How to Lose Weight on Your Legs Without Exercise

Are you trying to lose weight in your thighs and butt?

You are not alone.

Losing thigh fat is extremely difficult as the majority of excess fat tends to accumulate in the lower body.

But all hope is not lost!

After reading this post, you'll learn:

How to lose thigh fat and keep it off,
The amount of time it will take you to lose weight, and
Specific foods you should avoid that can cause weight gain

Let's get started.

how-to-lose-weight-in-your-thighs-and-butt

Disclaimer

***READ FIRST***

Although I am a doctor, I am not your doctor. This information is for informational purposes only and should not substitute the advice from your healthcare professional. All kinds of exercise and dietary changes are potentially dangerous, and those who do not seek counsel from the appropriate health care authority assume the liability of any injury which may occur. Please read my full Disclaimer for more information. Also, this post may contain affiliate links: meaning I may receive a commission if you use them.

Ok, moving on.

How can I lose weight from my thighs?

The only way to lose weight in your thighs and butt is to decrease your overall body fat percentage.

You can do this through a combination of diet and exercise.

However, your diet is by far the most important component.

You must eat in a way to decrease your calorie intake AND give your body all the nutrients it needs to optimize fat loss.

This is known as a calorie deficit, and it is key in losing weight.

On the other hand, exercise can help increase your calorie expenditure and help tone your leg muscles!

Both are useful, but a healthy diet is much more critical.

The Best Exercises To Help Lose Fat From Your Thighs & Butt

The purpose of the following exercises is to help you:

burn calories,
build lean muscle mass,
and improve the appearance of your thighs and buttocks

But don't forget,

EXERCISE ALONE WILL NOT HELP YOU SLIM DOWN YOUR LEGS!

Okay, let's go over them now.

Inner Thigh Exercises

Curtsy lunge

Curtsy lunges are a great alternative to the traditional lunge that targets the inner thigh muscles.

To do it, you need to step your foot back and towards the side while keeping your spine tall.

Lateral lunge

The lateral lunge is one of the most effective exercises in targeting the adductor muscles of the inner thighs.

It does require some balance, so if you need to hold onto a chair, do it!

To see a bunch more inner thigh exercises check out my post, The Best Inner Thigh Exercises.

Outer Thigh Exercises

Goblet squat

We cannot talk about toning your leg muscle without discussing some squat variation.

Goblet squats are a great exercise to start with as you are using a dumbbell in the front of your body. This allows you to scale the movement to your fitness level.

You can even set your feet wider apart and do sumo squats.

Weighted hip abduction (AKA Lateral Leg Lift)

The weighted hip abduction is a great exercise to target your outer thighs, and it can easily be scaled up or down!

Just make sure you have something you can hold onto, as this exercise also requires some balance.

To see a bunch more outer thigh exercises check out Best Exercises to Get Rid of Saddlebags.

Buttock Exercises

Quadruped Banded Kickback

The quadruped-banded kickback is one of my favorite exercises of all time.

It is quite easy to perform and really gives you a nice burn at the underbutt.

You will need a long closed-end resistance band. Amazon has this set of bands which is great for making this exercise easier or harder.

Just make sure to train both sides equally.

Hip thrusts

You cannot grow the glutes without doing some hip thrust exercise.

Be sure to squeeze your glutes at the top position and hold it for a two count.

When this gets easy, feel free to place a dumbbell or weighted plate on your hips.

To see more buttock exercises, check out my post The Best Underbutt and Glute Isolation Exercises.

A Simple Exercise Plan To Target Your Thighs

Let me show you how to design an at-home workout to put these exercises to good use!

Workout A

Exercise	Sets	Repetitions
Curtsy Lunges	3	10 each leg
	3	12 each leg
Banded Kickbacks	3	15

Workout B

Exercise	Sets	Repetitions
	3
Goblet Squats	3	12
		10 each leg

On the other days, you can focus on another area of the body, such as your arms, chest, or back!

Okay, now let's go over some common questions.

What causes thigh fat?

Excess body fat tends to accumulate in the thighs, hips, and butt in most women.

This is genetically determined and not something you can change.

You can, however, influence the amount of fat you have in your body!

Causes of excess fat include:

consuming too many calories,
eating nutrient poor foods, and/or
living a sedentary lifestyle.

The best part is- all of these are modifiable!

Is it easy to lose thigh fat?

Losing thigh fat may not be as easy as it sounds.

Unfortunately, you cannot spot reduce body fat naturally. This means that you cannot choose where you lose weight from.

Although it would be great to communicate to your body that you want to lose thigh fat, it just doesn't work that way.

The ease at which you lose thigh fat depends on a few factors:

1. Your genetics

The number of fat cells you have and their location are genetically determined.

Unfortunately, you cannot change this.

This is what we call non-modifiable.

Some people will lose weight from their thighs and butt first, while others will lose weight from their arms and breasts first.

It is highly individualized and something you won't know until you begin losing weight.

2. The type of food you consume

The type of food you eat can certainly play a role in how fast you lose weight, as some foods can increase your risk of weight gain.

We will discuss the type of food you should be eating and avoiding later.

3. Your activity level

Although diet is the most important factor when it comes to weight loss, exercise catalyzes the effect.

Regular exercise can help you burn even more calories while helping you build muscle!

4. Your metabolic profile

Other factors can contribute to excess weight gain, such as high stress levels, sleep deprivation, dehydration, and thyroid abnormalities.

If you are not getting enough sleep each night, this is something you should start to prioritize!

How long does it take to slim down legs?

In general, it can take anywhere from 6-12 weeks of consistent lifestyle changes to notice a slimmer appearance to your legs.

With that said, some women may notice a difference in fewer than 6 weeks and some may not notice a difference after 12 weeks.

That is okay!

Everyone is different and has a unique body type- so make sure you DO NOT compare yourself to others.

The best thing you could do is take before and after photos of yourself as pictures are the most objective way to measure progress.

In addition, you can take measurements of your thighs before and during your weight loss journey to document your progress!

Do any specific foods cause thigh fat?

Although there is no specific food that causes thigh fat, there are certain categories of foods you should try to avoid when trying to lose weight.

You should avoid calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods and beverages as much as possible.

Common examples include:

Soda
Regular Juice
Fast food
Pastries
Highly processed grains
Foods cooked in high amounts of vegetable oils

These foods are typically full of empty calories, provide very little nutrition, and are loaded with ingredients that keep you hungry.

What should I be eating instead?

When trying to lose body fat, you should focus on eating as many real, whole, nutrient-dense foods as possible.

The foods I am referring to are ones that are found in nature.

These foods tend to be full of the macro and micronutrients that your body needs to function optimally.

These include:

Lean meat
Wild-caught fish
Whole grains
Legumes
Leafy green vegetables
Fresh fruits
Nuts

The goal is to consume fewer calories WHILE eating more nutrient-dense foods!

In fact, I have even created The Busy Moms' Nutrition Guide for Postpartum Fat Loss to help guide you on how to incorporate these foods into your lifestyle.

This guide is a step-by-step plan that tells you exactly what to eat so that you can focus on losing fat in a healthy and sustainable way.

postpartum-trainer-nutrition-guide-fat-loss

Does walking reduce leg size?

Walking by itself won't reduce leg size, but it is one of the most underrated exercises for health, fitness, and fat loss.

It is also the easiest physical activity to stay consistent with!

In fact, The American Heart Association recommends walking 30 minutes a day (along with regular strength training) to decrease your risk of stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

If you can only do one type of exercise, let it be walking!

(Alternatively, you can also do other forms of aerobic exercise such as low-intensity cardio, interval training, or even swimming).

Can I lose thigh fatwithout exercise?

Losing thigh fat is predominantly a nutritional challenge. Exercise can help, but it is not necessary.

The best way to lose weight in your thighs is to eat fewer calories than you expend while improving your nutrient intake.

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to target leg fat specifically (aka spot reduction). You must lose fat from your entire body as a whole.

With that said, the best strategy is to combine regular physical activity with a reduction in caloric intake.

Is it possible to lose thigh fat fast – (in 2 weeks)?

It is not sustainable nor healthy to lose thigh fat in 2 weeks or less.

Trying to lose weight rapidly significantly increases your risk of:

regaining the weight back
having loose skin
developing metabolic and digestive problems

Ideally, weight loss should be gradual with a target of 1-2lbs per week over the course of months.

Weight loss can be fast at first- but achieving a sustainable rate of fat loss over the long term should be your goal!

Final Words On Losing Leg Fat

So there you have the information you need to lose stubborn fat in your thighs and butt in a sustainable manner.

Do not lose hope!

You must remain consistent and stay patient.

Now I want to hear from you.

What have you tried to lose unwanted thigh fat?

Comment below and let me know.

Geils Firmervis