If your thighs have packed on excess fat or weight, you might find yourself uncomfortable at the beach or donning a pair of shorts. Fortunately, exercise can help you remove excess body fat while also toning your quadriceps, hamstrings and glute muscles, which are in your thighs. Though you can't reduce fat on your thighs alone, you can combine fat-burning exercises with strength training movements to help you lose weight all over, including on your thighs.
Interval Training
Interval training -- also referred to as high-intensity interval training, or HIIT -- is a high-impact and intense form of aerobic exercise. Although it is very physically demanding and should not be done every day, it takes less time to complete and burns a high rate of calories.
During interval training, you select an aerobic exercise and alternate very fast intervals with slow ones. Each interval lasts from 30 to 90 seconds for a total of 20 to 30 minutes. The slow intervals should allow you to catch your breath and to recover from the fast intervals, which require you to work as hard and as fast as you can.
Aerobic Exercise
Standard aerobic exercise is performed at a steady pace for the entire session. Each session of aerobic exercise should last at least 30 minutes. Focus on activities that burn a large number of calories per session while also toning your thigh muscles, such as running, kickboxing, step aerobics, swimming, cycling, walking, jumping rope and using an elliptical.
Squats
Squats target your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps. To perform a squat, stand with your legs shoulder-width apart with your back straight. You can hold dumbbells in your hands if you would like to increase the difficulty of this exercise. Lower your body downward as if you were sitting into a chair, while keeping your knees over your ankles. Stop when your thighs are parallel to the floor, and stand back up.
Side Lunge
The side lunge is beneficial for toning your entire upper legs and butt. Stand upright with your legs together. Step out to the right side of your body by 2 to 3 feet with your right foot. Keep both of your feet pointing forward during the lunge. Bend your right knee and straighten your left leg. Keep your right knee over your right ankle as you lunge. Press off with your right foot and return to the starting position. Repeat on your left leg for the next repetition.
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