Burning fat and toning your muscles takes hard work, dedication and patience. Though people often want to trim inches of fat for a more slender look, only those who are truly motivated will accomplish this daunting task. Following fail-safe steps will deliver you to the promised land of sexy thighs and a taught tummy. Stick to your regimen and find ways to motivate yourself every day to achieve your goals.
Step 1
Count your calories. The United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA, recommends healthy adults eat between 1,800 and 2,400 calories daily just to maintain a healthy energy level. Your first order of business is ensuring you aren't eating more calories than your body can burn. One pound of fat contains about 3,500 calories. To drop a pound of pure fat every week, you must eat an average of 500 calories less than you burn every day.
Step 2
Design a cardio workout, and stick to it. Your body isn't going to naturally burn through 3,000 calories every day by walking to and from the refrigerator. Regular exercise is a necessity, and you need to determine which exercises are comfortable and entertaining enough for you to do them with disciplined regularity. Mix up your workouts routines every other week to prevent monotony.
Step 3
Work your abdominal and thigh muscles twice a week, maximum. Muscles can take as many as seven days to fully recover from an intense workout, according to Olympic trainer Dr. John Berardi. Combine a cardio, or fat-burning, regimen with your muscle growth workout schedule when attempting to tone your abs and thighs. Avoid exercising the same muscle group every day, which can overwork them -- this will lead to zero muscle growth due to a lack of recovery time.
Step 4
Avoid plateaus by mixing up your exercises. As time goes on, your abs and thighs begin to adjust to the exercises you perform on a regular basis. Professional weight lifters call this a growth plateau. Bust through these plateaus by altering your exercises every six to eight weeks.
Step 5
Find yourself a workout partner. Even professional athletes with highly paid trainers may find it difficult to stay motivated. A partner who pushes you on tough days and gives you a reason to get out of bed when you just want another hour of sleep may make the difference between staying motivated and falling off the wagon.
Tips and Warnings
- Consult your physician before starting a diet or fitness plan. Talk with her about your caloric intake -- your needs may differ from the USDA recommendations.
- Immediately take a break and drink water if you begin to feel nauseous, dizzy or light-headed during a cardio workout. Pace yourself whenever you exercise -- you should be able to carry on a normal conversation without straining to speak.
Things You'll Need
- Spreadsheets
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