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How Can I Slim Down My Legs?

Filed under: Fitness, Your Personal Trainer: Joe Dowdell

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I’m not sure how typical my problem is, but I have horrible legs. I have really buff calves, a lot of fat around my knees and strong thighs. I usually have problems finding jeans (since my thighs are wider than my hips) and I cannot wear short dresses because my fatty calves with fatty knees stick out. — Ana

Like many women, you’ve got a few trouble spots — and while it’s true that it’s difficult to “spot reduce” and that losing fat overall is always the key to getting the physique you’re after, where you store fat does give a clue as to underlying hormonal issue that might be causing you to have a difficult time shedding that fat. When in doubt, get back to basics: Training smart and regularly in conjunction with good nutrition habits 90 percent of the time. Also, add in other critical factors: sleep well, manage your stress and drink enough water (three to four liters is usually plenty for most women).

Many women are doing most things right. This is where hormonal imbalances come into play. If you’ve got everything in line and are still struggling, it may be a good idea to seek out the advice of a licensed heath care practitioner that’s not only skilled in functional medicine, but also who specializes in fat loss. This will help you bust through a plateau and target specific issues in a safe way. For me, education and keeping up with the latest fat loss research is the key to getting good results and keeping my clients healthy. I’ve found that physicians trained in functional medicine are the most up-to-date on breaking hormonal research — and application of that research. Naturopathic doctor, fat loss specialist and co-author of my book “Ultimate You” Brooke Kalanick has a keen understanding of nutrition, biochemistry and endocrinology (the study of hormones), which made her the perfect complement to my work.

One final thing to keep in mind is just that — your mind. Careful what you say about those legs! Don’t describe them as horrible; those negative statements won’t move you forward. Start to think of the lean, strong legs you are after — then get to work on them. Here are my thoughts for your workout:

Try following the program that I developed for America Takes It Off. Before beginning the actual workout, always start with a dynamic warm up so that your body is properly prepared for the resistance training routine. Next, follow the strength training routine and cardio routine on the days in between the strength training workouts and you will be well on your way to getting leaner all over. Let me know how things work out for you. Good luck!

Find more ways to tone your lower half with these moves to get rid of saddlebags.

Whether you’re looking to bulk up, slim down, or get fit for a particular match or race, That’s Fit has you covered. Joe Dowdell, personal trainer, strength coach and co-owner of one of Men’s Health’s top 10 gyms in America, is available to answer all of your training questions. Please send your questions to personaltrainer [AT] thatsfit [DOT] com. You can also follow Joe on Twitter.

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