Working the Inner Thighs

When it comes to body tone, one problem area for many people is the inner thighs. This region tends to be even more of a concern for women.

Ask a trainer what the top concerns of his female clients are and the inner thighs will probably be on the list of items. It’s strange that while the other muscles of the thigh, the quads and the hamstrings, are fairly well-known, many people cannot even give the name of the muscles on the inside of the upper leg. They are known as the hip adductors or simply the adductors.

A good starting point and a compliment to a workout program is a diet directed at dropping fat. Cutting back on sugar, white flour and other carbohydrates such as these should help. However, do not attempt to totally stop the intake of carbohydrates. Instead, consume whole wheat and whole grain products. It probably will not be news to learn that the diet should also include lots of fruits and vegetables. Avoid carbonated and caffeinated drinks as well. Drink plenty of water in place of these drinks.

While working on diet changes, you can begin workouts. Try the outer thigh lift.

Lie on your side and use your forearm to push your upper body into a nearly upright position. With the bottom leg bent in a comfortable position, lift the top leg at a forty-five degree angle in front of you. Slowly raise the foot of the top leg off the floor to a height of six inches. Hold for a second and slowly lower to just above the floor. Then repeat the motion nine more times for a total of ten repetitions.

Once you have completed the first ten reps, roll over and do the other leg. Try to do at least three set of ten reps with each leg. You can increase the number as you get used to the exercise.

Incline Walking for Weight Loss

Have you been noticing a little extra weight around the middle of your body and want to do something about it, but can’t seem to find the time?

If you answered in the affirmative, do not be discouraged. There are millions of people in the same situation. As we age, most of us gain weight. The reasons are varied. We spend less time exercising and playing and generally lead less active lives.

Our body changes and metabolism slows down so that we no longer burn those calories like we did when we were kids and teenagers. Of course, women put on weight when they are pregnant and often have difficulty getting back to their pre-baby weight once they have given birth. Regardless of the reason, people tend to add pounds with age.

This explains why the weight-loss industry is so large and lucrative. Eating a well-balanced diet is a healthy way to drop the extra weight and even more so when incorporated with exercise. For that unwanted weight on and around the hips, incline walking can be the perfect tool.

When someone tells you to walk to lose weight what comes to mind? A leisurely stroll around the block, accompanied by your significant other or your dog is not quite what we have in mind. Incline walking gets the same results as traditional walking in a much shorter time. The exercise concentrates on the butt, hips and legs and also the waistline.

Find a treadmill and set the incline to fifteen degrees. Then walk for twenty to thirty minutes each time you workout. How quickly you see results will depend on how many times a week you get on the machine. Five times a week would be great.

This is a low impact skill and should not create significant discomfort.

Weight Loss – Hooping Off the Pounds

Remember when the hula hoop was all the rage? Every kid had to have one and teenagers and young adults alike were using the circular phenomenon that was sweeping the nation.

While the peak of popularity for this item is decades behind us, it is still around. Occasionally, youngsters can still be seen playing with the toys in the yard. They always seem to be having a great time with something so simple. It was a great idea for a toy, but the scope of this toy may go beyond backyard fun for the children.

You may not have noticed, but hula hoops have made their way into the workout world. It turns out that while all those people were having fun using the instrument as a means of entertainment they were at the same time burning calories and specifically toning the mid-section.

The great thing about using this recreational device for body shaping is that you don’t have to follow any rigid routine. Just get a hoop and get to playing. The activity will shape the hips and thighs (quads, abductors and hamstrings), reduce the waistline and tone the calves.

Hopefully, you will be having so much fun that staying motivated will not be an issue. Try to get in the habit of doing at least ten minutes each day. Of course this may vary as your schedule does, but ten minutes shouldn’t be too much to ask of yourself considering the rewards in the area of health and confidence gained from the activity.

Here are a couple suggestions to help you proceed with the least amount of difficulty.

Buy a special hoop, one that weighs about five pounds. These tend to be easier than the original version to keep in motion. It can be discouraging if the thing spends twice as mush time on the ground as it does on your hips. Also, make sure the toy is forty two inches in diameter. The extra size will cause the hoop to twirl more slowly and again keep it on the hips rather than on the ground.

Now you are ready to start. Why should the kids have all the fun?