Leg exercises strengthen and tone your quadriceps, glutes, calves and hamstrings. Depending on the exercise performed, doing leg exercises for 20 minutes a day can burn almost 300 calories in a 150-lbs. person. Squats, stair-climbing, bicycling and leg lifts or calisthenics are all effective exercises to burn fat and calories.
Squats
Squats strengthen the muscles in the thighs, hips, hamstrings and glutes. A 125-lbs. person can burn up to 240 calories after 20 minutes of squats; a 150-lbs. person can lose up to 280 calories after 20 minutes of squats; and a 200-lbs. person, up to 380 calories after 20 minutes of squats.
To do a squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing forward. Bend down slowly as if you were sitting in a chair. Stop when your knees are at a 90-degree angle, then gently lift yourself back up into an upright position.
Stair-Climbing
Depending on the amount of exertion put forth, stair-climbing can be an extremely effective leg exercise, burning more calories than walking alone. A 125-lbs. person can burn about 150 calories after 20 minutes of stair-climbing; a 150-lbs. person can burn about 180 calories after 20 minutes of stair-climbing; and a 200-lbs. person can burn about 242 calories after 20 minutes of stair-climbing. Take care, however, when climbing stairs, as overexerting yourself can cause dizziness.
Cycling
The number of calories burnt while cycling depends on the intensity. Cycling uphill or on a rocky terrain burns more calories than cycling on a flat surface. Both light and moderate bicycling are effective at toning the legs.
Twenty minutes of cycling at 5.5 mph on a flat surface can burn about 76 calories in a 125-lbs. person; 91 calories in a 150-pound person, and 121 calories in a 200 pound person. Cycling 12 to 13 mph burns about twice the number of calories as cycling 5.5 mph, and cycling 16 to 19 mph, about three times.
Leg Lifts
Performing calisthenics like leg lifts can burn 66 calories in 20 minutes in a 125-lbs. person, 79 calories in a 150-lbs. person, and 106 calories in a 200-lbs. person. The number of calories burned while performing leg lifts varies depending on the number of repetitions performed within a minute.
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