceps as well. Take 5 to 8 pounds of dumbbell in each hand and lunge your right foot about two feet in front of the left foot. Stay in the position for a few seconds, step back and continue with the opposite leg. Do 15 repetitions of this exercise at one time. You need to be cautious while performing lunges, so that the knees do not traverse the toes. This can lead to serious injury. Better, consult your physician before performing lunges.

4. Step up:

Step up is one of the most effective exercises for the thigh muscles. Use either a low height bench or stairs to perform these exercises. Place the right foot in the middle of the stair or bench and step up as you balance the body on the right leg. The left leg should be behind the body, as it will help you stabilize the weight. Repeat this exercise with the left leg. You can also take support from dumbbells for resistance.

5. Swimming:

Swimming is an overall exercise that requires the use of large muscle groups. The act of holding breath under the water improves cardiovascular health, while the kicking motion tones the thigh muscles. You can maximize the fat burning process by doing exercises in the swimming pool. The swimming water will provide a natural resistance, without being hard on the joints. Stand in a waist deep pool and alternate raising each leg as high as possible. Doing this exercise regularly will create a burning sensation in thighs. Even the act of lowering the legs will burn calories because of the natural resistance provided by the water.

6. Walking:

Walking is the most overlooked and underrated exercise, but can work wonders at times. Depending on the weight, you can burn as much as 100 to 400 calories by walking only 20 minutes daily.

7. Run:

Make a daily routine to run every morning or evening. Running is the best workout as all the muscles get active. Invite your friend or partner to make it more exciting. Also, instead of spending the whole day on the computers, invite your friend for a walk in a nearby park. This way you will burn many calories without straining your body.

Tips:

• Start exercising slowly and smoothly, especially when dealing with weights or hard-core stretching exercise. Do not overexert yourself if you are not used to workouts.
• Do not over stretch your muscles, tissues and ligaments. This can cause muscle tearing and damage.
• Seek immediate assistance if you experience severe pain or discomfort in your limbs, muscles and joints while working out.
• Always consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise regime. Seeking the help of physical trainers will get you maximum benefits from the exercise regimen.
• Yoga and Pilates do nothing in burning calories so do not rely on them completely. They can only burn 200 calories per hour as compared to 800 calories burnt by doing exercises.

Thigh Lift Surgery:

Thigh lift surgery reshapes the thighs by reducing excess fat. This results in smooth skin and proportionate contours of the thighs and lower body. Thigh lift surgery is not recommended for excess fat removal. Liposuction does a better job of fat removal. Liposuction and thigh lift surgery are recommended only if the skin elasticity is poor. Thigh lift surgery should be your last option, only if fitness and weight loss efforts could not help you to achieve your goals.

The main objective behind any diet or exercise routine is consistency and patience. Follow these tips and flaunt a new avatar. No one can stop you from enjoying summer tan on the beach on your next holiday, without worrying about your looks. We would love to hear your take and suggestions on this article.  Do share your comments!