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How Can I Trim My Thighs and Calves?
Posted on Mar 21st 2011 11:00AM by Harley PasternakFiled Under: Fitness, Get Fit with Harley Pasternak
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Ahhhh... the classic "target tone" question! Unfortunately, you cannot select a specific area in your body to lose fat from at a greater rate of volume than another part.
In general, hormones (and more specifically gender) and genetics dictate where we store fat first, and where we burn it first. Women usually gain fat in the thighs, butt, breasts and back-of-the-arms first, and lose it there last. This fat distribution is called gynoid, or pear shape, fat distribution. Men usually gain fat in their belly first, which is also last to go. This is referred to as android, or apple shape, fat distribution.
Contrary to popular belief, it's impossible to "prioritize" where your body will shed fat first. That's right, all the crunches in the world will only give you strong abs -- underneath a wall of fat!
Moreover, by "overdoing" certain exercises in the hope of leaning out a specific body part, you can actually give yourself the appearance of having a larger body part and cause an injury.
Many of my female readers do thousands of lunges and squats in an effort to lean out their thighs. By over-training these body parts relative to the rest of their body, they may actually build muscle mass and end up with larger legs. They may also create a strength imbalance by under-training opposing muscles and cause knee, lower back and hip injuries.
So, if you want to lean out your calves and thighs (or any other body part for that matter), eat well, do daily cardio, and stay consistent with a balanced resistance training program.
Pasternak's first book, "5-Factor Fitness," was a No. 1 top seller in its category at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com, and his second book, "5-Factor Diet," hit the New York Times Best Sellers list. On the heels of this success, Pasternak released "The 5-Factor World Diet" in January 2010, which outlines the essence of the world's healthiest cultures and reveals their regimens for living healthy lives.
