The best way to lose weight from any part of your body is by combining consistent, regular exercise with a balanced, healthy diet. To lose 1 lb. of fat, you'll need to burn 3,500 calories. By burning more calories than you consume, doing cardio and toning leg muscles with resistance training, you can shed pounds from your thighs effectively.
Counting Calories
Cutting 500 calories from your diet each day would equal 3,500 calories per week, which means you would lose 1 lb. a week. If you include aerobic exercise, this can help add to your calorie deficit and speed up your weight loss. Thirty minutes a day of brisk walking, jogging or swimming can help with your overall weight-loss goal, as these exercises will burn off excess fat. Combine this with regular strength training for your thighs and you will find that the area appears more toned than if you had just performed toning exercises alone.
Resistance Training
Join a gym and use the weight machines to train your thighs two to three times per week in between cardio workouts. There are various machines. These include the leg press, the adductor and the abductor machine and hamstring curl machine. Position yourself so that you are sitting comfortably on the equipment. Set the weight using the pins on the machine so that you can comfortably do 10 reps but start to feel the strain -- not pain -- on the last two repetitions. Aim for three sets of 12 repetitions with 60-second rests in between each set. Rest for two minutes before moving on to the next exercise.
Squats and Lunges
Squats are very good for toning the thighs. You can just use your body weight to perform squats or use free weights to increase resistance. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, making sure your toes are facing forward. Slowly squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Check that your knees do not go over your toes. Aim for three to five sets of 15 reps at first. Work your way up to 20. If you find the exercise too easy, hold free weights in your hands while you squat. Do this three times a week. Alternate with lunges to give yourself a bit more of a challenge as you get stronger.
Considerations
Always check with your physician before embarking on any exercise program. This is especially important if you smoke, have high cholesterol, have high blood pressure, have diabetes, are male and over 45 or female and over 55, or have a family history of heart disease.
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