It is often the fat deposited around the hips and thighs which people find the most difficult to reduce. Melting away the stubborn fat around the hips requires an effective fat loss program such as the one outlined in this article.
The hips and thighs naturally accumulate fatty deposits, especially in women. Women typically have higher body fat levels compared to men, which in evolutionary terms have acted as energy reserves during pregnancy. Melting away stubborn hip fat is challenging and requires a sound and effective approach.
Diet plan
Firstly, let’s take a look a suitable diet plan. The following plan is generic and only illustrates one day. In reality you will probably want to tweak the meals and timings so they fit your tastes and lifestyle. It is also vital that you eat a varied diet and do not stick to the same foods every day. Hopefully the following plan will give you a general idea on food choices and timings.
| Wake | 45 minutes of cardiovascular training |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | 25-30g of porridge oats in skimmed milk Freshly squeezed orange juice |
| Mid-morning | Low fat yogurt |
| Lunch | Chicken and salad sandwich Fruit |
| Mid-afternoon | Dried fruit |
| Tea | Chicken breast 25g wholegrain rice Side of salad/veg |
Note: drink plenty of fluids, preferably water or weak juice, throughout the day
The above plan aims to create a general calorie deficit whilst still providing the broad spectrum of nutrients required for a healthy lifestyle.
Exercises for reducing hip fat
To reduce the fat around the hips we need to perform exercises which reduce overall levels of body fat. Unfortunately, it is not really possibly to spot reduce fat from the hips with specific exercises, so those who do endless hula-hoops and twisting sit ups are diverting their efforts away from the exercises which are going to make a real difference to their waist line.
That said, including exercises within our training program which do effectively exercise the muscles around the hips will help us create a more defined and athletic appearance when combined with fat loss.
As shown in the diet plan, thirty to sixty minutes of steady state cardio training first thing in the morning has proved itself to be an effective fat burning approach. If you do not have enough time in the morning we would advise a session of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) in the evening, prior to your evening meal. Alternatively, a thirty to sixty minute steady state cardio session can be used in the evening if you’d prefer. Four to five cardio sessions per week will suffice when combined with a suitable diet plan, such as the one outlined above. This should lead to significant fat loss.
How about exercises to develop and shape the hips?
Squat
The squat is a perfect exercise for targeting the butt, thighs, hips and core. You can perform squats at home using your own bodyweight, or make the exercise more challenging by holding onto some weighted objects such as 2 litre drink bottles. At the gym you can perform barbell squats, or if you’d prefer; the leg press machine.
Side Bridge
Another great exercise for the hips is the side bridge. You can perform this as an isometric exercise (where you hold the position for a count), or a dynamic exercise for reps.
Russian twists
Russian twists target the oblique muscles which fan down the side of the torso. Perform the exercise whilst in an incline position, focusing on squeezing the obliques instead of overly rotating the shoulders.