Who doesn’t want thinner thighs?. While many women tend to gain weight around their midsection, others store stubborn fat in their thighs and buttocks. But with these two tips, you will learn how to achieve the long, lean legs you’ve always longed for.
1. Slim and Tone With Squats and Lunges
Who it’s good for: Everyone and all body types
Before you jump the gun and decide that the only way to get a better body is with surgery, give a good workout a shot— and stick with it. According to celebrity trainer Linda LaRue, the best methods for taking extra pounds off of the thighs, and firming them, too, is by combining aerobic exercise, like hiking and running, with toning moves, such as squats and lunges with leg lifts. “Aerobic exercises help to shed that top layer of fat, and the toning moves help to firm up the underlying muscles,” she says. “You can even add resistance with medicine balls or Kettlebells, which will up the intensity of your workout, therefore burning more calories.” Working out can garner pretty dramatic results, but they won’t happen overnight. “You need to be consistent with cardio, toning and diet for about 12 weeks to really see the increase in lean body tissue and a decrease in fatty tissue,” says Geralyn Coopersmith, director of Equinox Fitness Training Institute. You’ll also want to make sure that you eat well, too, including plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and proteins—and only healthy fats like avocado, nuts and olive oil—since fats and carbs love to stick to the inner and outer thighs.
2. Get Rid of Fat With Liposuction
Who it’s good for: Those with hard-to-banish pockets of fat on the inner and/or outer thighs.
No matter how hard we try, there are some of us who have areas on the thighs that are resistant to dieting and exercise and just won’t improve. That’s where liposuction comes in. “The outer thighs respond positively to liposuction because the skin is more elastic. The inner thighs are less elastic, and the skin is thinner, so there is a greater risk of irregular contours,” says New York plastic surgeon Tracy Pfeifer, MD, although many patients with good skin tone can get nice improvement in the inner thigh. Whether the inner thighs, outer thighs or both are your areas of concern, your plastic surgeon can sculpt a sleeker look with liposuction, using a tool known as a cannula. After a small incision is made in the groin or hip, the cannula is inserted in a back-and-forth motion, suctioning out unwanted fat. “Even with all the variations of liposuction today, traditional liposuction can offer up amazing results in the hands of a skilled surgeon,” says to Nashville, TN, plastic surgeon Pat Maxwell, MD. A thigh lift may also be an option to discuss with your plastic surgeon.
