Let’s get something out of the way first: The idea of spot-reducing, or losing fat from specific parts of your body, is a myth. So there’s nothing you can do to spot-reduce fat on your thighs or legs in general, TBH.
That’s because losing fat happens all over as you lose weight, and you don’t have control over where or when it happens first. “You can reduce your overall body fat by eating healthy and exercising, but your body doesn’t know where it’s burning fat,” says Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CEO of NY Nutrition Group. “Wherever there’s fat on your body, it will come off. And we have fat all over our bodies.” Also, for women, fat tends to accumulate in the thigh area more than for men, research has shown.
Personal trainer Ben Lauder-Dykes, CPT, agrees, adding that losing fat (in general) comes down to creating a calorie deficit for weight loss. And as you lose fat, you can strengthen and shape your body and build muscle in a particular area you desire via exercise.
I know, not exactly what you want to hear (there are no shortcuts, sry!). But there are a few steps you can take to reduce bloat and inflammation and tone your legs while losing weight all over. Here are a few key habits to consider.
1. Watch your salt intake.
Salt makes your body retain excess water, and that causes bloat that can affect your whole body, hips and thighs included. “Water follows salt, so the more you eat, the more water gets stored instead of being filtered out by your kidneys,” says Moskovitz. “By cutting back, you’ll notice almost an immediate change in how you feel and how your clothes fit.”
Per the American Heart Association’s recommendations, most people need 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day (the upper limit is 2,300 milligrams)—but many of us are getting way more than that. Cut back by limiting processed foods, like sauces, canned veggies, and soups, which are often loaded with sodium.
2. Add more electrolytes into your diet.
You’ve seen them in sports drinks, but electrolytes like calcium, magnesium, and potassium are plentiful in many healthy foods that might already be in your diet.
All of them—and potassium, in particular—compete with salt. “The more [electrolytes] that you have, the less salt your body will retain,” says Moskovitz. “It helps keep the fluid balance stable, so your body flushes out water retention.”
Dark leafy greens, yogurt, and bananas are excellent sources of various types of electrolytes. Moskovitz says everyone should aim for nine servings of fruits and veggies every day: two to three half-cup servings of fruit, and the rest veggies (one cup raw or one-half cup cooked).
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19/19 SLIDES
3. Cut back on carbs.
When your body transforms carbs into glycogen, they’re stored along with water in your liver and muscle. That means the more carbs you eat, the more water your body stores. “That’s why a lot of people find they lose a few pounds immediately on a low-carb diet. A lot of that is water weight,” says Moskovitz.
Rice Cakes
Thought of as “diet food,” rice cakes are actually just empty calories that won’t fill you up. There are 17 carbs per cake, which isn’t super low, either. “Swap with one slice of whole-grain toast for more fiber, similar carbohydrates, and greater satiety,” says Shaw.
White Rice
White rice might taste great with takeout, but it lacks fiber due to its refined processing. There are about 36 grams of carbs in a one-quarter cup serving. Instead, ditch basic white rice for quinoa, which has more protein and fiber and almost 10 grams fewer carbs, says Shaw.
Cereal
Even “healthy” cereals and granolas can have tons of sugar, so you’ll want to check the labels first. For a three-quarters cup serving, it could be around 22 grams of carbs, Shaw says. “Swap with one cup whole-grain oats, which has more fiber and heart-healthy grains to help lower cholesterol,” she says.
White Bread
White bread has about 31 grams of carbs per slice, says Shaw, and it’s refined, so it’s stripped of its nutrients (meaning you’re getting literally nothing besides the carbs). “Swap with 100 percent whole grain and seed bread for more nutrients like protein, fiber, and heart-healthy omegas,” says Shaw.
Potato Chips
No one is denying that chips are delicious. “But the salty snack has a ton of unnecessary carbs. About 15 Lay’s potato chips have 15 grams of carbs,” says Natalie Rizzo, RD. Instead, make your own healthier chips, or try a veggie chip, like kale, if you’re craving something salty and crunchy.
Muffins
They look healthy (they have fruit! and oats on top!). But unfortunately, a lot of muffins are basically cupcakes without the frosting. “For instance, one Little Debbie muffin contain 46 grams of carbs and 350 calories,” says Rizzo. If you truly love muffins, make them an occasional treat—not a breakfast staple that will give you a sugar crash an hour later.
White Pasta
“Although inexpensive and easy to make, pasta is high in carbs with nearly 43 grams of carbs per cup, cooked,” says Chicago-based registered dietitian and A Sweat Life ambassador Maggie Michalczyk. “Whole-wheat pasta comes in just a little bit better at around 37 grams of carbs per cup, cooked.” But this type of pasta does contains more fiber, which will keep you feeling full longer.
Another solution: Switch to a non-white grain pasta, or embrace zoodles or spaghetti squash.
Tortilla Wraps
“Many are made up of enriched flour and even hydrogenated oils in some cases,” says Michalczyk. Plus, one wrap has about 35 grams of carbs. “Instead, opt for leafy greens to do the ‘wrapping’ for you. Greens are nearly carb- and calorie-free and are packed with nutrients like vitamin A, C, and E,” she says.
Bagels
Nothing says brunch quite like bagels, but they’re also super high in carbs. “Bagels can be equivalent to four slices of bread (66 grams carbs) and are often refined, meaning they lack dietary fiber,” says Kailey Proctor, RDN.
“Swap a bagel for an English muffin, and top it with other nutrient-rich foods like avocado, hummus, or peanut butter,” says Proctor. An English muffin only has 24 grams of carbs.
Juice
“A 12-ounce cup of unsweetened apple juice contains about 48 grams of carbs, which many people may not expect since it’s liquid! And that’s for an unsweetened version,” says Michalczyk. “Skip it all together and opt for water with a lemon wedge. If that doesn’t cut it, opt for coconut water, which has about nine grams of carbs per cup,” she says.
Flavored Yogurt
Yogurt is great for you—if it’s free of sugary additives. Yogurt has naturally-occurring sugars and carbs, but when you go for flavored varieties, one cup can have upward of 45 grams of carbs, Michalczyk says.
Rather than reaching for the flavored stuff, opt for plain yogurt and add fruit and other healthy toppings yourself.
Energy Bars
On average, one bar contains about 45 grams of carbs, which can be great hiking fuel, but not the best choice for an everyday snack. “What’s worse is that bars can contain a lot of extra sugars and syrups,” says Michalczyk.
Read ingredient labels to find ones with minimal ingredients (think: something that reads like a recipe), plus low-sugar, high-protein content. “I like pumpkin seed bars from Health Warrior because of their simple ingredient list and because they are only sweetened with honey,” she says.
Soda
It’s time to ditch drinking sweetened beverages once and for all, since they’re packed with processed ingredients, and carbs that aren’t good for you, says Maggie Michalczyk, RD. “With upward of 40grams of carbs per can, soda contributes excess unhealthy carbs and sugar to your diet—even if you’re only drinking one can,” she says. Try sparkling water that’s flavored with fruit instead, or some gut-healthy kombucha.
Fancy Coffee Drinks
“If you’re starting your morning with one of these, I beg you to reconsider. Another beverage that is packed with empty carbs, calories, and sugar, fancy fraps should definitely not be part of your daily diet,” says Michalczyk. Get this—a tall frappuccino without whipped cream still has roughly 40 grams of carbs a cup.
Crackers
“Most crackers are made with white flour, added sugar, and oils—which makes them empty carbs,” says Michalczyk. “Plus I don’t know about you but it’s really hard to just eat the serving size.”
The good news: There are healthier cracker option if you’re really craving them. She like Simple Mills, which contain a nutrient-dense blend of nuts and seeds, she says.
Granola
While granola is marketed as a health food, many brands contain excess added sugar and processed additives. And if you’re looking to cut back on carbs, be careful of your granola portion sizes, says Michalczyk. “A half cup of most granolas has over 45 g of carb. I’m not saying you can never have granola, but this is definitely a food that you should read the label and portion out accordingly,” she says. (Check out some of the healthiest packaged granolas, according to RDs.)
16/16 SLIDES
She suggests getting a minimum of 75 to 100 grams of carbs per day, although some people might need quite a bit more depending on their height, weight, and activity level.
Just don’t skip whole grains altogether, since they’re an excellent source of filling, heart-healthy fiber as well as folate, iron, magnesium, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. If you’re not sure of your carb sweet spot, check with a nutritionist.
4. Start your morning with a cup of coffee.
Coffee has a very mild diuretic effect and may stimulate your metabolism, your body’s fat-burning ability, and your workouts. That said, there is such a thing as too much coffee. “It can lead to crashes that contribute to overeating at night and generally not feeling great,” says Moskovitz. She suggests sticking to two cups per day max.
5. Carry a water bottle around with you.
It seems counterintuitive, but the less water you drink, the more your body holds onto it. Drinking plenty of water flushes out the excess salt and fluids your body doesn’t need, reducing bloating.
It also helps curb your appetite, since dehydration mimics hunger. Moskovitz suggests aiming for two to three liters per day—on the higher end if you’re exercising or it’s hot outside.
6. Skip the cocktails.
A few drinks can sneakily add a whole lotta calories to your daily intake. Whether you go for light beer or a mixed drink, they can easily add up to at least 100 to 110 calories per beverage, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
The foods you choose to eat while under the influence aren’t usually optimal either. In fact, a study from the journal Appetite found that moderate drinkers were 24 percent more likely to order something savory like salty fries, which may be the only edible item at your local dive bar, after drinking. And it’s not just the quality of food that affects your weight but the quantity you’re taking in, especially if you didn’t start off the evening with a hearty meal.
So, limiting how much and how often you consume booze can help with any weight loss goals you might have.
7. Add some cardio into your schedule.
Aerobic exercise is another way to flush out excess salt and fluids, says Moskowitz. What’s more, any activity that gets your heart rate up is also your best bet to spend calories and burn body fat—including on your hips and thighs. The higher your calorie burn, the bigger calorie deficit you can create, and the more likely you are to lose weight—and reduce fat all over.
Just remember: You have to stay hydrated. Aim to drink 16 to 20 ounces more water per hour of intense exercise and eat extra foods with electrolytes if you’re crushing it at the gym for more than an hour.
8. Try tracking your meals.
Keeping a daily record of every food you eat helps you stay on track and accountable when you’re trying to shed body fat. Moskovitz likes the app MyFitnessPal, since it’s easy to use and has estimates for most foods (but plain old pen-and-paper works fine, too).
Keeping tabs on your diet also means planning your meals ahead of time as often as possible. “Life gets in the way and it’s hard to stay on track, so having your meals planned out helps for sure,” says Moskovitz.
Protein, in particular, is essential for building the lean muscle that will make your legs look great. Moskovitz suggests trying for a total of 25 to 35 grams of fiber and 75 to 100 grams of protein per day from veggies, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats.
10. Train and strengthen your thighs.
While you can’t spot-reduce thigh fat, you can spot-train your muscles so they’re strong.
Choose your favorite exercises from each group and complete each for eight to 12 reps at your maximum weight for a total of three to four sets. Ideally, try for two days of leg workouts each week, mixing multi-muscle compound movements (think squats and lunges) with more targeted exercises (like bridges and hamstring curls).
11. Do squats one day and lunges the next.
Yes, you can work your thighs to build muscle and strength, but you don’t want to do the same exercises all. the. time.
Lauder-Dykes, who is a strength and conditioning coach and trainer at Fhitting Room, a high-intensity training studio in New York City, says the most important thing to do is switch up your moves. “Different exercises can challenge a muscle group in a different way,” he says.
Some examples: Add front squats to your routine and you target your quads, while back squats work your glutes and hamstrings more. Focus on single-leg movements (like lunges and split squats) and your stability muscles, including your inner and outer thighs, will fire up to keep you steady, Lauder-Dykes says.
12. Don’t forget about HIIT exercises.
To get more bang for your buck in a shorter amount of time, combine strength training and weight lifting with HIIT, says Lauder-Dykes—it’ll help you burn extra calories and create a calorie deficit, which is required to lose fat, he adds.
“This also helps to increase energy burned at rest and better performance, so you can go at higher efforts and intensities, and be able to sustain it for a longer period of time.” That blend of strength and interval work leads to an even higher calorie burn—without actually having to work out more.
13. Find ways to relax and recover.
Stress can cause your body to produce hormones like cortisol, which cause the body to store fat, Angela Fitch, MD, vice president of the Obesity Medicine Association, associate director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center, and faculty at Harvard Medical School, previously told WH. Look, you can’t get rid of stress completely, but you should find your own personal methods to help minimize it.
Need some ideas? Try scheduling time away from work and/or your phone, going for a walk, practicing meditation, and enjoying some self-care, like reading, getting a massage, or talking to a friend who helps you chill out.
14. Make sleep a priority.
Not getting enough sleep can trigger you to make unhealthy food choices, says Dr. Fitch, who recommends getting at least seven and a half hours a night. “When you don’t sleep well you increase your appetite. The next day you are hungrier, and usually, for carbohydrates and fat,” she previously told WH. “When you are tired your body wants to eat processed carbohydrates and sugar to stay awake.”
Going through a full sleep cycle every night also promotes calorie-burning (win!). “REM sleep burns a lot of calories,” Dr. Fitch says. “When you don’t sleep well you store more energy as fat as you become more insulin resistant and these higher insulin levels promote fat storage.” If you have trouble falling asleep, these tips can help you out.
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