Ways To Lose Fat Off Your Legs Without Equipment Or Pills

Losing fat off your legs is just like losing fat anywhere else, which means you need to expend more calories than you consume, and you don't need a lot of fancy equipment or diet pills to accomplish that. The safest and most effective way to lose fat is by consuming a healthful, low-calorie diet and exercising regularly. Consult a doctor before beginning a weight-loss program.

Watch Your Calories

To lose 1 lb. of fat, you need to expend a total of 3,500 more calories than you consume. The Mayo Clinic recommends starting this process by dropping 500 calories a day from your diet. This will lead to a total caloric deficit of 3,500 calories in one week; a 1-lb. loss, even before exercising. If, however, you are consuming more calories than you are expending, it won't be as much of a deficit. For example, if you are consuming 2,500 calories a day but only expending 2,000, dropping 500 calories won't lead to any weight loss. Keep track of your calories expended and consumed in a journal to help keep you focused and aware of your choices on a daily basis.

Eat a Healthful Diet

Reducing your calories does not mean you should sacrifice nutrition. Consuming a healthful diet helps keep your calories down while giving you the proper nutrition to help keep you healthy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends consuming lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. Avoid eating too many foods that are high in added sugar and salt, fats and cholesterol. Eat at least three meals a day, leaving three to four hours between meals to allow for proper digestion and to keep your metabolism regulated.

Cardio Exercise

The American Council on Exercise recommends doing some form of cardio, such as running, jogging or biking, for 45 minutes at a time, five to six days a week to lose weight. If you are just starting to exercise, start slowly and gradually build your way up to a more vigorous pace, eventually reaching a level of intensity that increases your heart rate and makes you sweat. The added advantage for exercises like running or jogging is they also work the muscles of the leg, which won't burn fat any faster but will tone the legs, giving them shape and definition once the fat is gone.

Strength Training

Strength training should be included as part of your fat-reduction program because it builds muscle, boosts the metabolism and builds endurance, making movement easier and more productive. Working your leg muscles to reduce fat -- what's known as spot reduction --- has not been found to be effective, according to the American Council on Exercise, but leg exercises will help tone and shape the muscles. If you don't want to use equipment, perform resistance training that uses your body weight. Effective body-weight exercises for the legs include forward lunges, body-weight squats and single leg squats. Perform strength training at least twice a week, focusing on the legs but including all the major muscle groups -- the abdomen, chest, legs, arms and back. Perform at least one set of eight to 12 repetitions for each muscle group. For example, do one set of forward lunges for the legs and one set of pushups to work the chest. Consult a personal trainer or fitness expert to help you with proper form.

Considerations

Not everyone will lose weight in the same place. Sex, genetics and body type play a strong role in determining where you will lose your fat. If you come from a family that tends to have pear-shaped bodies, you will usually have more difficulty losing weight off the legs than someone who comes from a family that tends toward the tall, skinny type of body. In general, men have a harder time losing weight off the abdomen, whereas women tend to struggle with losing weight in the thighs and hips.