How to Lose Inner Thigh Fat: Causes and Toning Exercises – Greatist
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Fat is necessary for sustaining life and protecting your organs. But where you store excess fat is all determined by your genetics. So, if you find you’re carrying extra weight around your inner thighs, that’s just how your body operates.
And while having some inner thigh fat is perfectly fine, if you’re ready to tone things up, we’ve got you covered. Here’s how to lose inner thigh fat in a healthy and sustainable way.
If you eat more calories than you can burn, your body needs to store those additional calories somewhere since they aren’t being used. That’s where fat comes into play.
According to the World Health Organization, there has been an increased intake of energy-dense foods (think high fat and high sugar) as well as lowered activity. This energy imbalance is the fundamental cause of weight gain.
Now as to where this fat is stored, again, you can thank your genetics for that. One study found that body fat storage is highly influenced by genetic factors, especially in women.
Women usually store fat in their hips, lower belly, and inner thighs. While men carry fat mainly in their abdomens, but aren’t completely off the hook with inner thigh fat either.
If your genes graced you with the gift of inner thigh fat, it can form in two ways:
As with any weight loss situation, a combination of diet and exercise can help you blast inner thigh fat. You just have to put in consistent work.
Since taking in too many calories can build up fat, reducing how many calories you’re taking in each day can help you lose inner thigh fat.
One pound of fat is equivalent to about 3,500 calories. So, just cutting out 500 calories a day can help you eat 3,500 fewer calories a week, and lose about 1 to 2 pounds a week.
Other basic dietary changes to help you lose inner thigh fat include:
There are two different forms of exercise to help you lose fat.
To maximize your results, it’s a good idea to do a combination of both in the forms of cardio and strength training.
One study found significant weight loss results in both men and women after 10 months of aerobic exercise. Other research found that anaerobic exercises like HIIT are also effective for fat loss.
Plus, cardio helps you burn calories in the moment, while strength training helps your body continue to burn calories throughout the day.
So, a good rule of thumb is to exercise 4 or 5 days a week to see results, and incorporate both cardio and strength training.
As cool as it would be, you can’t pick and choose which area of your body you’d like to lose weight. Our biology rules the game, therefore putting time and energy into targeting a certain area of your body is likely a waste of time.
If you do a bunch of crunches and sit-ups to lose fat in your belly, you’ll probably gain muscle in those areas, but that doesn’t mean you’ll burn fat.
You’ll see greater results by performing multiple exercises that work multiple muscle groups.
Ready to get your cardio on? You can do any cardio exercise to burn fat, but the following exercises will get your heart pumping along with targeting those thigh muscles.
Running up and down hills just straight up blows, but it will get your thigh muscles strong and improve your fitness ✅.
Grab a stopwatch and find yourself a hill (don’t go too steep too quick). Then run up the hill as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Cool down and walk back down. Repeat this about 5 times, and aim to do this 2—3 times per week to start.
Not into running? Find a hilly area and take a walk, or go for a hike in nature that’s a bit of a climb.
Maybe you live in a really flat area and there just aren’t hills that get your legs burnin’. A treadmill can also do the trick.
Pick your cardio (walking or running) and gradually increase the incline to 5, 10, or 15 percent while you exercise for at least 30 minutes.
Mix this into your weekly cardio routine 2—3 times a week.
The best part about HIIT exercises is that they can literally be done anytime, anywhere.
Moves such as jump squats, burpees, and high knees are all forms of HIIT movements that can get your heart rate pumping in a short period of time.
Getting in HIIT exercises 2—3 times per week is a solid amount.
The following six movements will tone your inner thighs and reduce the appearance of fat. Include this routine into your exercise plan a few times a week to see results.
Repeat this workout 2—3 times through.
Reps: 10—15 per leg
Equipment: Optional dumbbells
Reps: 10—15 per leg
Equipment: Optional dumbbells
Reps: 30 seconds total
Equipment: Optional dumbbell or kettlebell
Reps: 20 total (10 per leg)
Equipment: None
Reps: 10—15 reps per leg
Equipment: Optional dumbbells or a medicine ball
Reps: 15 reps per leg
Equipment: None
Some of us are graced with the genetics that give us thick thighs. But fat also accumulates in this area due to the extra calories and limited energy expenditure in the form of exercise.
Improving your diet and adding in cardio and thigh toning exercises takes time, but it’s the most beneficial way to get those thighs of steel.
Last medically reviewed on October 29, 2020
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