Causes of fat on legs
First, accept that absolutely everyone has fat. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), men of normal weight have an average of 18 to 24% body fat, while women have an average of 25 to 31%. Depending on genes, hormonal levels and other factors, fat is distributed either evenly, or those same “problem areas” arise.
There are several types of fat in the legs:
- Subcutaneous fat:
Most commonly found in the thighs and located just under the skin. - Intramuscular fat:
that which is concentrated within the muscle itself, literally in the meat. - Intermuscular fat:
Located between the small muscle fibers of meat.
Most of the fat in the legs is subcutaneous, which makes it possible to get rid of it effectively.
How to lose weight in your legs?
It is worth considering that local weight loss is almost impossible. If you want to get rid of excess weight in your legs, doing exercises exclusively on your legs will not give faster results.
The foreign publication “Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research” in 2012 published the results of a study in which 12 people (7 men and 4 women) took part. For 3 months, 3 times a week, they trained the non-dominant leg. As a result, this training resulted in an overall reduction in fat, but the trained leg did not show any significant reduction in fat.
Fat on the legs also affects the occurrence of cellulite, a problem that affects 85 to 90% of women worldwide. Why it appears, whether it is possible to get rid of it and what sets of exercises to perform to combat orange peel, read our article.
Against cellulite
Are there any effective exercises for and against cellulite on the thighs and buttocks?
Many girls and women strive not only to correct the shape of their hips, but also to get rid of cellulite with the help of exercises. But often physical activity does not bring the desired result and does not allow you to say goodbye to the “orange” peel. This is due to the structural features of adipose tissue.
Ladies' troubles: cellulite, sagging skin, stretch marks and “excess” skin
Cellulite is a localized, localized excess of fat cells in the layer between the surface of the skin and the muscles. With age, metabolic processes in a woman's body slow down. This leads to weight changes, weakening of connective tissue and an increasing appearance of cellulite.
And it doesn’t matter whether the woman is thin or not. Therefore, it is very difficult to get rid of cellulite on the thighs and buttocks, because, unfortunately, the structure of adipose tissue cannot be changed.
But don't give up. The answer to how to remove ears and cellulite on the thighs is the same! Physical activity (both strength training and cardio), monitoring food consumption, as well as additional stimulating procedures: lymphatic drainage massage, which normalizes lymph outflow, cavitation (ultrasound) will help make cellulite less noticeable.
All these products together help to even out the external relief, normalize the circulation of substances, which helps maintain skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Cellulite does not go away when playing sports and losing weight: what to do?
The modern industry promotes a healthy lifestyle and shows pictures of beautiful girls with toned bodies and without an ounce of fat or cellulite, who advertise new-fangled diets and anti-cellulite products that “will rid you of the orange peel once and for all.”
This creates additional stress: the desire to buy a “magic” pill or cream, constant monitoring of nutrition and counting calories in every gram of food eaten. After all, everyone wants to look young and attractive.
And often we thoughtlessly rush to stores for newfangled anti-cellulite products, torturing ourselves with diets and strenuous exercises. As a result, we end up with poor health. Therefore, before experimenting with yourself, you should stop, think, listen to your own body and consult a doctor. Because some of our experiments can end very badly.
Basic nutritional recommendations
There is no special diet for losing weight in the legs. Anyone loses weight if they expend more calories than they consume.
For a healthy diet, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend eating:
- a variety of fruits and vegetables
, as they contain fiber - whole grains
(brown rice, oatmeal, corn grits, quinoa, etc.) - products containing protein
: beans, nuts, eggs, cottage cheese, chicken fillet, etc. - healthy oils
, such as olive or nut oil.
Such a diet can influence the hunger hormone (ghrelin) and give the body a feeling of fullness. This will help you avoid unhealthy snacks, extra calories and overeating during the day. In addition, the right diet can speed up metabolism and significantly help in the process of losing weight.
The best way to lose weight in your legs is to combine a balanced diet and physical activity.
Effective methods to quickly fight fat
Forced diets and sports activities give temporary results. In addition, they are dangerous and not everyone can withstand them. A quick fight against fat means switching to proper nutrition and fitness training immediately, without hesitation.
Weight loss with a long-term guarantee is the systematic implementation of a fat-burning program. Signs of weight loss will please you already in the first month, but every centimeter gained should become an incentive to continue the struggle for a beautiful body.
Optimal loads for losing weight on legs
Aerobic exercise
The first step to burning fat is aerobic exercise. This is low intensity physical exercise. The main source of maintaining muscle activity in such exercises is oxygen. Muscles consume energy, which is produced through the oxidation of glucose and fats.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of exercise at least 5 days a week. Depending on your preferences, you can choose swimming, cycling, running, tennis or another sport. Either option is beneficial and increases muscle endurance. It is important that exercise is of moderate intensity and increases your heart rate for maximum calorie loss.
Power loads
Anaerobic (strength) exercise is aimed at performing high-intensity short-term exercises, during which energy is produced from phosphorus compounds and glycogen contained in the muscles and liver.
The big benefit of lifting weights during strength training is that in addition to losing fat, you build muscle. And muscles, in turn, burn calories.
The journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise published the results of a study that lasted six months. It was found that 11 minutes of strength training 3 times a week resulted in an average 7.4% increase in metabolism. This value is equivalent to burning an additional 125 calories per day.
In addition, another confirmation is a study from the “European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology”. It showed that after resistance training, the body continues to burn calories even at rest (up to 48 hours in some cases), unlike aerobic exercise.
Wraps: effectiveness and rules of implementation
You can quickly get rid of fat on your thighs, stomach, and sides with both cold and hot wraps. They are carried out in a course of 9-12 sessions. Local procedures accelerate local metabolism, blood and lymph flow, dispersing stagnation of moisture and fat.
Correction scheme:
- A 5-minute massage is done on the body parts cleaned with water and scrub and natural ingredients are applied.
- In the direction from bottom to top, wrap the affected area tightly with cling film, and put on shorts on top.
- To increase the thermal effect of hot wraps, lie down under a blanket or actively move for half an hour to 40 minutes.
- Wash off the remaining mixture and cover the skin with an anti-cellulite agent and moisturizer.
Exercises for losing weight on legs at home
Lunges
Lunges target the biceps femoris, rectus femoris, and lateralis muscles. In addition, the gluteal muscles and semitendinosus are involved. This is a great exercise to get rid of lumpy thighs.
The classic version of lunges is performed as follows: stand straight, lower your arms along your body, and while inhaling, take a wide step forward so that your leading leg forms a 90° angle and your knee does not go beyond the toe of the sneaker. The knee of the non-working leg should not touch the floor.
There are many variations of execution: lunges to the sides, cross lunges, reverse lunges, with weights, with a jump, using a chair or bench. To add variety to your routine, try different options.
Squats
This is one of the basic and most effective exercises to lose weight in your legs. The gluteus medius and maximus muscles work, as well as the lateralis, biceps femoris, soleus and gastrocnemius muscles.
Place your feet slightly wider than your shoulders and your arms in front of you. Keep your back straight. During the squat, move your pelvis back so that your thighs are parallel to the floor and your knees do not go beyond your toes. Watch your breathing, inhale as you lower yourself into a squat, and exhale as you return to the starting position.
Squats also have many variations: deep squats, side squats, jump squats, dumbbell squats, single leg squats, plie squats, etc. Find the best option for you in our article on correct and safe squatting techniques.
Jumping rope
Remember that the most important thing in jumping rope is technique, not speed. Concentrate on jumping with slightly bent knees to avoid damaging your joints when landing. Prefer rubber surfaces for sports.
The American Health, Physical Education and Recreation Association found in a study that 10 minutes of daily jumping rope training is as effective as 30 minutes of jogging.
Follow a few basic rules: keep your elbows close to your body and your back straight. If you feel uncomfortable, try alternating jumping variations, such as side-to-side or alternating legs.
Every 100 jumps help you burn an average of 45 to 80 calories.
Why do the “ears” go away the worst during weight loss/exercise?
As a rule, girls with a pear-shaped figure are most predisposed to the appearance of “ears”. Breeches can occur against a background of weak muscle tone, which leads to the formation of folds on the sides of the legs.
Many girls complain that dieting and regular exercise helped them get rid of their belly, not the breeches. The fact is that the body loses weight unevenly. As a rule, with a lot of excess weight, first the face loses weight, then the arms, and only at the very end the most problematic areas - for some it may be the stomach, for others it may be the fold in the lower back, and for others it may be the “ears.” ” on the hips. If you are in the process of losing weight, you just need to continue it until your hips begin to decrease in volume. This will definitely happen.
The most important thing in solving a problem is an integrated approach. To get rid of “ears,” you need to adhere to a diet that provides for a daily calorie deficit of 15-20%, and regularly perform a set of physical exercises. However, remember – exercise itself does not burn fat locally. They will only tone specific muscle groups, and after losing weight, when the fat layer disappears, the problem will disappear. It is best to do exercises for the whole body, including the breeches area, and also include cardio exercises.
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"Chair" or "wall"
The exercise is isometric (static). The load is distributed over almost the entire lower body, using the gluteal muscles, hamstrings and quadriceps.
The main goal of this exercise is to increase muscle endurance. At first glance it may seem very simple, but the longer this position is held, the harder it becomes. This increases your heart rate and burns calories.
How to do it? Stand up straight, pressing your back against the wall, and place your feet half a meter away from you. Slide along the wall until you are in a position where your legs form a right angle and your hamstrings are parallel to the floor. Stay in this position for at least 30 seconds. As you build strength and fitness, try to increase the time. Rise back to the starting position and after a short break, repeat several times.
More effective exercises for legs are described in our article “How to lose weight in your thighs: 6 effective exercises.”
"Jumping Jack"
The exercise is considered one of the best for weight loss. It will quickly accelerate the pulse and will affect several muscle groups.
Technique:
- The arms are lowered along the body, the legs are together.
- We make a jump, simultaneously changing the position of the arms and legs: now the legs are much wider than the shoulders, the toes “look” in different directions. The arms are raised up, elbows bent, palms touching each other.
- We repeat the jumps, changing the position of the arms and legs.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Exercises for losing weight in the legs in the gym
Bench leg press
If you are wondering how to remove fat from thighs, then this is one of the most effective exercises. The leg press works the thigh and buttock muscles, with most of the load placed on the hamstrings.
There are several types of exercise machines, depending on the angle of inclination at which the weight moves, but they all have approximately the same load.
When performing the exercise, it is important that your back fits tightly against the backrest, especially in the lumbar region. Depending on the location of the feet on the platform (shoulder-width apart or narrow), you can pump different areas of the muscles.
Start in a shoulder-width position. For convenience, grasp the side handles. Remove the restraints and, as you exhale, squeeze the platform as far as possible until your knees straighten (if you want to reduce the load on them, then leave your legs slightly bent). Return to the starting position. Make sure your knees don't fall inward.
Do at least 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Leg abduction in crossover
The exercise is aimed at working the gluteus maximus muscles, quadriceps, additionally using the muscles of the back and inner thighs, and also strengthening the muscles of the groin area. It all depends on the version of the exercise and the placement of the legs.
The crossover does not fix the trajectory of the leg, so the stabilizer muscles are also worked out.
Stand facing the machine. Attach a special cuff to your foot or ankle. Comfortably grasp the exercise machine or special handles on it with your hands, take a stable position and fix the body.
The pelvis should be strictly above the foot of the supporting leg (the one that remains motionless). Bend your working leg slightly and swing back. Make sure your back does not arch and remains straight. At the top peak of the movement, pause briefly and lower your leg to the starting position.
Repeat the exercise on both legs, doing 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
Smith machine squat
Performing squats on a Smith machine uses the same muscle groups and joints that are used with free weights, but with one exception. Since the bar in the simulator is fixed and has a clearly defined trajectory, the muscles of the body stabilizer are strained much less, and performing the exercise becomes easier and safer.
The quadriceps and large gluteal muscles receive the greatest load. The biceps work to a slightly lesser extent. The static load is applied to the extensor muscles and abdominal muscles.
To perform the exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly in front of your body line. Stand under the bar so that it is between your shoulder blades and neck. Grab the barbell with both hands, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Inhale and begin to lower yourself. During a squat, the pelvis should fall back (as if sitting on a chair). Continue squatting until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure that your knees do not go past your toes, and that the arch in your back remains small and natural. Hold this position for a second and, as you exhale, slowly return to the starting position. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.
Leg abduction and abduction in the simulator
The exercise machine is an isolation machine and is used to shape, tone and strengthen the muscles of the legs and thighs.
Set the required weight on the simulator (for starters, girls can limit themselves to 10-15 kg). If after 10 repetitions you feel a burning sensation and fatigue, then the weight is selected correctly.
Lean your back against the seat, grab the handles with your hands and place your feet on the special soft stops. Now you can begin the main part of the exercise for losing weight in the legs. As you inhale, bring your legs together or spread them, depending on the set mode. Hold the position of maximum tension and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat the reduction 10 times (1-2 approaches).
Leg extension in the simulator
When performing leg extensions, the main load falls on the quadriceps.
One of the important conditions for performing the exercise is that the simulator must be adjusted to suit you (rollers, backrest, weight, etc.). Make sure the roller on your legs is at the bottom of your shin and the angle at your knee joint is at least 90 degrees.
Take a stable position, lean on the backrest, if there is one, grab the handles and, as you exhale, smoothly straighten your knees, lifting the roller. Stay in this position for a second. The socks should point up. As you exhale, slowly lower the weight (do not bend your legs all the way). Perform a minimum of 10-12 repetitions (2-3 sets).
Calf raises for calf muscles
Standing or seated calf raises are traditionally used to train the calf and soleus muscles. Many people perform this exercise not in a machine, but standing on plates and using weights or dumbbells, but for beginners, a machine is more suitable, as it fixes the position of the body and relieves the load on the stabilizer muscles.
The technique is simple: stand with your toes on the platform so that the bolsters rest against your shoulders. Then begin to alternately rise on your toes and lower your heels below the platform.
Make sure that your legs do not bend at the knees and that your back remains straight.
For more recommendations for training your calves, see our article “How to lose weight in your calves: nutrition and training rules.”
Adviсe
- Always warm up before starting exercise: spending 10 minutes will allow you to avoid injuries and discomfort during exercise.
- After exercise, do some stretching . This will help protect against the occurrence of soreness and “clogging” of the muscles.
- Carefully familiarize yourself with the technique of performing exercises and breathing while working the muscles.
- Perform the exercises 10-15 times for 2-3 approaches.
- After training, do not starve yourself: Nutrition before and after training and the myth of the protein-carbohydrate window .
- If you work out in the gym and don’t know how to work with a particular machine, consult a trainer. This article will help you choose comfortable weights.
