Hip and thigh fat occurs when the body has an energy imbalance. This means your body is consuming more calories than it can use daily. As a result, you’ll gain weight all over, including your thighs and hips. Lose large thighs and hips by increasing physical activity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, recommends that healthy adults get at least 150 minutes of cardio exercise and at least two strength training sessions weekly. Making these healthy lifestyle modifications will help produce slimmer hips and thighs.
Fat Loss
If you want to lose thigh and hip fat, you can’t spot reduce a specific area of the body. Instead, you need to create fat loss all over, which also will include thighs and hips eventually. Set a fat loss goal of about 1 to 2 pounds a week, a safe rate of loss. Lose 1 pound of body fat weekly by burning 3,500 calories a week, or double your fat lose to 2 pounds a week by burning 7,000 weekly calories.
If meeting your goal is difficult with just exercise, use a reduced-calorie diet in conjunction with exercise. For example, work out to burn 200 daily calories and cut calorie intake by 300 daily for a 1-pound weekly fat loss.
Circuit Training
Circuit training is an effective exercise for shrinking large thighs and hips because this workout approach burns 30 percent more calories than regular strength training sessions, reports “Fitness” magazine. Start out with a thigh or hip toning exercise, such as leg squats. After completing this exercise, alternate to vigorous cardio activity for a few minutes. Jogging, running or jumping jacks are a few options. Switch to a new thigh or hip toning exercise, then go back to running again. Continue this cycle for at least 30 minutes.
Squat With Ball
During circuit-training sessions, use the squat-with-ball exercise, which makes a traditional squat more difficult and tones your thighs and hips. Start out with your feet about hip width apart. Place an exercise ball between your lower back and the wall. Slowly lower into a squat. At the bottom of the squat, hold the contraction for three seconds, recommends “Fitness” magazine. Stand back up and repeat the exercise five times. As you get stronger, increase repetitions to 12 times.
Standing Kicks
Another exercise to use during circuit training is the standing side kick. This exercise tones your thighs, hips and glutes, according to “Fitness” magazine. Start out standing with your feet about hip width apart. Place your hands on your hips and extend your left leg to hip height. Your inner thigh is parallel to the floor. Hold the contraction for one count and lower your leg in three counts. Repeat 15 times on each leg.
References
- “Fitness” magazine; "10-Minute Hip Workout"; Betsy Stephens; March 2011
- “Fitness” Magazine; "Our Top 10 Thigh Toning Exercises"; Lexi Walters
- “Fitness” Magazine: Circuit Training Workout -- Burn 30 Percent More Calories
- MedlinePlus; "Tips for Losing Weight"; October 2009
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; "How Much Physical Activity do you Need?"; March 2011
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