From a physical standpoint, having big thighs can slow you down in sports where speed is an issue. Excess thigh size can also negatively affect your self confidence, especially when clad in shorts or swimwear. Instead of hiding your thighs in baggy pants, take a full body approach to weight loss and you will make them smaller. Be aware that this takes discipline at both the dinner table as well as the gym.
Reducing Calories
Because weight is lost through the body as an entire unit, you need to cut back on calories to make your thigh smaller. A good rule of thumb is to reduce your daily intake by 500 to 1,000 calories. This will create about 1 to 2 lbs. of weight loss every week. Stick with foods that are high in nutrients and low in empty calories like lean meats, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy.
Snacking Throughout the Day
If you allow yourself to become hungry between your meals, you may overeat and sabotage your efforts to reduce your thigh size. To prevent this, include healthy snacks in your diet plan and eat them about two to three hours after your meals. This will also elevate your metabolism and give your energy levels a boost. Keep your snacks 200 or fewer calories. Your goal is to just hold yourself over until your next meal. A piece of fresh fruit like an apple or banana makes a good snack on the run.
Aerobic Training
Aerobic training burns fat throughout the entire body and will help slim down your thighs, which is important because you can't spot reduce fat on one area of the body. All forms work effectively, as long as you enjoy what you do. Running, stair climbing, elliptical training, swimming and rowing are good options. To increase the weight-loss effect, perform interval workouts. Start with a light warmup, then alternate back and forth between high and low intensity for the rest of your workout. When doing your intervals, make your low-intensity bouts twice as long as your high-intensity bouts. Aim for 45 to 60 minutes of training and work out three or four days a week.
Thigh Exercises
The goal with thigh exercises is to make your legs more toned and defined. This will give them a leaner appearance. Perform exercises that target the quadriceps and hamstrings of the thighs like squats, lunges, stepups and stability ball hamstring curls. Because you want to make your thighs smaller, use light resistance or no resistance at all. Using much resistance will makes your thighs grow bigger. The most important thing is that you use proper form. Always move through a full range of motion, never use momentum and keep your body in good alignment. For squats, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, place your arms at your sides and lower yourself down slowly by bending your knees. Once your thighs parallel the floor, rise back up steadily and repeat. Aim for 10 to 12 reps, do four or five sets of each exercise, and work out two or three days a week.
Additional Activity
Following a dedicated exercise and eating plan will likely thin out your thigh, but you can boost your progress by adding more activity to your day. Take every opportunity you can to move more often. For example, walk up stairs instead of using escalators at the mall, walk in place while watching TV at night and join a recreational sport team in your area.
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