How to Get Your Best Legs Ever
Last updated on : June 26 2021
Article Summary
How many times have you heard your girlfriends and colleagues complain about gaining weight on their legs? It feels like, try as you will, you cannot get the sexy, toned legs you want.
The good news is that with a bit of planning and diet monitoring you will get your best legs ever.
In this post, we share the right combination of diet and exercise needed to get great legs in no time at all.
Click on the links below to learn more.
Get Into the Right Workout Mode
Get Into the Right Workout Mode
The best way to improve your legs is to do the right exercises. Targeting the muscles in your limbs makes them stronger and flexible, and helps you maintain your desired shape and curves.
Here are some exercises to try:
Total Leg Shape-up
Benefits: Engaging your whole leg portion.
- Lie on your left side on the ground using your elbow for support, and forearm on the floor. Keep both legs stretched outward.
- Flex your feet and raise your right leg by about 30 degrees.
- Slowly swing your right leg towards the front. You will soon feel the stretch in your outer thighs.
- Gently move the leg back to the starting position.
- Next, swing the leg behind your body while keeping the toes pointed. Ensure that your body is firm during this step to enhance more muscle stimulation.
- Repeat for ten sets and then move to the other leg.
Energy Squat
Benefits: Excellent and well-defined quad muscles.
- Stand upright with feet wide apart, and arms stretched out to the side, parallel to the ground. Keep your toes and knees turned out.
- While keeping your knees aligned above the ankles, lower your body into a plié squat.
- Raise the right heel and gently pivot to the left using your right toe.
- Bring both arms together in front of your chest (parallel to the ground) and drop into a lunge position.
- Return to the squat position, straighten your legs and lift both arms overhead. Then return to the original standing position and repeat on the other side.
Tom Fitchette, ACE Certified Trainer, explains...“Arguably, one of the most difficult, yet effective exercises for training the legs is “The Squat.” Almost everyone has heard of this exercise, but very few have taken the time to reap the benefits of this wonderful movement.”
Read our article on how to do, and why you should be doing squats.
Deadlifts
Benefits: Strengthen and tone your hamstrings and back muscles.
- Hold mid-weight dumbbells and keep both arms at your sides, with knees slightly bent.
- Keeping the arms straight, bend your knees slightly while also slowly bending at the hip.
- Keep your back straight and allow the dumbbells to fall as far as possible. Avoid rounding your back, keeping the weights close to the legs.
- As you slowly pull back to the original position, squeeze the glute muscles.
- Repeat as required and stretch out in the Child’s Pose once done.
Skater Lunge
Benefits: Shape and define outer thighs.
- Stand straight with your knees and toes turned outward, and feet shoulder-width apart. Your arms should be out to your sides and parallel to the ground.
- Keep your hips square and place the right foot behind you diagonally with the heel lifted.
- Lower yourself into a lunge without letting the front knee go past your toes.
- Return to the starting position, do as many reps as required, and then switch legs.
Inner Thigh Lifts
Benefits: Strengthen and shape your Inner thighs.
- Lie on your left side with the left elbow propping up your upper body. Keep the right leg bent and knee facing up toward the ceiling. The other leg should be stretched out on the floor while twisting the knee to face towards the ground.
- Lift the left leg in front without changing your position so that it is floating about two feet above the ground.
- Hold this stance for three seconds and perform reps before switching sides.
See how to do the lazy version of these exercises here.
Leg Pumping Cardio
Fitness experts believe that women need to combine cardio workouts with stretching or strength training to trim the fat in the legs and achieve a fit, sculpted shape.
Focus on exercising your legs with 45-60 minutes of cardio exercises. Try working out on an elliptical machine, running, cycling, walking, or stair climbing.
Keep changing your routine regularly so that it remains interesting, encouraging you to stick to your workout sessions. Consult a fitness trainer to prepare an exercise regime best suited to your specific targets and body type, and watch out for the workout mistakes that might hurt your fitness goals.
Eat Your Way to Shapely Legs
The right kind of diet is vital if you are trying to shape your legs - focus on clean whole foods. As you exercise, it is essential to pay attention to what you eat and what you should avoid eating.
Did you know that eating a breakfast high in protein has proven to reduce your cravings for junk food and quick pick me up snacks throughout the day. Protein is recommended to help control cravings.
Avoiding sugary drinks and fruit juice are also quick ways to shapely legs.
Here are some tips on the best foods to help you maintain defined and sexy legs.
Go for good fats
Did you know that fat is not all bad?
Fat is calorie-dense. In general, fat has nine calories per gram, while carbs and proteins have a mere four calories per gram. And contrary to popular opinion, not all fats are bad.
Women are often troubled by the sight of cellulite, which causes a dimpled appearance on some regions of the body, such as the legs.
Keeping your skin healthy can help battle this, so increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids to get glowing, healthy skin as you age. Nuts, olives, oily fish, and avocados are great options.
Consume lean proteins
Proteins that are low in saturated fat can aid in weight loss as they take longer to digest than carbohydrates.
Choose white-meat poultry, eggs, and low-fat dairy products when you want a toned figure.
Lean proteins also keep you feeling full longer, which means that you will not be reaching out for unhealthy foods because you always feel like snacking on something.
Moreover, when combined with the right workouts, protein can prevent muscle loss associated with calorie restriction.
Increase your intake of whole grains
Look for cereals that have whole grains when choosing breakfast items, and eat whole-grain foods like brown rice. These foods increase your fiber consumption in addition to supplying other nutrients to your body.
Whole grain is a fat-blasting food that is readily available, so it is easy to incorporate it into your regular diet.
However, do not overdo it and remember to eat in moderation, like with everything else. Avoid over processed whole grains such as prepackaged granola or instant oatmeals.
More fruits and vegetables
Not many of us like eating our fruits & veggies, and we often go for processed snacks than a piece of fruit. But if you are trying to get shapely legs, regularly consuming vegetables and fruits is a must.
These healthy foods have high water content, which keeps your body hydrated. Also, they are packed with different antioxidants and nutrients that help in keeping you fit.
A green salad is the best way to consume your veggies and keep cellulite in check.
Know what to avoid
Keep away from unhealthy foods if you aim to achieve a toned figure with shapely, sexy legs.
Processed and packaged food, greasy items, and sugary drinks like soda are a strict no-no. Replace your usual fried snacks with baked savories, and stir-fry your veggies in olive oil.
Remember that it is essential to keep yourself well-hydrated to promote weight loss and flush out toxins, so make it a point to drink eight to ten glasses of water per day. Drinking water also works wonders for your skin, contributing to your overall glowing look.
These exercise and diet tips can help you achieve slender, shapely legs that look great in skinny jeans as well as bandage dresses.
However, it is important to remember that every woman has different body dynamics and there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Consult a nutritionist or physical trainer, follow a healthy lifestyle, and let your confidence be the ultimate accessory no matter what you wear.
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