Although not as risky to your health, lower body fat can be more stubborn than the fat around your abdomen, and it typically takes more effort to work off. After you've begun a weight-loss regimen, you may start to see the results in your waistline before you see them in your butt and thighs.
Difficulties With a Pear-Shaped Body
People who tend to carry the bulk of their excess weight around their butts, hips and thighs are called pear shaped. Along with a larger bottom half, you will probably have a slimmer upper body, including a narrow waist and flatter stomach. When losing pounds, the weight will first come from your face and upper body because the fat that is stored in your abdomen and upper body is more readily mobilized than that in your lower body. Furthermore, the more overweight you are, the harder it will be to lose lower body fat. However, once your weight drops closer to a healthier range, your butt and thighs will begin to slim down.
Cardiovascular Exercise
When doing a cardio workout, you might be tempted to focus solely on your problem areas. But for the most efficient calorie-burn, you should perform cardio that works your whole body, such as using a rowing machine. You can vary your aerobic workout between this and one that targets your lower body, such as walking hills or cycling. Aim to do at least 45 minutes of cardio most days of the week and at least three days a week.
Strength-Train for Balance
Don't be misled into thinking that strength-training is only good for bulking up. In fact, the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns; lifting weights is also a way to increase your stamina for cardio activity. Toning your upper body will also help you achieve a more balanced physique. Weightlifting exercises like shoulder presses, lateral raises and pulldowns will build muscle in the arms and shoulders. You should also do a few lower body moves like lunges and squats to tighten and tone your butt and thighs.
Interval Training
As your weight begins to drop, you will need to increase the intensity of your workouts to keep burning fat and calories and encouraging your lower body to slim down. You might consider doing interval training during your cardio workout, which will rev up your fat-burn. Try moving at a moderate pace for three minutes, increasing the intensity for one minute, then returning to a moderate pace, and so on. You can increase or decrease the length and speed of your intervals depending on what suits you.
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