When you consume too many calories, your body stores the excess as fat in your thighs, belly and hips, among other parts of your body. Eating a poor and high-calorie diet is a major reason for weight gain and in order to successfully lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than your body burns. Some foods are especially bad for your weight loss efforts. To tone your thighs and lose weight, avoid foods that bring empty calories to your diet.
Fats
Foods that are high in fats are high in calories, because fat contains the most energy of all nutrients. One gram of fat has 9 calories, which is more than twice the amount as carbohydrates and protein that have only 4 calories per gram. Avoid your intake of processed and fatty foods, such as pizza, bacon, chips, pastries, nuts, ice cream, cheese and regular dairy, which are high in fat and calories. Also limit your intake of fatty meats, like pork, beef and chicken thighs -- and consume lean meats, such as white fish, chicken breast and extra-lean beef instead.
Sugars
Although sugar contains only 4 calories per gram, foods that are high in sugars can easily add hundreds of calories to your diet. All the excess calories you eat, regardless whether they are from sugars or fats, are stored in your body as fat. Avoid the typical sugary foods, such as ice cream, candy, cakes, sweets and regular soda, but also limit your intake of foods that contain hidden sugars, such as yogurt, raisins, apple sauce, granola and cereal. Substitute sweets with fresh berries and fruits, sugary cereals with oatmeal or whole grain cereals, and cakes with whole grain muffins. When you cut all unnecessary sugar calories from your diet, you can boost your weight loss considerably.
Drinks
Besides foods, many drinks also contain large amounts of calories and can quickly add up your daily calorie count. Juice, iced teas and whole milk are packed with more than 100 calories a cup. In addition, alcohol is another high-calorie drink that can contribute to weight loss. One drink easily contains more than 200 calories and a glass of wine around 100 calories. Besides providing calories, alcohol also affects your fat-burning rate. Your body prefers to use the energy in alcohol first and thus, reduces the amount of fat burned for energy, according to the University of Rochester. Limit your alcohol consumption and switch high-sugar and high-calorie drinks to flavored water, skim milk or home-made iced teas made with calorie-free sweetener, to promote weight loss and to tone your thighs.
Considerations
You will burn fat equally around your body, including from your thighs. To burn fat, you need to cut your daily calorie intake below your metabolic need, in order to “force” your body to use stored fat for energy. Build your daily diet around low-calorie and fiber-rich foods, such as fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Fiber absorbs water and helps fill your stomach with less amount of food. For most optimal results add regular exercise to your weekly routine to boost your body's metabolism.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Balancing Calories
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: National Nutrient Database; Calorie Content
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: National Nutrient Database; Sugar Content
- University of Rochester: Caloric Values of Alcoholic Beverages
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