Many Americans suffer from the dreaded "muffin top" when they zip up their jeans, or experience the "swish, swish" of their thighs rubbing together as they walk. With a combination of diet and exercise, you can eliminate the extra "padding" you've packed on, and trim down your body. Consuming fewer calories and exercising to burn more calories each day is key to shedding pounds and toning up your body.
Weight Loss
Diet and exercise are both important in weight loss. One pound of fat contains 3,500 calories, so if you can cut 300 to 500 calories out of your diet each day for a week, you will be closer to a flatter belly and trim thighs. To develop a well-defined body, you need to get rid of body fat and increase your lean muscle mass. Increase your muscle mass by doing strength training exercises using free weights, exercise machines and body weight resistance exercises. Also do aerobic exercises, which increase your heart rate and burn calories. The muscle you build through strength training will burn more calories while you are resting, since muscle burns more calories than fat. Aim for 30 to 40 minutes of cardiovascular exercise three to five times each week and weight train a specific muscle group each day, five days each week. For example, on Monday target arms with bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, cable pulldowns and hammer curls, then on Tuesday target your back and chest with pullups, rows, lat pulldowns and bench presses.
Thigh Exercises
The abduction/adduction machine found in many gyms works the inner and outer thighs. You can also work out your inner and outer thighs at home by sitting on the edge of a chair and placing a basketball between your knees. Squeeze your thighs together to put pressure on the ball then release to work your inner thigh, or adductor, muscles. Tie a resistance band in a circle and place it around your ankles. While balancing on one leg, stretch your other leg out to the side and slightly upward until you meet the maximum resistance. This works your outer thigh muscles, or abductors. Squats, either with a barbell for added weight or against a wall, will work your quadricep muscles. Place a ball between your wall and the back if you have lower back problems, keep your back straight, and lower your body into a sitting position. Hold this position for a count of 10, then stand back up and repeat.
Belly Exercises
Performing crunches in a declined position or on a stability ball activates more core muscles than performing them on a flat mat. Flutter kicks can work the lower abdominals and are performed by laying flat on your back with your hands under your buttocks and your feet elevated a few inches off the floor. Activate your abdominal muscles and alternate flutter kicks with your feet. The plank position is used often in yoga and Pilates as a core-strengthening exercise and is performed by laying in a prone position on a floor mat with your elbows underneath your shoulders and your hands stretched in front. Raise your body as if to do a pushup, but remain on your elbows. Hold this pose for 30 to 60 seconds.
Warnings
Some people believe that "spot reduction" is the best way to lose belly and thigh fat, but experts like certified professional Todd Galati of the American Council of Exercise say spot training doesn't work. Galati says everyone has areas on their body that store more fat, so when you lose weight, you tend to lose it in those same spots. This doesn't mean you can target certain areas, like your torso, buttocks or thighs for site-specific weight loss. Avoid lifting weights that are too heavy to avoid muscle tears or other injuries. Start weight training by lifting lighter weights and gradually build up to heavier weights. Don't strength train the same muscle group multiple days in a row, as this may lead to overuse injuries.
Member Comments