Jiggles are for Jello... Not Your Thighs

Inner thigh jiggle... yet another "blessing" for most women!  This "problem area" is one of the most common for women along with the backs of our arms.  As we know, spot reduction is not possible so you have to eat smart/healthy and exercise to reduce your overall body fat in order to see a change in these areas. 

You can, however, work to tone up the area while also working to lose the body fat.  Inner thigh workouts can often be performed anywhere, anytime and many don't even require that you're at the gym.  Remember when you are performing any exercise to focus intensely on the muscles that you are targeting. 

Just 15 minutes of exercise three times a week can be enough to shape and tone your thighs once your body fat is in your ideal range.  After about 2 months you'll begin seeing much more definition.  There are a number of inner thigh workouts that you can incorporate into your routine to target this area, I have listed a few here for you:

• Stair runs - Running up the stairs is a great place to start!  You will not only be toning up your thighs but you will be burning fat as well.  If you've got stairs in your house, just run up them and walk back down.  Do this for 10 minutes, 6 days a week and you'll quickly see results.
• Lying leg pull - Lie on your back with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor.  Bring the sole of your right foot to the thigh of your left.  Then bring your right leg up towards your chest using your hands to pull the leg.  Lower back down and repeat for as many as you can.  Then do the same with your other leg.
• Wide leg ball squats - Squats are great for the overall tone of your legs and for building muscle.  If you can't get to the gym or would prefer not to you can be just as successful doing them at home using the wall as support.  Standing with a wide stance is even better as it really targets the area.  So, start by standing with your legs about 34 inches apart, then keep your back straight and slide down the wall into your squat.  Try to get to a 90 degree angle, hold for a few seconds then bring yourself back up again, keeping your back straight the whole time.  Repeat as many as you can, then do another 3 sets.  Do this 3 times per week.
• To add further intensity to this workout regime, try adding weight to your squats by either holding hand weights or wrist weights.  Make sure you keep your back perfectly straight and push up from your heels when you reach the bottom of your squat.  You will really feel the workout on your inner thighs.
• Step ups - Using a step, bench or even a low, sturdy coffee table, step up on your right leg then bring your left leg up towards your chest.  Step back down and repeat on your left leg.  Repeat as many times as you can.
• Using an exercise ball - Place the exercise ball between your knees and squeeze for 2-3 seconds, release and repeat 10 times for as many sets as you can.  The key is repetition.  You can perform this exercise sitting or lying down and if you don't have an exercise ball you can use a pillow.
• Lunges - You can use dumbbells or wrist weights to add extra intensity to lunges, which can be performed at home.  If you don't have weights at home, just grab a couple cans of food as a substitute.  Stand up straight with a weight in each hand, then stride forward with your right leg, far enough to form a right angle. Bend your knee further so the back knee almost touches the floor, hold for a few seconds and return to an upright position.  Repeat on both legs for as many reps as you can.

By incorporating these inner thigh workouts into your routine, you'll not only be able to tone up your inner thighs but you will also be increasing your metabolism thanks to the extra muscle you will build.  Muscle uses up more calories on a daily basis than fat does, so by having more muscle, you'll lose the fat even quicker!  In fact, having just one pound of muscle burns 30-50 fat calories every day, so think of the difference even more muscle can make!