If you're looking to lose weight off of your bum and thighs, remember one thing: spot reduction of fat, or the burning of fat from one or more specific body parts, in impossible. As such, you'll have to pursue a combined program of diet, cardiovascular exercise, and direct glute and thigh work.
Step 1
Reduce your food intake. Since you'll have to lose fat overall, the best place to start is through diet. Take careful note of all the foods and drinks that you consume over a period of average days. With this data in hand, consult the relevant nutritional information on the packaging and use your calculator to determine your average daily caloric intake. Depending on the extent of the excess fat on your glutes and thighs, aim to decrease your caloric intake by between 500 and 1,000 calories; according to the Mayo Clinic, this will allow you to lose between 1 and 2 pounds of fat each week. When trimming down your diet, start by removing all junk foods and sugary drinks. If this isn't enough, carefully decrease your mealtime serving sizes as needed.
Step 2
Perform cardiovascular exercise at least three times per week. This will serve two purposes: first, it will directly burn fat and excess calories, and second, it will help your body maintain its natural metabolism in spite of your calorie-restricted diet, accelerating your fat loss even further. At each session, choose between at least 45 minutes of low-intensity activity and 20 to 30 minutes of higher intensity activity. Any activity that raises your heart rate consistently qualifies as an appropriate choice.
Step 3
Train your glutes and thighs directly at least twice per week. While this won't cause you to lose weight off those areas per se, it will develop the muscles in question, creating the appearance of increased leanness and tone. At each workout, choose five exercises that target these muscle groups. Great exercises for these muscle groups include squats, leg presses, lunges, leg extensions and reverse hyperextensions (see References for instructions). For each exercise, perform three to four sets of eight to 12 repetitions, resting for approximately 90 second between sets.
Things You'll Need
- Calculator
- Cardiovascular training equipment
- Resistance training equipment
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