How to Get Skinnier Legs

Co-authored by Danny Gordon

Do you want your legs to be skinnier? If so, here are some helpful ways to lose fat and attain skinnier legs. Sadly, spot reducing doesn't work, so overall weight loss is what you need. Here are a few ways to help build muscle as you lose fat.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Using Easy Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

1
Do lunges. Lunges are a great way to tone your legs. Try to include lunges into your strength training routine twice per week. To do a lunge:
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and take a big step forward.
- As you step forward, bend your knees and lower yourself down until your front knee is at about a 90 degree angle.
- Make sure that the knee of you front leg stays over your ankle.
- Hold for a second and then step back into the starting position.
- Repeat the exercise on your opposite side. Do three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions on each side.
2
Include squats. Squats will tone your buttocks and legs, so this is another great strength training exercise to include. Include squats into your strength training routine twice per week as well. To do a squat:^{[1]
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- Stand with your feet a bit wider than shoulder width apart.
- Then, slowly lower your buttocks towards the ground as if you are going to sit down. Extend your arms out in front of you as you do this to help you balance. You can even place a chair behind you to help you practice.
- Do not allow your knees to go past your toes as you do this exercise.
- Hold for a few seconds when you reach the deepest squat you can comfortably achieve.
- Then, slowly raise yourself back up.
- Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times and do three sets.
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3
Use a stationary bike or go biking. Bike riding provides a shockingly high caloric burn of about 500-600 calories an hour, making it one of the best exercise for reducing body fat. However, you will only burn this many calories if you work up a sweat and get your heart rate into the range of 70 to 85% of your maximum.^{[2]
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4
Do a simple floor exercise. Lay flat on your back with your legs on the floor. Put your arms out beside you on the floor. Bring your knee up to where the highest part of your profile is. Then, with your other leg, kick it as high as it will go. Return it to the floor. Do 60 of these kicks, then switch sides and do 60 more.
5
Try leg rolls. Lie on your right side and place your left arm on the floor in front of you for support and balance. With your left leg, raise it at hip level. Pretend your leg is in a barrel and with your toes, lead the rest of your leg to trace the inside of the barrel. Do 60 circles and then switch and do 60 more.
6
Walk daily. This is the simplest exercise for legs. Use a step counter. You should try to walk about 10,000 steps each day.^{[3]
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- To make walking seem less tiring, try slipping on some flat shoes or sneakers when you get around. If you keep this up, you'll see results in a month.
Expert Answer

Q

A wikiHow reader asked: "What exercises reduce thigh size?"

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

EXPERT ADVICE

Answer from Michele Dolan:

Michele Dolan, a licensed personal trainer, replies: "Running will burn fat, which may reduce the size of your thighs if that is a place you store fat."
7
Go running. Running will use more energy and in turn help burn fat. Try to do this at least three times per week. However, make sure to start slow and gradually increase your running time.^{[4]
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- When running, choose a route that is particularly flat. Up-hill helps build the muscles of the legs and buttocks.
EXPERT TIP

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer
Danny Gordon is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of The Body Studio for Fitness, a fitness studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 20 years of physical training and teaching experience, he has focused his studio on semi-private personal training. Danny received his Personal Trainer Certification from the California State University, East Bay and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer

Both walking and running will help you tone your legs. Walking and running are both very good exercises for your legs, especially if you're including intervals where you increase the intensity. If you're a runner who's sprinting a lot, then you're going to build a lot more muscle on your legs than if you're just walking, but if you're a power walker and you're doing a lot of uphill walking, you're going to build muscle too.
8
Try rebounding on a trampoline. Rebounding uses a lot of calories and you have fun at the same time. It also exercises your muscles leading to a more toned appearance.^{[5]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Doing Exercises at the Gym

1
Go swimming! Go to a public pool when it's not too crowded. If you are a newbie to swimming laps, start out small. As you get better, do more laps. Try to do this 1-2 times a week. Swimming helps you gain muscle and burn fat.^{[6]
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Use a stability ball. While lying on a mat or bed, place the ball in front of you. Place your legs on top of the ball, lift your hips up, and slowly roll the ball in towards your hips. Do this until you can no longer go anymore and make sure your hips don't fall to the floor.^{[7]
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3
Use an elliptical trainer without an incline. Using an incline can build calf muscle. Keep the resistance low.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Eating A Healthy Diet

1
Eat more protein. Protein is filling and good for maintaining muscle tone. Make sure to include fish, chicken and turkey in your diet.^{[8]
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Add daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies provide you with dietary fiber, which can help reduce the amount of fat that your body stores.
3
Drink lots of water. Water not only helps flush out accumulated toxins in your body, but also keeps your skin hydrated, smooth and glowing in summer.
- As a general daily guideline, men need about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids and women need about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids. This total amount doesn't have to be all water, though, and can include fluids from other beverages and foods.^{[9]
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  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
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- Typically, drink a glass of water or another low-calorie beverage with each meal and in between each meal. You should also drink water before, during, and after exercise.
4
Avoid high-fat and sugary foods. Foods like cookies, ice cream, cake, and chocolate are not only full of empty calories that don't provide you with energy, but will simply store themselves in your legs.^{[10]
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Avoid overly salty foods. These types of foods prevent your skin from remaining hydrated. Examples include peanuts, potato chips, popcorn, and most microwaveable foods.^{[11]
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Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Using General Tips

1
Don't expect to lose the weight from just your legs. The body converts fat into energy when it's exercising or low on food. Unfortunately, the body converts fat from wherever it wants, and not always where you want it to.^{[12]
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- Spot-training, or working one area of your body at a time, has its advantages (toning) and disadvantages (frustration when fat doesn't magically disappear). Don't expect leg exercises to give you suddenly-skinny legs without seeing a reduction in your overall body fat levels.
2
Don't starve yourself. A lot of people who want to lose weight make this mistake. Their reasoning: Calories get stored as fat when the body doesn't use them; calories come from food; if I starve myself, I'll get fewer calories; if I get fewer calories, there will be less fat to store. This is a misconception.^{[13]
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- What happens when a person starves him/herself? The body realizes it is getting less food, your metabolism slows down to save energy, and you start consuming lean tissue instead of fat reserves because the body wants to prepare itself for a while without food.
- If you do manage to lose weight by starving yourself (you did it the hard, painful way!) your body will gain all the fat back as soon as you begin eating again, and you should eat again. Why is this? Because your metabolism is still hibernating, and it needs to be kick-started. How do you kickstart it? By eating the right types of foods in the first place.
3
Remember that results will take time. A lot of people with really good intentions and strong discipline quit just before they start to see results. They work like crazy for a month, don't see any results, and throw their hands up in the air in despair. Try to remember that slow and steady wins the race. It is reasonable to lose one to two pounds per week. At this pace, your muscles will begin to be visible at around eight weeks into your program. Go slow and try to embrace any changes you make as lifestyle changes.
4
Accept yourself. Some people have bigger legs because of genetics and you cannot change that. Whatever exercise, diet, or fad you do cannot change you because that's the way you were born. Instead of fighting the world and running after a fool's errand, accept who you are and embrace it. It sounds cheesy, but you'll be happier in the end. Anybody who genuinely cares about you won't care one bit if you have skinny legs or not.

How Do I Quickly Slim Down My Legs?

Sample Exercises and Routine

Exercise Routine for Skinnier Legs

Exercises for Skinnier Legs

Expert Q&A

Question

Will jumping help me lose my leg fat?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Yes. Jumping is excellent exercise for the legs. The more the better! Just be cautious about the surface you jump on. Jumping on a wooden floor or the grass or on trails is better than cement.
Question

If your weight is due to genetics, then is there a way to change that?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

No. We cannot change our genetics. However, you can be healthy and physically fit. Change what you can and love the rest for who you are.
Question

What exercises reduce thigh size?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Running will burn fat, which may reduce the size of your thighs if that is a place you store fat.

Warnings

There is no such thing as "spot reduction," meaning you can't target areas that you want to reduce fat in. However, you can tone and shape up your legs, which ultimately lead to their better appearance.

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If you overwork yourself, you risk doing permanent injury to your body.

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