In some perfect fantasy world, you could choose exactly where you want to lose weight.
But if you’re specifically wondering how to lose hip fat, there are some changes you can make to your diet and exercise plan (and your attitude toward life in general) that make losing hip fat a more doable endeavor.
The procedure for removing thigh fat is basically the same as the procedure for removing fatty tissue on any other part of the body; arms, legs, stomach, etc.
The goal is to reduce your overall body weight percentage by eating less and moving and exercising more.
So what exactly can you do to get rid of hip fat?
In the rest of the article, find out the most effective strategies for losing fat on the hips and long-term weight loss results.
Exercises for removing fat from the hips
First, these are exercises you can add to your routine to tighten and tone your hips and lower abdomen.
1. Gluteal resistance training
You’ll be able to target those love handles to some extent – just be aware that the results will be visible all over your body when you’re aiming to reduce body fat.
The best way that will also shape your butt is to target your glutes.
Strong resistance training in all three gluteal muscles. Your gluteus maximus is the largest muscle that makes up your butt. This is important to hit when the main concern is losing weight in the hips because they should shape your butt so that the muscle becomes tight and stretches even more, giving the illusion of less fat on the hips.
Exercises that target the glutes are big lifts like:
deadlifts of all kinds, squats, and running up the stairs.
Also, the areas that are often missed are the actual muscles you want to target to create toned, lean hips, which are the gluteus minimus and medius.
The minimus and medius are located on the sides of your buttocks, higher in the upper region.
Great exercises to target those areas are:
clamshell standing and sitting hip abduction side shuffle
Basically, anything that moves your leg sideways away from your body.
2. Forget targeted training
Most personal trainers no longer support spot training, as scientific evidence confirms that it does not successfully remove fat in the targeted area.
The first place you gain weight will be the last place you lose weight, which is usually the stomach and hips.
Abdominal and hip exercises still help you tone that area; but the fastest way to lose excess body fat is to do exercises that generally burn excess fat (like those high-intensity exercises mentioned above).
3. Replace cardio with HIIT
Slow, steady cardio (long runs) will get you nowhere! It is one of the most commonly used and least effective ways to lose weight.
It’s advisable to replace your long runs with some harder, more aggressive intervals – also known as high-intensity interval training (HITT), a type of training that raises and sustains your heart rate to burn more fat in less time.
The way you do this is push your body to the max for 20 to 30 seconds of an exercise (like sprinting), then rest or do a less intense version of that exercise one to twice that amount, then keep repeating this pattern for 20 minutes .
4. Try barre training
It is best to do movements that involve several muscle groups because it is almost impossible to exercise one specific problem area.
Barre exercises are very effective because your body becomes a mechanism, and the muscles must work together to maintain balance.
It is important to combine sprints that include cardio as well as strength training. This combination gives fast results when you are trying to define and tone all the muscles.
5. Focus on basic exercises
We’ve already covered the unfortunate truth that we can’t choose where we lose and gain weight, which means spot training is vastly overrated.
Performing core strengthening exercises is important because a strong core will give you more strength in your exercises. And we already know that more muscle means smaller hips.
6. Get your lower body working too
If you want to slim your hips, think about your entire lower body. Focus on exercises that build long, lean muscles. This will lengthen the hamstrings and quadriceps, resulting in a leaner and toned lower body.
Exercises you should consider include opposite leg and arm raises and yoga-inspired moves like twisted chair and downward dog.
7. Do balance exercises
Balance exercises are a great way to slim your hips and melt your love handles.
For example, extend your leg into a lunge, then lift it and balance on one leg. This will work the core, glutes, outer and inner thighs to help strengthen the body.
8. Try pilates
One of the best exercises is to place a ball between your inner thighs and move into a bridge position by lifting your hips.
Squeeze the ball with your inner thighs 30 times, then lift your heels and repeat. Leave the ball and return to the bridge position again, squeeze the knees together and lift the hips 30 times.
This series can be repeated three to five times.
9. Think about metabolic fitness
Metcon (also known as metabolic conditioning) is the best way to train hard and train smart. Metcon is a way of exercising that builds a lean body and keeps that metabolism accelerated throughout the day; even when you stop exercising.
What does that mean to you? This means that even while watching TV, you will burn calories.
An example of a Metcon workout cycle would be doing burpees, squats, lunges and rows for 30 seconds each – at a high intensity – followed by a 30 second break; you repeat the circle five times.
How to lose hip fat with lifestyle changes
Besides sweating, there are other lifestyle changes that will help you shed those pounds and hopefully reduce the size of your hips.
10. Count your calories
Determine your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) – this is the total calories you burn daily through exercise and the calories needed for simple maintenance (sleep, digestion, walking, etc.).
Then determine your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) – this is the total calories needed to sustain life.
Let’s say your BMR is 1,400 and your TDEE is 2,500. You should cut calories or increase activity to create a 250-500 calorie deficit per day!
12. Eat more thermogenic foods
Different foods create different thermogenic reactions. Whenever you eat anything, it takes energy (calories) to turn that food into something you can metabolize.
There are certain foods that take a lot more energy to metabolize, so your body works harder to get the energy it takes and helps reduce your total calorie intake.
Some popular thermogenic ingredients are:
turmeric, garlic, coconut oil, green tea, cinnamon, apple, chili pepper (cayenne pepper) and salmon.
By combining resistance training with eating more thermogenic foods, we are more likely to put ourselves in a position to change our body composition from less fat to more muscle!
12. Be aware of powders
Watch out for powdered foods – including protein powder, peanut butter powder, and crystal clear.
In many cases, not only can you feel bloated, but they can also cause visible bulges in your hips.
13. But boost the protein
Although you may have to think twice about your protein powders, protein is good. Studies have shown that diets rich in lean protein have the best body composition.
They keep you fuller for longer and release hormones that help keep your body at a healthy weight. So eat those whole organic eggs with pride.
Chicken, turkey, fish, seafood, and nuts are also good options for protein, especially if you’re trying to shed fat from your hips.
14. Avoid diet-based foods
Stay away from foods labeled low-fat or sugar-free. Most of these diet foods are highly processed or use substitutes that have very little nutritional value.
Instead, a higher intake of fiber-rich, nutrient-rich foods like raw almonds, carrots and hummus, or apple slices dipped in raw honey is recommended, all of which provide energy and keep you full between meals.
It is recommended to steam or boil vegetables whenever you can to get the most nutrients from them.
15. Monitor your fiber intake
Pay attention to how much fiber you consume; they are amazing for satiety and important for gut health and optimal digestion.
If you eat fiber-rich foods and don’t drink a lot of water, you’ll get gassy and notice bloating, which looks a lot like fat, but isn’t.
16. Eat more fat
Studies show that diets rich in healthy fats are better for your hips. So don’t feel so bad if you ate half a jar of peanut butter at midnight last night.
Also, good sources of healthy fats are:
Nuts, dark chocolate, fatty ribachia seeds, avocado, extra virgin olive oil.
17. Drink some caffeine
Although caffeine has advantages and disadvantages, coffee has always been shown to improve sports performance.
Drink your drink a few minutes before your workout and it’ll give you a boost to help you tackle those calorie- and hip-fat-burning exercise moves.
18. Eat lean meat
Tender cuts of meat from organic production are powerful amino acid products.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, protein is the building block of muscle, and muscle keeps you lean.
19. Drink more water
Think you’re hungry? Chances are you’re dehydrated and that’s messing up your metabolism.
Watching your water intake is especially important if you consume a lot of sodium, which is dehydrating (this is the case if your diet contains a lot of processed foods).
Remember that food can be an excellent source of water – think watermelon and cucumbers.