If you’re looking to tone your butt and thighs, you’ve come to the right place! Not only will working these areas help you slim down your legs and lift your bum, but strengthening your lower body helps you sit, stand, run, walk and jump, and do regular everyday activities with ease. Plus, your glutes play a key role in hip and lower back stability. Along with a well-rounded healthy diet and active lifestyle, these butt and thigh workouts will help you slim down, tone up and feel better all around!
What Causes Lower Body Weight Gain?
Weight gain can happen for numerous reasons, from poor sleep to sedentary activities to eating too many processed or sugary foods. Where fat is stored in your body mostly has to do with genetics, so if you notice lower body weight gain, it’s likely your mother and grandmother gain weight in this area too.
Consuming more calories than you burn per day can lead to excess weight gain. Mindless eating, frequent snacking and eating calorie-rich but nutrient-poor foods are all surefire ways to add unwanted calories and if you don’t lead an active lifestyle, this only makes things worse. This doesn’t only mean working out, but also walking as much as you can. Exercising is super important, but if the rest of your time is spent sitting in a chair, in the car or on a couch, you need to make some lifestyle changes.
High stress levels can also cause weight gain. When your cortisol levels stay elevated for a prolonged period, your body continues storing fat, which leads to weight gain. Poor sleep also contributes to weight gain, as it messes with your hunger hormones. Sleeping too little raises ghrelin, the hormone that signals it’s time to eat, and lowers leptin, the hormone that tells you that you’re full. The combination makes overeating after a bad sleep much too common.
Weight gain can also be due to medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Certain medications, such as antidepressants and beta-blockers can also lead to weight gain, as can perimenopause and menopause. If you’re noticing substantial changes in your weight, your mood is worsening and you’re becoming less and less active, it’s worth talking to your doctor about it. If you know your weight gain has to do with your lifestyle and you’re looking to make some healthy changes, we’re here to help!
5 Lower Body Exercise Essentials to Invest In
1. Workout Mat
2. Dumbbells
3. Resistance Bands
4. Kettlebell
5. Ankle Weights
7 Best Butt and Thigh Workouts
1. 15 Min Thigh and Booty Sculpt (Toned Glutes, Inner & Outer Thighs, No Equipment) | MadFit
This is a dancer/ballet inspired workout to help tone and sculpt lean legs and glutes. It’s a 15 minute inner and outer thigh workout that features moves like sumo squats, side lunges, leg lifts, and in-air butterflies. It doesn’t use any equipment, all you need is a workout mat! Get ready to feel the burn!
2. Resistance Band Glute Kick Back
This is one of the best exercises to tone your thighs and sculpt your booty. Start on your hands and knees, placing one end of a long resistance band around your right foot and the other end on your left thigh, just above your knee. Engage your abs tight, contract your glutes slowly and kick the right leg back until it’s straight. When your right leg is fully extended squeeze the glutes for an extra second and then carefully bring it back down. Do 10 reps then repeat on the other side. Repeat the whole sequence 3 times.
3. Kettlebell Swing
Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart, with your knees slightly bent and your torso leaning forward at 45 degrees. Hold the handle of a kettlebell with both hands- your arms should be extending straight towards the floor. Squeeze your glutes, straighten your legs, lift your torso and thrust your hips forward all in one motion, swinging the kettlebell to chest height. Then reverse the motion, bringing the kettlebell back between the thighs and hinge forward. Repeat this motion 10 to 15 times.
4. Legs and Booty Workout // No Equipment | Heather Robertson
This is another great at home butt and thigh workout that doesn’t require any equipment but still gets the job done! It contains all body-weight exercises that will help with strength and toning and will set your lower booty on fire. Get ready for moves like leg bridges, rear pulses, side lunge hops and curtsy pulses. Although you don’t need any equipment for this workout, she suggests adding ankle weights or a resistance band if you want some added resistance.
5. Walking Lunges with Dumbbells
Start standing with your feet together, holding a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height with your elbows bent in front of your body. Step your right foot forward and bend your knees to lower down into a lunge, stopping when both legs form a 90 degree angle. Press through the right heel to stand, then step your left foot forward, lowering into a lunge. Repeat for 30 seconds.
6. Single Leg Deadlift
Start standing on the right leg with your left leg slightly back behind your body, with your toes pointed and resting on the floor. Place your right arm on your hip and your left arm extended straight down at your side. Engage your abs and slowly lean forward, lifting your left leg straight back behind your body and lowering your torso toward the floor until both are parallel to the ceiling and your left hand is almost touching the floor. Press through the right heel to return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Repeat for 30 seconds.
7. 15 Min Slim Legs & Round Butt Workout – Lose Thigh Fat | Mary Braun
If you’re looking to tone your legs and grow your booty, this is the workout for you. You’ll do moves like squats with leg lifts, donkey kicks, flutter booty kicks and straight leg holds. Her best tip? Mind to muscle connection is super important. Focus on your glutes at all times during this workout and always squeeze and engage your booty as much as you can for the best results!
Ready to tone up and slim down your lower body? These butt and thigh workouts are all you need!
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