How To Lose Leg Fat: Exercises And Other Methods

Maybe your like

Medical News TodaySubscribe

Human Biology

What are the best ways to lose leg fat?

Medically reviewed by Danielle Hildreth, RN, CPT — Written by Mia Blake — Updated on January 31, 2025

Key strategies
Strength training
Aerobic exercise
Dietary changes
Limit alcohol
Manage stress
Quality sleep
Liposuction
Summary

Losing fat in the legs and thighs involves a combination of exercises that tone the leg muscles and general changes to support weight loss.

Everyone has some leg fat, but the amount varies from person to person.

It is not possible to lose weight in just one area of the body, but certain exercises can help tone and strengthen the legs. Meanwhile, these exercises and other strategies can help reduce body fat overall.

This article looks at ways to tone the leg muscles and reduce body fat. Using a combination of the following techniques will be most effective.

Physical activity and fitness resources

Visit our dedicated hub for more research-backed information and in-depth resources on physical activity and fitness.

Top strategies for reducing leg fat

A person running on a track to lose leg fat. -2 — Augustas Cetkauskas/Getty Images

Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce body fat, including leg fat.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends a combination of strength training and aerobic exercise to experience the most benefits.

Try strength training

Strength training involves performing exercises against resistance to help build strength and muscular endurance. For example, a person may use dumbbells or resistance bands. Strength training builds lean body mass and may help decrease body fat.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends performing 8 to 10 multi-joint exercises two or three times a week. These exercises work various muscles simultaneously, burning more calories and encouraging weight loss.

Multi-joint strength training exercises that can help tone and define the leg muscles include:

squats
deadlifts
lunges
leg presses
hamstring curls

Do aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise is cardiovascular training that increases the heart rate and breathing rate. It includes activities such as:

running
cycling
swimming
dancing
walking

It might involve exercising steadily or at high and low intensity intervals. Aerobic exercise burns calories, which can promote overall fat loss and strengthen the heart and lungs.

Make dietary changes

No specific diet is best for reducing leg fat. In general, people lose weight if they burn more calories than they take in, and healthful foods, such as fruits and vegetables, usually have fewer calories.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends eating:

a variety of fruits and vegetables
whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat bread
protein from a range of sources, which may include beans, nuts, seeds, lean meats, and eggs
healthful oils, such as olive oil and nut oils

Eating plenty of high fiber foods can also help with weight loss. The body takes longer to digest these foods, so it may make a person feel fuller for longer.

Many people looking to lose weight turn to low carbohydrate diets, which emphasize foods with few carbs that are rich in protein and healthy fats. Investigations into whether low carb diets are more effective than others at promoting weight loss have returned mixed results, but some research supports their effectiveness.

It is worth noting that a healthful diet boosts well-being in many ways. Learn more about the benefits of healthy eating.

Reduce alcohol intake

If a person drinks alcohol, it can contribute to weight gain as it often contains high numbers of calories yet provides no nutritional value.

In addition, drinking large amounts of alcohol can lead to less healthy dietary choices, such as overeating. Avoiding overconsumption may help prevent weight gain and reduce unwanted leg fat.

Reduce stress

High levels of stress can damage health in various ways, including leading to changes in appetite, overeating, and excess weight gain.

A 2017 study found that participants with higher baseline stress levels gained more weight over 6 months than those with lower stress levels.

Finding ways to relax may help combat this issue. For example, a person can try:

meditation
deep breathing
box breathing
relaxation exercises

Get enough sleep

Not getting enough sleep may increase the likelihood of gaining weight.Sleep regulates various hormones, including those that affect hunger. For example, a lack of sleep affects the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which help regulate appetite.

Sleep deprivation increases ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, and decreases the production of leptin, a hormone that usually reduces hunger.

Getting enough sleep can help regulate hormone production. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 7 to 9 hours a night for adults.

Consider liposuction

Liposuction is a surgical option for removing unwanted body fat. If a person cannot lose a desired amount of weight through exercise, dietary strategies, and other lifestyle factors, they may wish to speak with a doctor about this option.

The procedure involves:

administering an anesthetic
injecting a solution to reduce localized blood loss and swelling
using high frequency vibration to break up fat cells
using a tube and vacuum to break up and remove fat through one or more small incisions
draining off excess blood and fluid
closing the incisions and applying a dressing

The procedure takes 1 to 3 hours, and the person may need to spend the night in the hospital.

It is worth noting that liposuction works best for people who plan to maintain a moderate weight.

Learn more about liposuction.

Costs and where to have it done

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the average cost of liposuction was $4,711 as of 2025. This does not include the costs of anesthesia, operating room facilities, and other expenses.

The total also depends on the surgeon’s experience, where the operation takes place, and the type of procedure.

Health insurance usually does not cover liposuction, but some surgeons offer financing plans.

A tool on the ASPS website can help a person find a surgeon in their area.

Summary

It is impossible to reduce fat in just one area, but lowering body weight, in general, can reduce fat in the legs. Overall, the best strategy combines strength training, aerobic exercise, dietary changes, and other adjustments to support a healthy lifestyle.

There are various ways to tweak the diet to contain fewer calories and more nutrients. Anyone interested in losing weight can discuss the most suitable option with a healthcare professional.

Nutrition / Diet
Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Sports Medicine / Fitness

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

About sleep. (2024).https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/
Calories in alcohol. (2023).https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/calories-in-alcohol/
Chao AM, et al. (2017). Stress, cortisol, and other appetite‐related hormones: Prospective prediction of 6‐month changes in food cravings and weight.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.21790
Eating & physical activity to lose or maintain weight. (2023).https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity/eating-physical-activity
Fiataraone-Singh M, et al. (2019). ACSM guidelines for strength training.https://www.acsm.org/blog-detail/acsm-certified-blog/2019/07/31/acsm-guidelines-for-strength-training-featured-download
How much does liposuction cost? (n.d.).https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction/cost
Liposuction. (2023).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction/
Papatriantafyllou E, et al. (2022). Sleep deprivation: Effects on weight loss and weight loss maintenance.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9031614/
Physical activity guidelines for Americans (2nd edition). (2018).https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/pdf/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Danielle Hildreth, RN, CPT — Written by Mia Blake — Updated on January 31, 2025

Latest news

Supplements that support gut health may also benefit skin health
Longevity: Here's how coffee may benefit healthy aging
5 healthy habits may help keep the brain younger, even with chronic pain
A 1-week social media break could boost your mental health
Certain changes in driving patterns may point to cognitive decline, dementia

Related Coverage

Ways to lose subcutaneous fatMedically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M.S., NASM-CPT, NASE Level II-CSS
Subcutaneous fat is the fat that is visible just under the skin. Causes include eating more food than is needed and not exercising enough. It can also…
READ MORE
How to reduce hip fatMedically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M.S., NASM-CPT, NASE Level II-CSS
To lose hip fat, a person can adjust their diet and exercise routine. Here, learn about exercises to tone the hips and the link between the diet and…
READ MORE
The 12 best ways to lose butt fat
People can reduce their overall body fat and strengthen and tone their butt and upper leg muscles by doing certain exercises and making lifestyle…
READ MORE
Between sleep and exercise, choose sleep, research suggests
Sleep is as important as exercise for health, new research emphasizes, advising that we first need proper rest in order to improve our physical…
READ MORE
Rybelsus and Reddit: Weight loss, heartburn, and other questions answered
Learn about Rybelsus and popular Reddit questiosn, such as taking the drug if you don't have type 2 diabetes, heartburn, and more.
READ MORE

Tag » How To Lose Leg Fat Men

Health Conditions

Health Products

News

Original Series

Podcasts

General Health

Health Tools

Quizzes

About Medical News Today

Find Community

Follow Us