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You will be happy to know that you are not the only one out there who wants to tone and shape their butt and thighs. How often, though, is it that you start a butt and thigh toning program only to find this troublesome area actually grows instead of shrinks! This situation has a tendency to put people off training because they don't get the results they expect.
Why You have Problems Reducing Your Butt and Thighs Size?
The reason that you have so many problems trying to rid yourself of your thighs and butt is because these areas are main storage areas for body fat. For women reducing these areas can drive you nuts! The reason for having these fat storage areas is to assist us in times of survival.
What?! You say? Let me put it this way. Say you were stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no food, and just water. Your body would, after a while, start "kicking into your body fat stores" to help you survive, because you are not consuming any food. In the case of women during pregnancy if this occurred you would be "surviving for two" - thus the larger fat storage area.
How Eating the Wrong Food Affects Your Butt and Thigh Size
The size increase in your butt and thigh areas can depend on the type of program you are performing and what you are eating. To start with if your body fat storage areas tend to be around your butt and thighs you need to be very careful of the extra bits and pieces you snack on. You can bet that most of the time when you consume extra calories and fat it will go straight to your thighs and butt.
How Performing the Wrong Exercises Affects Your Butt and Thigh Size
Then there is exercise. What you need to know is that there are workoutsto increase the size in your butt and thighs and workouts to re-shape and reduce the size of your butt and thighs.
If you haven't already... check out VFT's NEW section on Legs, Hip, Butt and Thighs: http://butt-and-thighs.virtualfitnesstrainer.com/index.htm
WHICH EXERCISES ARE YOU PERFORMING?
Sure it's fine to say "I am going to tone my butt and thighs" but if you are using a program that may not be correct for your body type you can easily, and unintentionally, increase the size of both of them!
How to Reduce or Increase Your Butt and Thighs!
Cardio
Cardio exercise plays an important part in how you can change or alter the size of your thighs and butt.
To decrease the size of your butt use a continual higher intensity style cardio program. So this would be around 45-55 mins at a challenging pace. You'll need to perform around 5-6 sessions per week.
To increase your butt and thighs try using intervals for which you perform stints of "sprints" or increase the intensity to really help your butt and thigh muscles burn. Around 35 minutes (up to 45 mins) going from low intensity, then moderate, then flat out then back to low intensity, moderate and back up to another short stint of flat out and so on. You can run up bleaches then walk down, do sprint drills at the track sprinting 100 meters then walking back. You get my drift. Do this around 3 times per week. 4 times if you're trying to nip some more body fat in the bud.
Resistance Exercise
It is important that you perform a full body workout, rather than just concentrating on your butt and thighs. This will help increase your metabolism and help bring your body into proportion.
If you're pear shaped and your butt / thigh areas are much larger than your upper body you'll need to help break down the muscle and fat. To do this perform lunges - as many as you safely can per set. Your reps per set can can range from 12-15 reps per leg through to 50+ depending on how advanced you are with your leg training. Remember only do what you can! Walking lunges are best but if you don't have room then stationery lunges are fine.
Don't use any weights (no dumbbells etc, nothing) just perform the lunges until your muscles start to really burn. Do this once (beginners) two (intermediate) three times (advanced) per week for around 12 weeks. Once you've completed this you can start using other leg / butt exercises but make sure you keep the weights low or light and the reps high around 20-25. Exercises like step-ups off benches etc are also great - don't use any weights, just lots of reps.
To increase your thighs and butt perform squats with heavier weights and keep your reps to around 6-12 per set. Leg press, squats, lunges, wide stanced squats, deadlifts are all great. Depending on your fitnesslevel including medicine ball exercises in your leg training once every few weeks will help develop your butt and thigh muscles to new heights that you didn't think were possible. Your current fitness level will determine what you can or can't / shouldn't do. There are "beginners" medicine ball exercises you can do as well.
Once you've got your butt and thighs to a size that you're happy with then you can reduce the weights to moderate with reps of around 10-12 to maintain the muscle you've built up. You can then add some exercises such as leg extensions and leg curls etc to add more definition to your legs.
Obviously if you have knee or joint problems you'll need to seek advice from a trainer to create a program that suits your specific needs. AND ALWAYS before starting a program like this check with your doctor to ensure he / she gives you permission first!
Low Fat Eating Program
I know you think low-fat eating is boring but it's not. Although if you choose to make it boring and choose not to experiment with low fat foods then I guess it would be. There are so many great options out there for low fat eating now there is now excuses - really low fat food can be really yummy!
In regards to increasing or decreasing your butt and thighs...To decrease them taper off your carbs like potato, rice, pasta, grains, fruit after lunch. Choose brown carbs and / or fruit for breaky, morning snack and lunch along with proteinof course. Include greens for lunch. After lunch stick with greens and protein as much as possible. Add some flaxseed oil to one of these meals (around 1 tablespoon).
To increase your butt and thighs... two options... the same as above if you're trying to cut back on body fat. If not, once again, choose brown carbs and / or fruit for breaky, morning snack and lunch along with protein. Once again some greens for lunch. For your afternoon snack and dinner include greens, brown carbs and protein. Choose one meal to add 1 tablesoon of flaxseed oil.
A low fat "simple to follow eating program" is vital when re-shaping your body and will determine whether or not you achieve your re-shaping program goals. Your workout/s and eating program work hand in hand to help stimulate your metabolism to burn body fat and to help re-shape and tone muscle.
General Low Fat Eating Tips
Use brown carbs such as whole grain bread and sweet potatoes over white potato, white rice, white bread and pasta. Keep refined and simple carbs to a minimum.
Cut out as many bad fats from your diet as possible.
Don't use high oil sauces, dressings or too much margarine or butter in your meals.
Cut fat and skin off your meat and "grill" - do not fry your meat!
Eat decent servings of fresh fruit and veggies.
Eat 5-6 smaller regualr meals per day.
Increase your lean protein intake such as meat, chicken, seafood, protein shakes, egg whites, cottage cheese. Your protein shake must low in fat, fairly low in carbohydrates and high in protein.
Include EFA's in your eating plan
And remember before starting any exercise or eating program you should consult your doctor first. The above may not suit everyone - especially if you have certain carbohydrate requirements within a prescribed diet for a medical condition.
Happy training folks,
Yours in fun, health and fitness
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