Have you been sprinting for months now, yet those thunder thighs refuse to leave? Do you drool over every pair of toned thighs on the streets? If that sounds like you, we need to talk.
We’ve a word for you. Squats. Whine as much as you want but there’s a reason why fitness trainers all over the world swear by squats. Squat exercises tone your lower body, which includes your glutes, abs, and most importantly, quadriceps.
Still not convinced? Scroll on.
Benefits of Squats
Here’s a lowdown on the squat benefits that’ll motivate you to give squat a shot.
Do It Anytime, Anywhere!
Aids Weight Loss
Goodbye To Cellulite
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Gets Your Body Moving
Toned Body
Squats can be done with minimal or no equipment. You can perform squats anywhere and anytime with different variations.
It’s a faster way to burn more fat and get leaner. How? Squats help build more muscles which in turn burn fat. Besides, it also helps improve your metabolic rate which aids in weight loss.
Bust that cellulite with regular squat exercises. The regular stretching means increased blood supply throughout the body. This ensures better supply of nutrients and oxygen to all your organs and muscles. Time to watch the cellulite disappear.
If your 9-5 desk job has gifted you a sedentary lifestyle, you need to improve your overall posture and mobility more than anyone else. Squats strengthen your core and enhance body flexibility and mobility.
Squats can firm your buttocks and legs and tone them like no other. Now no one in her right mind would refuse an amazingly sculpted lower body, right? But first, you got to squat.
We’ve compiled a list of squat exercises to make squats a part of your workout routine.
EXERCISE TO REDUCE THIGH FAT #1: SUMO SQUATS
Step 1:
Stand tall on the floor with your feet a little farther than hips-width apart. Ensure your toes are pointing outward and not inward.
Step 2:
Slightly bend your knees and push your hips back while keeping your chest and shoulders up.
Step 3:
Keep lowering your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor. As you squat, bring your hands together in front of your chest.
Step 4:
Lift your hips back up and return to original position. Perform 2 sets of 15 reps each.
EXERCISE TO REDUCE THIGH FAT #2: JUMP SQUATS
Step 1:
Stand tall on the floor with your spine erect and your feet hip-width apart.
Step 2:
Take the squat position. Pushing your butt back, lean forward and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Step 3:
Pressing your feet against the floor, lift your body to jump up.
Step 4:
Land with your knees bent at 45° and settle back into the squat position. Perform 2 sets of 15 reps each.
EXERCISE TO REDUCE THIGH FAT #3: GOBLET SQUATS
Step 1:
Stand tall on the floor with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Ensure your toes are pointing out.
Step 2:
Now hold a dumbbell vertically, both your hands should be wrapped around the top end of the weight in front of your chest. Your elbows should be pointing down.
Step 3:
Pushing through your heels, slightly bend your knees and lower your hips keeping your chest up. Hold this pose for 3 seconds.
Step 4:
Lift your hips back up and return to the original position. Do 2 sets of 10 reps each.
EXERCISE TO REDUCE THIGH FAT #4: OVERHEAD SQUATS
Step 1:
Stand tall on the floor with your feet slightly wider than hips-width apart and toes pointing out.
Step 2:
Hold a medicine ball with both your hands directly above your head.
Step 3:
Now bend your knees and lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold this pose for 3 seconds.
Step 4:
Pushing through your heels and contracting your butt, return to the original position. Perform 2 sets of 10 reps each.
EXERCISE TO REDUCE THIGH FAT #5: AIR SQUATS
Step 1:
Stand tall on the floor with your feet hips-width apart and toes pointing out. Your arms should be relaxed, beside your hips.
Step 2:
Engaging your core muscles and pressing your body weight on your heels, bend on your knees and sink as if you were going to sit on a chair.
Step 3:
Your hips should descend lower than your knees. As you lower down to squat, extend your arms ahead with the palms facing down.
Step 4:
Tightening your butt, slowly straighten your legs and return to the original position. Do 2 sets of 10 reps each.
EXERCISE TO REDUCE THIGH FAT #6: PILE SQUATS
Step 1:
Stand tall on the floor with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointing out. Place your hands on both sides of your hips.
Step 2:
Lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keeping your torso stretched, hold this pose for 3 seconds.
Step 3:
Pressing your heels against the floor, return to the original position.
Step 4:
Perform 2 sets of 20 reps.
EXERCISE TO REDUCE THIGH FAT #7: WALL SQUATS
Step 1:
Lean your head and back against a wall.
Step 2:
Keep your feet away from the wall and shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms down with the palms in contact with the wall.
Step 3:
Lower your hips in the squat position until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold this pose for 5 seconds.
Step 4:
Lift your hips back up and return to original position. Do 2 sets of 10 reps each.
EXERCISE TO REDUCE THIGH FAT #8: SINGLE LEG SQUATS
Step 1:
Standing on your right foot, raise your left leg above the ground, bending at the knee.
Step 2:
Extend both your arms out in front with the palms facing down.
Step 3:
Slowly push your hip back to lower into a squat while keeping your torso up throughout.
Step 4:
Contract your glutes as you balance your weight on the right foot and gradually return to the original position. Perform 5 reps before switching legs.
Tips on how to reduce thigh fat
Here are a few tips on how to lose thigh fat with a few dietary and lifestyle changes.
Skip The Happy Hour Cocktail
Say No To Unhealthy, Processed Foods
Hold Back On The Salt
Eat More Electrolyte-Rich Foods.
Adopt A Low-Carb Die
Exercise Regularly And Mindfully
Go To Bed On Time
Meditate And Keep Calm
We know your favorite booze allows you to snooze your problems. But, alcohol has zero nutritional value and is brimming with calories. So, you might want to keep a check on your happy hour cocktails.
Eliminate processed foods and sugary drinks from your daily diet. If you efforts to show visible results quicker, keep to cheat days to a bare minimum.
Excessive salt intake can cause bloating which could make your thighs appear heavy. So, if you’re not lowering for a squat, at least lower the amount of salt on your plate. That’s your only easy way out.
Regular intake of electrolytes can help you lose excess fat faster. So, indulge in electrolyte-rich foods, such as avocados, tofu, nuts, legumes, soymilk, and green leafy vegetables.
Gradually slip into a low-carb diet, so your body is equipped to lose weight faster. This will help you achieve leaner thighs. Switch to a diet rich in protein and fiber so your body is tricked into feeling fuller for longer time and you eat only as much as you need.
Follow an exercise routine that targets your thigh muscles. This could include lunges and squats. The best way is to alternate between different variations of these exercises because sticking to the same set every day could make the fat reduction process slower.
All that late night binge-watching can disturb your hormonal activity because of sleep deprivation. This means increased production of Ghrelin which will only make you hungrier. Overeating and weight gain then follow steps. Need we say more?
It’s time you stop stressing over trivial issues and getting all worked up. Chronic stress can alter hormone levels which will make it difficult to lose thigh fat. Try meditation and other relaxation exercises to wear away the stress and lose fat.
