Legs take on a particularly unsightly appearance when carrying excess fat, so shedding leg fat fast is a common goal. Spot reduction of fat is a myth, so your primary means of burning the fat will be diet and cardiovascular exercise. Nonetheless, direct leg training can play an important role in your effort, since this will develop the muscles under the fat and create the appearance of increased leanness.
Step 1
Reduce the caloric content of your diet. Compile an inventory of the quantities and types of food and drink that you consume in an average day, then use your calculator and the nutritional information found on the food and drink packaging to estimate your average daily caloric intake. Aim to reduce this figure by about 1,000. Since 3,500 calories is roughly equivalent to 1 lb. of fat, this will allow you to lose approximately 2 lbs. of fat per week. To meet this quota, remove simple carbohydrates such as sweets and soft drinks from your diet. If this is insufficient, decrease your mealtime portion sizes as necessary.
Step 2
Perform cardiovascular exercise at least three times per week. At each session, choose between the following options: 20 to 30 minutes of high-intensity activities--such as running, rowing or fast paced organized sports--or no less than 45 minutes of low-intensity activities, such as walking, light aerobics or use of cardiovascular gym equipment on a low speed setting. As you find your cardiovascular fitness improving, increase the frequency and duration of your workouts accordingly. Consistent adherence to this program will stabilize your metabolism, preventing it from dropping in spite of your calorie-restricted diet.
Step 3
Supplement your cardiovascular training with a resistance-training program, scheduling at least two resistance-training sessions per week. As you lose weight, consistent resistance training will allow your body to preserve muscle, ensuring that most of the weight lost is fat. All else equal, this will cause your legs to look leaner and more toned than they otherwise would. At each resistance-training session, focus on leg-specific exercises such as squats, lunges, leg extensions, leg curls and calf raises. For each exercise, perform three to four sets of between 12 and 15 repetitions, resting for no more than 60 seconds in between sets.
Things You'll Need
- Calculator
- Cardiovascular exercise equipment
- Resistance training equipment
References
- ExRx.net: Fat Loss & Weight Training Myths
- MayoClinic.com: Counting Calories: Get Back to Weight-loss Basics
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: Exercise Reverses Depressed Metabolic Rate Produced by Severe Caloric Restriction
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Resistance Weight Training During Caloric Restriction Enhances Lean Body Weight Maintenance
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