Whether you are struggling to fit into last year's skinny jeans or you are afraid to own a pair, you can achieve lean legs with hill walking. Hill training can help slim your thighs because of the high-calorie burn and resistance. While you cannot spot reduce--meaning losing fat from just one part of your body--you can lose fat from your entire body, including your legs.
Genetics
Genetics play a partial role in the way your thighs look. Some people naturally have more muscular legs, while others may carry excess fat in their thighs. While the shape of your thighs is partially predetermined, you can reduce the amount of fat that lies on top of your thighs and you can increase your lean mass.
Caloric Burn
Aim for 60 minutes of exercise daily to help alter your body composition, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. You can choose to split your cardiovascular training into 15-minute sessions throughout the day or all at once in one hour, both receiving the same benefits. To lose 1 lb. of fat you must burn 3,500 calories. Glamour magazine suggests that a 150 lb. person can burn 500 calories walking uphill for an hour. Burning 500 calories daily can help you reach a weight loss of 1 lb. per week.
Increased Lean Mass
Walking uphill increases your lean mass. The more muscle you have, the more efficiently you can burn calories during and after exercise. As you propel yourself uphill, your entire body is challenged. Rather than muscle size, you gain muscular endurance which helps you create lean muscles without added bulk. Your lower body muscles, such as your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and calv,es are activated. The less of an arm swing you use, the more your lower body is active and engaged in helping to tone the thighs.
Interval Training
Interval training can help you see thinner thighs more quickly because it burns more calories than traditional aerobic activity. Interval training uses short bursts of high intensity followed by a moderate pace. You can create your own intervals, perhaps power walking uphill for 30 seconds followed by one minute at a moderate pace. Repeat your intervals during the duration of your walk.
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