Three Quick Ways To Reduce Thigh Fat, According to a Personal Trainer

Hoping to shred some stubborn fat around your thighs? Cutting down thigh fat doesn't need to entail spending hours at the gym doing multiple intense workout sessions.

Having a bit of fat on your thighs is, of course, normal and even healthy for women, according to a June 2020 study in the peer-reviewed journal Obesity.

The study found that "the diameter of the large adipocytes [fat cells] from the thigh of healthy adult women was greater compared to the abdomen" and "thigh adipose [fat] tissue may be a privileged depot in women important for energy-intake regulation."

However, too much body fat around the thighs and elsewhere can come with potentially fatal health risks. A June 2022 study in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Obesity found that "higher body fat content was related to a higher risk of mortality."

How To Reduce Thigh Fat

Below we look at three easy, quick ways to reduce fat around your thighs, as outlined by Alexander Legezynski, a certified personal trainer based in the U.K. who is the founder of West London Personal Training.

Stick to Low-Intensity Cardio Exercises

Legezynski advised incorporating gentle cardio exercises for fat burning, such as simply walking.

The personal trainer told Newsweek: "Cardio exercises such as running, cycling, and swimming are great for burning calories and reducing overall body fat, as long as they're performed at a low enough intensity. That's because your body uses fat rather than carbs for energy in less challenging workouts."

For those who are short on time, just taking the stairs or parking your car further away are "perfect examples" of fat-burning cardio.

"Even extending the period you're standing up at work can help to burn fat and reduce its appearance in your thighs," he said.

Do Regular Strength Training

"Pound for pound, muscle is much leaner and firmer than fat. Gaining muscle can help your thighs look more sculpted, without becoming bulky," Legezynski said.

Squats, lunges and leg presses are some strength training exercises that can help build muscle in your thighs, "which can boost your metabolism and help you burn more fat."

If you're working out at a gym, Legezynski suggests using a seated adductor machine to target your inner thighs. "These work by squeezing inwards, and are often easy to develop quickly due to being underused," he said.

You should aim to do at least two to three strength training sessions per week and increase the weights as you get stronger, the personal trainer advised.

Reduce Your Fat Intake

Just as much as physical exercise, a healthy diet is essential for reducing thigh fat. "When you're putting in an effort to burn fat, it's important to support yourself by not replenishing those fat stores," Legezynski said.

Cutting fat drastically or entirely from your diet may not be realistic or advisable. But there are plenty of low-fat options that can make the transition to a reduced fat diet much easier.

"You can replace your favorite cheeses with their lighter or 'low-fat counterparts. Using more egg whites rather than yolks is another option, as are lower-fat butters and spreads," the personal trainer said.

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