Tone Your Thighs

Feeling like you want to make a positive change for your body? Follow these steps to get slim and muscular thighs. Even if you are in very good shape it can sometimes be difficult to have a toned body. Thighs are especially difficult because they are such a big muscle and don't often look sleek and toned. However, with some effort and diligence you can have sleek toned thighs – all it takes is a little time.

Steps

Toning Your Thighs at Home

  1. Do squats. Squats are a great way to build lean muscle and tone your inner thighs. Keeping your feet shoulder width apart bend your knees to a 90 degree angle. Make sure you do this against a wall, and keep your shoulder blades and lower back pressed up against the wall. Stay in this position for one minute, take a 30-second break, and repeat. Do about ten reps a day. [1]
  2. Try squat jumps. Squat down, keeping your back as straight as possible and your eyes straight ahead. Touch the ground with your fingers. The lower you get the better. Now jump straight up, keeping your core centered beneath you. Do as many as you can, then take a one-minute break, then do three quarters of whatever number you just did. Do exercises like this three or four times a week if you can. [2]
  3. Go for a run. Running is good for your body and helps you stay fit. Running outside, such as on a trail or around the neighborhood, is great cardio and can help you achieve firmer and more muscular thighs. It will also help you shed fat which will make your thighs look even more toned. Running is good for your heart, your lungs, and even your brain. It’s a great habit to get into.
    • Remember that running can be stressful on your body, especially your knees and feet. Start slowly and try to run on softer surfaces whenever possible. If you haven’t run for years try going on a ten minute run at a comfortable pace. Don’t push yourself until you feel like you will collapse, otherwise you’ll never want to run again. Pay attention to your body.
  4. Do leg lifts. Leg lifts will strengthen and tone your thighs. Lie on the ground on your back. Slowly raise your legs until your body forms a 90 degree angle and then slowly lower your legs. Make sure that you are not using your hands to help you and that your legs are doing the work. Do about 20 reps of this a day. [3]
  5. Try the curtsy lunge. Lunges are great for your thighs and target the muscles directly. The curtsy lunge involves you standing in a stance slightly wider than your hips and then sitting back into a one legged squat. Keep your chest lifted. As you sit back, cross one leg behind the other as if you were doing a curtsy. Try this with both legs. [4]

Toning Your Thighs at the Gym

  1. Do dumbbell lunges. Lunges are a great way to build muscle and burn fat. Begin by standing shoulder width apart, with a 5-10 pound dumbbell in each hand. Step forward with one foot and make sure the front thigh is parallel with the ground. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat with the other leg. Do about 20 lunges a day. This is an exercise that you can do at home if you have dumbbells available.
    • If lunging with dumbbells is too difficult, try doing them without weights.
  2. Work out on the elliptical. If you go to the gym, spending about 60 to 90 minutes on the elliptical will help tone your thighs. The elliptical machine specifically targets your thighs even more than running does because of the motion of the machine.
  3. Take a pilates or kickboxing class at your local gym. The great thing about taking a class is that you have a lot of other people to support and push you. It’s much easier to stay diligent if you are working out with a lot of other people. Pilates is a great way to target your thighs, and you can even approach the instructor and tell him or her about your goal. They can orient part of the class to working on that particular part of your body.
    • Both pilates and kickboxing are forms of cardio that will help burn fat and tone your thighs.
  4. Use the leg press. You probably don’t have a leg press available at home, but this instrument is great for working on your thighs and butt. Sit in the chair and choose a comfortable weight. Starting with half your body weight isn’t too ambitious, and you can move the weight up if it feels too easy. Place your legs on the rack and keep your knees at a 90 degree angle. Now push! This exercise will lead to great results. [5]
  5. Go swimming. Trimming down in general is a great way to make your muscles look more toned. Sometimes this can work even better than just targeting a specific muscle group. The great thing about swimming is that you will work out your thighs and lose weight at the same time. If you think you could shed a few pounds this is a great option.

Eating Healthy Foods

  1. Eat foods that are low in fat. A big part of having toned thighs is having low body fat. That means exercising regularly and eating healthy. Load up on vegetables and greens. Choose a whole grain cereal versus a sugary cereal. Easy dietary changes can have a huge impact on your body. [6]
  2. Ditch the sweets. Sweets won’t help you fuel up for a good workout and they end up just being empty calories. Try replacing your candy with fruit if you have a sweet tooth
  3. Drink a lot of water. Drinking water will help keep your body hydrated and cleanse your system. If you find that you are feeling hungry all the time it might just be that you are dehydrated. Drinking a lot of water will keep your body functioning properly and also stop you from overeating. [7]
  4. Eat foods that are high in protein. Consuming protein, such as grilled chicken, cheese, and whole grain bread, helps build muscle. Try to eat healthy lean meats like fish and chicken rather than steaks and hamburgers. You might think a hamburger is high and protein, but it’s also very caloric.
  5. Try to incorporate more healthy carbs into your diet. Brown rice, quinoa, and barley are a lot better options than chips and salsa. [8] Avoid refined foods and stick to whole grain pasta and similar items instead. Always look for whole grains!
  6. Prepare your own meals. It's a lot easier to eat healthy if you prepare your own meals. [8] Buy healthy ingredients at the store and you'll only be able to eat healthy meals. Stock up on vegetables along with everything else that has been mentioned.

Tips

  • The results are worth it, so don’t get discouraged if you haven’t seen huge progress after a week. It takes time.
  • Stick to a routine. Don’t do lunges one day and then again two weeks later. If you don’t exercise at least three times a week you won’t see results.
  • Find a partner. It helps to have someone trying to accomplish the same goals.



Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/thighs/exercises/top-thigh-exercises/
  2. ↑ http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/thighs/exercises/top-thigh-exercises/?page=3
  3. ↑ http://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/advice/g1905/how-to-get-sexy-toned-legs/?slide=6
  4. ↑ http://www.prevention.com/fitness/moves-tone-inner-thighs
  5. ↑ http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotwk74.htm
  6. ↑ http://authoritynutrition.com/how-to-eat-healthy/
  7. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/healthyeating/9987825/Sweet-poison-why-sugar-is-ruining-our-health.html
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 http://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/healthy-eating.htm

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