Exercises, Diet, and Care for Slim Legs: How to Tone and Relieve Fatigue

We have gathered useful tips, exercises, and effective care for perfect legs.

Say Goodbye to Swelling

Very often, the cause of excess weight and volume is not fat, but swelling. If in the evening your shoes start to feel tight, even though you had no problem putting them on in the morning, or if, after taking off tight clothes, marks from seams or zippers remain on your body, then your issue is swelling.

Legs tend to swell more than other parts of the body, but this process can also affect the face, most commonly under the eyes.

To get rid of swelling, you should first pay attention to the quality of water you drink. Mineral water without gas and green tea work best to cleanse the body, speed up lymph flow, and remove excess liquid. And, of course, don’t forget to drink a glass of water on an empty stomach and another 1.5 liters throughout the day. This will improve your metabolism and help eliminate swelling.

A Diet for Slim Legs

It’s simple: reduce the intake of fast carbohydrates – bread, potatoes, pasta, sugar, and sweets (or better, cut them out completely) – while increasing the amount of vegetables and fruits. Always eat breakfast, and don’t eat for at least three hours before bedtime (though you can drink a glass of kefir before bed).

A Handy Tip

Whenever you crave something sweet or feel an unstoppable urge to visit the fridge, allow yourself a treat, but do 20 squats as well. This way, you'll not only burn off the calories you consumed but also tone your legs and butt.

The Most Effective Exercises for Legs

Leg exercises have an excellent side effect: almost all of them significantly tone the thighs and buttocks.

For Calves and Shins

Squats with a heel lift will tone the lower part of the legs and make them more defined. This exercise is simple: stand with your feet wider than your shoulders, squat down, and at the lowest point, lift your heels off the floor. Then lower your heels, stand up from the squat, and lift your heels again at the top. Lunges with a knee bend are also great for toning calves.

For the Back of the Thighs and Buttocks

Get into a plank position and lift your hips upward, like in the downward dog pose. Begin swinging both legs alternately while trying to keep your torso still. Lift your legs as high as possible to feel the back of your thighs working.

Another simple but very effective exercise is leg swings while lying on your stomach. It's recommended to do this at the end of your workout.

For the Outer Thighs

The most effective exercise for eliminating "saddlebags" is leg swings from a side plank position on one knee. These put maximum load on the problem area. Also helpful are circular leg rotations while lying on your side and side-step squats.

For the Inner Thighs

To tone the inner thigh area, try diagonal leg swings while squatting. Perform a regular squat, but as you rise, swing your leg diagonally.

Diagonal lunges in place are also recommended. This exercise works not only the thigh muscles but also the glutes and lower abdomen. The simplest exercise, which can be done anytime, is side leg swings.

For Intense Weight Loss

Classic cardio exercises burn the most calories, accelerate circulation and lymphatic flow, and melt fat in problem areas. The best for this are all kinds of jumps. Trainers recommend scissor jumps (crossing your legs in the air), squat jumps, and plank jumps.

NB: The most enjoyable way to lose inches on your legs – and not just your legs – is, of course, swimming. It helps not only with weight loss but also with shaping a beautiful silhouette.

Effective Care for Beautiful Legs

It's best to apply creams using self-massage, which also tones and tightens the skin, relieves fatigue and swelling, and prevents cellulite.

The main rule of leg self-massage is to start at the toes and move upwards. The movements should be gentle and smooth at first, and as the skin warms up, they should become more vigorous and intense. Don't forget to massage the feet as well – studies show that foot massages help normalize blood pressure, improve sleep, and relieve stress.