

As the body weight increases, the inner thighs are amongst the first spots where you witness fat storage. The increase in bulk can even distort our normal walk and standing posture. Also, as the thighs rub against each other, people with fat and bulky thighs are more prone to skin infections and rashes in humid weather conditions. Thus the question surfaces, how to reduce thigh fat?
Exercises to Lose Thigh Fat
Though spot reduction is a myth and the body reduces fat proportionately from all areas simultaneously, one can still train thigh muscles to achieve a slimmer and toned look. Listed below are exercises to reduce thigh fat:
1. Brisk Walking
The simplest way to tone up your legs is brisk walking. As brisk walking increases the metabolism rate, the body burns fat at a faster pace, helping you lose extra fat quickly. Furthermore, walking stimulates the calves, quads, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles. This overall workout helps achieve well-toned legs.
2. Running or Jogging
Running or jogging too is considered a good exercise to lose thigh fat. The exercise helps strengthen the quadriceps, hamstring muscles, calves, and gluteus muscles. But this exercise can be hard on the knees. Also, pick a pair of shoes that are extremely comfortable to avoid injuries.
3. Sumo Squats
A slight variation from the conventional squat, the sumo squat has a wider stance and angled toe positioning. This proves to be a concentrated workout to lose thigh fat. To do a sumo squat, stand straight. Open your legs more than the hip-width and position your toes pointing outward at 45 degrees. Keeping your hands closer to the chest, begin to squat down till the thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold this position for a while and push through your heels to stand up. Do 20 repetitions.
4. Forward Lunges
This is a bodyweight exercise that typically targets the lower body. For forward lunges, you’ll have to stand upright. Take a large step forward with your right leg. Keep your hands on your waist. Go down till your front thigh comes parallel to the floor. Hold the position for 2-3 seconds. Push through your front foot to get back to the standing position. Repeat with left leg forward. Do 20 repetitions.
5. Jumping Jacks
Jumping Jacks is an effective total-body workout. The rhythmic, fast-paced workout entails jumping on the spot. On every jump in the air, spread the legs hip-width apart with the hands stretching outwards and overhead. Then gently land on the ground, bringing your feet together and hands by your sides. Do 25 repetitions.
6. Curtsy Lunges
The Curtsy Lunges target the quads and the glutes muscles. If you are looking for an exercise to reduce thigh fat, this is the perfect one. To do Curtsy Lunges, stand straight with your feet together. Take your right leg behind the left. Bend both knees. Let the right knee swing downwards till it touches the floor. Feel the stretch on your inner thighs. Gently exit the Curtsy Lunge to get back to a standing position. Switch legs to repeat. Do 12 repetitions on each side.
7. Side Lunges
Working closely on the quads and the glutes muscles, side lunges give that extra focus on the inner and outer thighs. The side-to-side movement confers extra balance and stability to your legs. To do side lunges, stand with feet wider than shoulder distance apart. Keep your toes pointed forward. Interlock your fingers and hold your hands close to your chest. Slowly shift the body weight on one leg, bending down till the thigh forms a 90-degree angle with the floor and the other leg is straight. Return to the start position and go down on the other leg. Do 20 repetitions.
8. Standing Single Leg Circle
An effective exercise to reduce thigh fat, a single leg circle can be done either standing or in a lying down position. Both variants of the single-leg circle offer a complete thigh workout. To do a standing single leg circle, stand straight with your feet together. Lift one leg and take it forward without bending the knees. Move the leg in circular motions both clockwise and anti-clockwise. Make sure you do not bend your knees. Do 20 repetitions and then repeat with the other leg.
9. Lying Down Single-Leg Circle
Lie down straight on the floor with the face towards the ceiling and legs straight. Lift one leg, around 45 degrees high and start in a circular motion without bending the knees. Move clockwise and anti-clockwise. Do 20 repetitions. Switch legs and repeat.
10. Extended Leg Lift
How to lose thigh fat in a week? Try extended leg lifts. To do this exercise, lie on the floor. Take a side so that you face the walls. Bend your top leg and move it forward. Let it rest comfortably on the floor. Lift your lower leg 6 inches from the floor without moving the top leg. Hold the position for 5 seconds and lower it back. Make sure the leg does not touch the floor until you finish 20 repetitions. Change sides and repeat it with the other leg.
11. Ballet Raise
The Ballet Raise workout for inner thighs mimics the action in ballet dancing. Stand straight on the floor with your toes pointing in front. Slowly pick up one leg sideways with toes pointing outwards. Without bending the knees, stretch them high above the waist level. Hold the position for a few seconds. You may stand in front of a wall to balance your stance. Switch legs and do 2 sets of 15 repetitions each.
12. Thrust and Squeeze
This is an effective and simple exercise to reduce thigh fat! Lie down on the floor with your knees bent and arms at your sides. Keep your feet hip-width apart, flat on the floor. Keep your abs pulled in and your lower back comfortably placed on the floor. Now, gently pushing up with your feet, lift your bottom off the floor. Feel the stretch in your inner thighs. Gently lower down and get back to the starting position. Do 20 repetitions.
13. Inner Thigh Press
To do the inner thigh press, lie down on the floor with your legs stretched outwards, extended in the air. Let your legs form a 45-degree angle with your upper body. Crossing your arms, place your hand on the alternate leg just above the knee. Now, as you try to bring your legs inwards, let your hands act as the counterforce. Do 10 sets of 5 seconds each.
14. Standing Thigh Press
To do a standing thigh press to lose thigh fat, stand straight with feet together. Pull in your abs and tighten your thighs. Lift one leg and slowly press it against the other. Hold the position for 5 seconds. Do 10 repetitions and then switch legs.
15. Step Climbing and Cross-Stepping
Although a simple routine task, climbing steps can be a great exercise to reduce thigh fat. To step up the intensity, try cross stepping. Stand at the bottom of the staircase and hold the railing for balance. Cross one leg over the other to get onto the first step. Likewise, cross the opposite leg to get onto the next step. By cross-stepping, reach onto the top.
Tips to Lose Thigh Fat Effectively
A few tips and tricks can go a long way in helping you achieve your target. Follow these tips whenever you ponder upon the question “how to reduce thigh fat?”:
- Keep a record of your body fat percentage and try to achieve a higher percentage of lean muscles
- Focus on exercises that target your inner thighs
- Follow a routine and workout pattern
- Include different exercises to work out different muscles
- Add weights to your feet to add intensity
- Limit your salt intake
- Drink more electrolytes
- Reduce carbohydrate intake
- Stay hydrated
- Abstain from alcohol
- Add cardio workouts to your fitness program
- Keep a record of your daily food intake
- Add proteins and fibre to your daily diet
- Get adequate sleep to rejuvenate your body
- Combine strength and weight training to burn those extra calories quickly
Conclusion
Weight loss is an overall phenomenon and targeting to lose weight at specific sites is not possible. However, workouts and exercises that focus on thigh muscles can help you get toned legs. While it is important to stretch your body beyond the comfort, do not go overboard as it may lead to injuries. So, choose your exercises prudently. Also, while you are searching for how to reduce thigh fat, remember exercise, diet plans, and lifestyle habits all work in tandem to help you reap the best results.