How to Lose Thigh Fat: Exercises and Effective Tips

Ever since the “thigh gap” came into existence as one of the biggest trends of the decade, it has become a common frustration that many people have. Despite being notoriously stubborn to lose thigh fat, the quest to find out how to lose thigh fat still remains a priority for many, alongside the efforts to exercise and eat well.

Before we jump into the different workouts and nutrition strategies, let’s first understand what causes fat to accumulate in the thighs.

What Causes Stubborn Thigh Fat?

The thigh muscles are responsible for the body’s movements and maintaining stability, being one of the largest muscles of our body. We use our thigh muscles every day to support basic functions like walking, sitting, and bending. Besides thigh muscles, we also have fats that come along with them.

a) Excess weight and skin

Thigh fat is a result of excess weight and skin, and it’s very normal to have it [1]. Some more than others may carry extra weight and store more fat in their thighs. By and large, this is attributed to genetics and hormones.

b) Genetics

Genetics determines how and where your body stores fat. If you have a family history of having larger thighs, then you would likely experience having that as well. Some people are genetically predisposed to store more fat in their thighs, particularly in the inner thigh area, making it more challenging to lose.

c) Hormones

Hormones also play a huge part in why you may accumulate fat in the thighs, which is especially relevant for women. Estrogen is the main hormone that influences fat accumulation. It increases the level of fat cells, which in turn, results in the formation of fat deposits in the hips and thighs.

This is why, when asking the question of “how to lose thigh fat?”, many women may experience a higher difficulty in losing thigh fat compared to other parts of the body. While men are less prone to this issue due to higher testosterone levels, it can still occur as testosterone naturally declines with age.

Effective Ways to Get Rid of Thigh Fat

People wanting to achieve a slim and toned figure is still quite a norm, as evidenced by the amount of aesthetic treatments that are available today, with the claims of helping people achieve their dream figure. However, it must be said that many of these procedures tend to be invasive, expensive, or require several sessions to achieve short-term results.

Fortunately, in most cases, you don’t actually have to rely on such costly or invasive treatments to achieve fat loss. Instead, what you want to consider doing is to add exercises that specifically target the thighs in your workout routine, focus on cultivating healthy eating habits, and to do these things consistently. If you have trouble staying consistent, make it a point to set reminders in your phone or get a buddy to help you stay on track.

Reducing overall body fat for a slim and toned appearance follows three basic principles:

1. Creating a caloric deficit
2. Building muscle
3. Maintaining it.

Creating a sustainable caloric deficit per day by consuming fewer calories and exercising will help to promote gradual fat loss of 1-2 pounds per week. The exercises help to preserve and build muscle mass, while the diet helps to target excess fat storage.

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How to Lose Thigh Fat for Women?

One of the biggest challenges women face when it comes to losing weight or body fat is hormonal fluctuation. Throughout life, women experience significant hormonal changes during different phases of the menstrual cycle and later during menopause, which can impact fat storage, metabolism, and overall weight loss progress.

In the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, a woman’s energy expenditure increases [2]. This will lead to an increase in food cravings, compared to the follicular phase, disrupting attempts at weight loss.

To approach this challenge, some effective ways on how to lose thigh fat include:

a) Focus on strength training

Strength exercises and compound movements that work the muscle groups simultaneously can be effective for women trying to lose overall body fat. Squats, lunges, and deadlifts are some effective movements.

b) Incorporating cardio

For women, including cardio such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be effective in continuous calorie burn.

c) Getting proper nutrition throughout the day

Eating sufficient protein and carbohydrates throughout the day is equally crucial due to hormonal fluctuations. During the luteal phase, the focus should be on consuming more whole foods and protein.

d) Staying patient

It’s normal to see noticeable changes only after 8 to 12 weeks, so being patient and staying consistent is essential during this period.

How to Lose Thigh Fat for Men?

Unlike women, men have a higher level of testosterone and a different fat distribution profile compared to women. Compared to their female counterparts, they tend to have an easier time when it comes to losing thigh fat, but there are still some approaches that men can take to most effectively lose thigh fat.

Here are some effective ways for men to lose fat in their lower body:

a) High-intensity training with weights

A high-intensity training is usually exactly what you imagine when you think of going to the gym. It comprises heavy compound movements with a progressive overload. What does this mean? It means that exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges are done repetitively, but with increasingly heavy weights. This “overload” is effective in building muscle mass and increasing the rate of metabolism, particularly in men due to higher levels of testosterone.

b) Aim for more protein

Men typically require a higher consumption of protein, especially those engaging in regular strength training, to maintain energy levels. Aim for 1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to support muscle growth and recovery.

c) Prioritize recovery

Adequate sleep, proper nutrition, and managing stress levels are all factors that contribute to effective fat loss and optimal hormone production.

Compared to women, men would show much faster initial results in 4 to 6 weeks. That being said, there’s still a need to stay consistent if you want to see significant changes in 8-12 weeks.

How Long Does It Take To Lose Thigh Fat?

The journey of losing thigh fat is not a linear one, and as much as we would like to give you a definitive timeline for how long it takes to lose thigh fat, there are a lot of factors that come into play. For example, your starting body composition, how much fat or muscle you have at the start of your weight loss journey, can greatly impact the rate of weight loss. Similarly, your genetics play an important role in how predisposed you are to accumulate fat on your thighs. Lastly, your chosen type of approach and consistency are factors within your control, and they can also impact the rate of your weight loss.

Initial changes (2–4 weeks)

When starting your thigh fat weight loss journey, your motivation and consistency is likely to be at its peak. Healthy eating and exercise is probably incorporated into your routine. When gauging your thighs, it might feel firmer and more defined. However, any reduction in measurements regarding the circumference of your thighs may not be achievable at this stage, and any loss may be due to water weight loss.

Noticeable results (6–8 weeks)

After a month or so of consistency, you’ll likely start to receive more comments on your appearance, with family and friends noticing visible changes in your thighs and legs. You may start to experience around 1-2 inches of loss around your thighs, and your clothes may start fitting differently.

Significant transformation (12–16 weeks)

At this point in your weight loss journey, you should feel that your thighs are substantially leaner, with a higher muscle mass and fat loss.

Maintenance phase (16+ weeks)

Here, you would be prioritising your healthy habits and ensuring that you remain consistent in exercising and eating healthily. This is extremely crucial to prevent weight gain from happening once you have made any minor lifestyle changes.

6 Thigh Workouts For Toned Legs

The most effective thigh exercises target multiple muscle groups simultaneously while challenging your body in different movement patterns.

Here’s an overview of common yet effective thigh workouts that can help you achieve toned legs:

1. Squats

Squats are the standard, go-to exercise for building thigh muscles. This singular exercise targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. It is great for working the core muscles as well.

2. Lunges

Lunges help to target the thighs while challenging your balance and stability. Forward lunges target the quadriceps, reverse lunges target the hamstrings and glutes, and side lunges effectively target the inner thighs.

3. Deadlifts

Deadlifts are excellent for working the hamstrings and glutes. Romanian deadlifts are best for developing the hamstrings, while sumo deadlifts are better for developing the inner thighs.

4. Step-ups

Incorporating step-ups can help to target all the major thigh muscles while also training you to be mindful and conscious of your body movement.

5. Wall sits

This is an isometric exercise that focuses on building muscular endurance in the thighs. It can be effective for beginners and those with back pain. You can easily progress by adding weights or increasing the hold time.

6. Bulgarian split squats

This exercise challenges each leg individually while targeting the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. It also improves balance and helps correct muscle imbalances between legs.

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6 Inner Thigh Exercises that Target Stubborn Fat

Building muscles in the inner thighs is often the hardest, but there are exercises that you can include in your workout routine to specifically engage and strengthen the muscle fibers.

Here are 6 inner thigh exercises that you can consider adding to your routine. Aim to perform these exercises 2 to 3 times per week for the best results:

1. Sumo squats

Sumo squats are a variation of the traditional squat stance. Unlike normal squats, sumo squats are done in a much wider standing position with your toes pointed outwards. This exercise targets mainly the inner thighs, glutes, and quads, so you should be able to feel these muscles contract each time you position yourself down into a sumo squat stance.

How to do sumo squats:

1. Start off by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then, you want to adjust yourself by stepping out towards the side until your feet are wider than shoulder-width apart and toes turned slightly outward (about 45 degrees).
2. Ensure that you keep your chest lifted by pushing it outwards slightly and bracing your core so that it stays engaged.
3. Lower your hips down and push yourself back into a squat.
4. Go as low as your flexibility allows while keeping your knees in line with your toes.
5. Once you’re at the bottom, press through your heels to push yourself back up to standing.

2. Side lunges

Another movement that you can incorporate is side lunges. Side lunges target your inner and outer thighs while working the hips. This move requires some level of hip mobility and balance as you shift your body weight to one side of the body each time you push your hips down.

Targeting one leg at a time allows you to build unilateral strength and muscles in the thighs.

How to do side lunges:

1. Get into a standing position with your feet together and hands either on your hips or clasped in front of your chest.
2. Step out to the right with your right leg and bend your right knee as you keep your left leg as straight as possible.
3. Focus on pushing your hips back and keeping your chest forward as you lower yourself into a lunge position.
4. Press through your right foot to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat this on the other side, alternating each side for a set amount of repetitions.

3. Clamshells

Clamshells may not seem complicated, but they are one of the more highly effective exercises for targeting the inner thighs and the gluteus medius muscle, the muscle that sits above the upper buttock. This exercise can help in strengthening the hips and improving the composition of your lower body.

How to do clamshells:

1. Get into a lying position. Lie on your side with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and legs stacked.
2. Staying in this position, you want to ensure that your feet are touching each other and you are bracing your core so that your abdominal muscles are contracted.
3. Without rotating your hips, lift your top knee as high as you can while keeping your feet together.
4. Pause briefly at the top, then slowly lower it back down. If you are doing the exercise correctly, you should be able to feel a kind of resistance or soreness in your outer thigh muscles each time you do a repetition.

4. Curtsy lunges

Unlike normal lunges, curtsy lunges engage the inner thighs more and require a good amount of balance on each leg.

How to do curtsy lunges:

1. First, you want to lie on your side with your legs extended straight.
2. Cross your top leg over the bottom one and plant your foot flat on the floor in front of your bottom knee.
3. Keep your bottom leg straight and slowly lift it upward as high as you can.
4. Lower it back down with control, without letting it rest on the floor.

5. Side-lying leg lifts

The side-lying leg lifts are a classic isolation exercise that directly targets the adductors, which are the muscles of the inner thighs. It’s a great move for beginners who are looking to build inner thigh strength or shape their inner thighs.

How to do side-lying leg lifts:

1. Lie on your side with your legs extended straight.
2. Cross your top leg over the bottom one and plant your foot flat on the floor in front of your bottom knee.
3. Keep your bottom leg straight and slowly lift it upward as high as you can.
4. Lower it back down with control, without letting it rest on the floor.

6. Cossack squats

Cossack squats are a deep side lunge that both stretches and strengthens the inner thighs. They also help improve flexibility, balance, and range of motion.

How to do cossak squats:

1. Stand with your feet in a wide stance, toes pointed slightly outward.
2. Shift your weight to your right leg, bending your right knee and sinking into a deep lateral squat while keeping your left leg extended.
3. Keep your chest up and core engaged, with both heels grounded.
4. Push through your right heel to return to center, then repeat on the left side.

5 Nutrition Tips to Lose Excess Fat and Manage Weight

Proper nutrition is crucial for thigh fat loss, accounting for roughly 70% of your results. What you can do is to focus on eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and fat-free products. Also, consider switching to consuming whole grains instead of processed grains.

Some useful nutrition tips to keep in mind:

1. Aim for 25 to 35 grams of protein per meal

Protein is one of the important things that you should include in your meals if you are trying to maintain overall mass and reduce fat. The best protein sources include lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, and plant-based options such as soy and chickpea.

2. Include healthy fats in your diet

Healthy fats can help to support hormone production and satiety. Some healthy fat sources include avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish.

3. Choose complex carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and starchy vegetables provide a good amount of energy for you to work out and also support post-recovery. Another good point is that they don’t cause rapid spikes in your blood glucose levels.

4. Stay hydrated

Water is one of the most crucial aspects when it comes to losing thigh fat, and no, we aren’t talking about the “ice water hack” that is popular on social media platforms like TikTok. Instead, water aids in fat metabolism, and being hydrated can reduce water retention. Water retention has the potential to make your thighs appear larger, so stay hydrated with 8-10 glasses of water daily (or more if you are an active individual).

5. Limit unhealthy foods

Stick to a low-sodium diet, and limit your intake of processed foods, sweet drinks, and excess alcohol. By indulging in those heavily processed, salty (and sweet) items, you are increasing the likelihood of increased water retention and even inflammation in your body.

What Are Some Lifestyle Factors That Increase Body Fat?

Several lifestyle factors significantly impact your ability to lose thigh fat effectively. Some of these lifestyle factors are:

a) Sleep quality

Without the 7-9 hours of quality sleep nightly,

Poor sleep increases cortisol levels, which can promote fat storage, particularly in the thighs and hips. It’s recommended to aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep nightly in order to lower cortisol levels.

b) Stress management

Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which promotes fat storage and makes it harder to lose weight. Try to incorporate stress-reduction techniques like meditation, yoga, or regular relaxation practices as part of your daily routine for effective ways how to lower cortisol levels.

c) Consistency

Staying consistent is what will yield better results than being perfect for short periods, followed by complete abandonment of your routine.

d) Patience

Patience is essential because thigh fat is often among the last areas to respond to diet and exercise changes. Focus on the process rather than daily fluctuations in appearance or measurements.

e) Support system

Having friends, family, or a workout partner who can support your goals makes it easier for you to stay consistent and motivated. This is also important during times when you feel like giving up.

Mistakes to Avoid Making

Many people make critical errors that sabotage their thigh fat loss efforts. Avoiding these mistakes can dramatically improve your results and prevent frustration.

Thinking that you can spot reduce fat in a specific part of your body is perhaps the biggest mistake one can make. Reducing fat in a specific area alone is not possible with exercise alone. The way that your body loses fat is attributed to your genetic makeup, among other factors.

Additionally, many also make the mistake of thinking that doing excessive cardio workouts without strength training is the best approach. However, doing excessive cardio without strength training can contribute to muscle loss along with fat loss. It’s also why many people have a “skinny fat” appearance and not a toned one.

Other common mistakes include extreme calorie restriction, not giving yourself ample time for optimal recovery, not being consistent with your diet and exercise plans, and having unrealistic goals in terms of timeline to achieve results.

The Final Takeaway: Can You Lose Thigh Fat Fast?

Unfortunately, there is no sustainable, easy way to lose thigh fat fast without healthy eating habits or regular exercise. With the thighs, it might even take longer, as it is usually one of the last places people lose weight when they start their weight loss journey.

The Eato app can help support your goals with personalized food logging and comprehensive nutrition insights. Try it today for free!

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