How to Get Skinnier Legs

Co-authored by Danny Gordon and Annabelle Reyes

Last Updated: October 9, 2024 Fact Checked

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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 in your legs as you lose fat.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Using Easy Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

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1
Do lunges. Lunges are a great way to tone your legs.^{[1]
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Research source} 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 your 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.
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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:^{[2]
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Research source}
- 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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Bike riding provides a shockingly high caloric burn of about 480-672 calories an hour, making it one of the best exercises for reducing body fat.^{[3]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

Go to source} 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.^{[4]
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Research source}
First, lay flat on your back on the floor (you can use a towel or a yoga mat to make this more comfortable). Raise both of your legs until they are perpendicular with the floor. Then alternate lowering each leg, starting with 10 repetitions at a time.^{[5]
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Lie on your right side and place your left arm on the floor in front of you for support and balance. Raise your left leg up slightly higher than hip level. While your leg is raised, trace a small circle with your foot. Do 8 circles in a forward direction, then reverse and do 8 more circles backwards. Next, switch to your other side and repeat with your right leg.^{[6]
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Try to walk for about 30 minutes per day to see results.^{[7]
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Research source} You can also count your steps to track your progress. Walking 10,000 steps per day is a great goal if you’re hoping to lose weight and tone your legs. You can work your way up to this by adding 1,000 extra steps per day every two weeks.^{[8]
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Mayo Clinic
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7
Go running. Running uses more energy than walking, which in turn helps burn fat. Try to go on a run about three times per week to start seeing results. However, make sure to start slow and gradually increase the duration and intensity of your runs, especially if you’re new to running.^{[9]
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Research source}
- When running, choose a route that is particularly flat. Up-hill helps build the muscles of the legs and buttocks.
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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
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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.
Rebounding is a type of cardio exercise performed on a mini trampoline. The exercises you can perform on these trampolines include marching, prancing/jogging, single leg bounces, high knees, and jump squats. Rebounding burns a lot of calories, and you’ll have fun at the same time. It also works out your muscles, leading to a more toned appearance.^{[10]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Doing Exercises at the Gym

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Swimming helps you gain muscle and burn fat.^{[11]
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Research source}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 stronger, do more laps. Try to do this 1-2 times a week to see results.
Lie down on an exercise mat, and place the ball in front of you at your feet. Place your feet on top of the ball and lift your hips up. Slowly bend your legs and drag your heels to roll the ball towards your hips. Do this until you can no longer go anymore, and make sure your hips don't fall to the floor.^{[12]
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Research source}
Exercising on an elliptical machine burns 270-378 calories in just 30 minutes, making it an excellent workout for losing weight.^{[13]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

Go to source} It also works out your leg muscles, which can make your legs appear thinner and more toned.

Part 3

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Eating A Healthy Diet

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Protein is filling and good for maintaining muscle tone. Make sure to include protein sources such as beans, tofu, fish, chicken, or turkey in your diet.^{[14]
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Fruits and veggies are good sources of dietary fiber, which helps you feel fuller for longer.^{[15]
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Research source} This helps you avoid overeating and potentially lose weight, which can make your legs appear thinner.
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Drink lots of water. Drinking more water can help you lose weight by suppressing your appetite, stimulating your metabolism, improving your workout performance, and flushing out toxins.^{[16]
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Research source} It also has the added benefit of keeping 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 come from only water— it can include fluids from other beverages and foods as well.^{[17]
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  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  
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- Try to 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.
Foods like cookies, ice cream, cake, and fried foods tend to be higher in calories.^{[18]
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Research source} Overconsumption of these foods can lead to weight gain, which can make your legs appear less thin.
Foods that are high in salt include processed meats, salted nuts, crackers, chips, and cheeses. Eating too much of these types of foods can cause bloating, puffiness, and swelling in certain parts of your body, including your ankles and feet, as well as weight gain.^{[19]
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Research source} All of this may lead to your legs appearing less thin.

Part 4

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Using General Tips

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Don't expect to lose the weight from just your legs. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to target one specific area of your body to lose fat. When you’re dieting and exercising, your body burns fat and uses it as energy, but it burns fat from many areas, not just your legs. If you’re hoping to get your legs to appear thinner, you’ll likely need to lose weight in general, which will lead to other parts of your body appearing thinner, too.^{[20]
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Research source}
- Spot-training, or working one area of your body at a time, has its advantages when it comes to toning specific muscles, but it won’t make fat disappear from just that location.
- Ultimately, it’s important to know that leg exercises alone won’t give you suddenly-skinny legs— you’ll need to reduce your overall body fat levels to see results.
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.^{[21]
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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Research and education center within the National Institutes of Health

Go to source} 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.
Some people have bigger legs because of genetics, and that often can’t be changed with diet or exercise. If you’re healthy and active, but your leg shape just doesn’t seem to be changing, it may be helpful to embrace and accept yourself. It sounds cheesy, but you’re truly beautiful and worthy just the way you are! Anybody who genuinely cares about you won't care one bit about how “skinny” your legs are—they’ll love you for you.

How Do I Quickly Slim Down My Legs?

Sample Exercises and Routine

Exercise Routine for Skinnier Legs

Exercises for Skinnier Legs

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Question

Will jumping help me lose my leg fat?

Michele Dolan
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Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

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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.

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

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

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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.

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What exercises reduce thigh size?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

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Expert Answer

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

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Try doing exercises and stretches when you wake up in the morning and before you go to bed.

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Don't be afraid to change your exercise from time to time by doing something new. Old routines can get stagnant and your body will fall into an exercise rut.

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Go to a local swimming pool and swim a few laps.

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Your looks are largely influenced by your genetics—not everyone’s body is built to have thin legs. Focus your energy on improving your body, not trying to get someone else’s.
Don’t try to lose weight by overly restricting your diet. If you don’t eat enough calories a day your body will go into starvation mode and start retaining more fat.

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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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