The stomach and thighs are two notorious problem areas that seem to be magnets for excess fat, especially as you age. Although there are no quick fixes for weight loss anywhere on the body, you can combine focused strength exercises with regular cardio sessions to tone the stomach and thigh muscles, lose extra fat and streamline your entire physique.
Core Workout
You cannot "spot reduce" fat on the stomach, thighs or anywhere else on the body. However, with cardio to burn extra calories, you can plan a killer core workout that will tighten and define your stomach and ab muscles, resulting in a flat belly once you do lose the weight. Some of the best tummy exercises are the plank, the abdominal bridge and the quadruped, since they work multiple core muscles at once. The quadruped involves positioning yourself on all fours and then extending out one limb at a time, first arms and then legs. Do 10 to 12 reps of the quadruped and bridge, and work up to holding full plank pose for at least one minute. Four or five times per week of that routine should yield some visible results in about a month.
Leg Work
You can make those quads burn with lunges and squats, which build lean muscle mass and may even boost your metabolism. For the quickest results, add resistance with weights. Hold medium to heavy dumbbells at your sides, palms facing inward, and lunge forward, return to center and lunge backward. Do at least 12 reps with each leg. For a squat, hold medium dumbbells in front of you and above your head with palms facing inward, elbows bent at 90 degrees. Sit into a deep squat, making sure your knees don't extend past your toes, straighten up and then press the dumbbells overhead before repeating the move. Do at least 12 reps. Repeat the whole routine three or four times per week; you should see better definition in leg muscles in about a month.
Cardio
Since strength exercises alone don't burn enough calories to get rid of extra fat in the belly and thighs, you'll need to blast it with cardio. Vigorous exercises get the quickest results. For example, MayoClinic.com notes that 60 minutes of tae kwon do burns more than 700 calories for a 160-lb. person, and 60 minutes of rollerblading burns more than 900. You'll lose a pound for every 3,500 calories you burn or save, so doing either exercise for an hour every day will net you at least a pound lost per week.
Pacing
With exercise alone, you're not likely to lose more than a pound or two per week unless you are obese and have been inactive for a long time. However, slow weight loss is healthy weight loss; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that people who lose more than 2 lbs. per week are less likely to keep the weight off through time. If you're not losing at least a pound per week with your fitness routine and want to see faster results, try cutting calories in your daily diet or talking with your physician to explore other options.
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