To get defined, muscular legs, adopt a physical fitness routine including resistance and aerobic training. Lifting weights helps to develop striations, or separation, in your muscles. Engaging in regular cardiovascular activity helps you burn calories and shed fat that covers your lean muscle mass. Also eat a balanced, nutritious diet. Eating healthy foods can increase energy levels and aid weight loss. Before starting a diet or exercise regimen, consult a physician.
Benefits
Having lean, muscular legs helps round out your entire physique. Well-defined legs make your waist look smaller and provide a solid base for your upper body. Doing a higher number of weightlifting repetitions and increased cardio to tone your legs also increases heart health.
Squats
Doing deep, full squats helps define your quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. Step under a racked bar, placing the bar along your shoulders. Slowly lower yourself, bending your knees forward and allowing your hips to bend back. Keep your back straight and descend until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor. Extend your legs until you are standing. Do four sets of 15 repetitions. Rest for one minute between sets to develop definition in your legs.
Dumbbell Stepups
Dumbbell stepups can help form striations in the quadriceps muscles. Grasp a set of dumbbells and place one leg on a bench or box. Lift your second leg up to the bench or box. Step down to the floor with the leading or trailing leg. Balance the tension placed on both legs by switching your leading leg after the set is completed. Do four sets of 15 repetitions. Rest for one minute between sets to develop definition in your quads.
Caloric Deficit
Set up a caloric deficit by taking in fewer calories than you expend. By maintaining a caloric deficit for a sustained period of time you shed fat, showing off the definition of your lean muscle mass. MayoClinic.com suggests losing 1 to 2 lbs. per week by burning 500 to 1,000 more calories than you take in through a combination of exercise and low-calorie diet.
Physical Activity
Run on the treadmill or go for a brisk walk to burn calories, tone up your legs, shed fat and increase heart health. Engage in aerobic activity at least 30 minutes a day for most days of the week. Instead of driving, walk to locations within walking distance. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and get up from the computer every few hours for a five- to 10-minute walk.
Nutrition
Eat complex carbohydrates like whole grains to power up your workouts. Take in lean proteins like turkey or fish to feed your body amino acids, the building blocks of muscle. Consume healthy fats like natural peanut butter to boost testosterone levels, helping you add or maintain lean muscle mass with aids weight loss.
