Can Running a Lot Give You Skinnier Legs?

If you want to lose weight, the best way to do so is through a combination of a healthy diet that is high in vital nutrients and low in calories, and sustained, frequent physical activity. One of the best activities to partake in is running. Running burns calories at a quick pace, especially when compared to biking or using an elliptical. Burning more calories than you consume over time means that you’ll lose weight. However, there is no guarantee that losing weight will make any part of your body look skinnier than it is now. This is because everyone’s body is different. Everyone’s body stores fat—it needs to in order to survive. However, some bodies store fat in their butt, some in their stomach, some in their legs. Furthermore, everyone’s body loses weight differently. Some girls complain that the first place they lose weight is in their chest, while guys may complain about their calves. In general, if you are losing something like 20+ pounds, you’ll probably see results all over your body, even if certain spots are more responsive than others. As you might guess, losing weight in a particular area is especially hard if you’re already at a pretty healthy weight. In other words, if you only need to lose 10 pounds, you’re probably gonna lose that all over the place, and maybe only 10-20 percent of that will come from your legs, stomach, or wherever. Another thing to remember is that simply working one area of your body does not mean that it’s going to suddenly ripple with fitness, especially if you’re engaging in aerobic activity. This is because spot-training only provides mild benefits. For instance, say you really want to have great arms, so you work your biceps every day. Well, you might have the strongest biceps in your neighborhood, but if you’re not burning fat, you probably won’t be able to see them. The effects are even less so if you’re only running—aerobic exercise ensures that the muscles in your legs will become stronger, but not necessarily more toned. This would only happen if you’re burning enough calories that your body starts burning fat from your legs. The best way to get skinnier legs is to burn as many calories as possible—run, lift weights, swim, etc. Lose enough weight and you’ll burn fat all over your body. [cjniche keywords="treadmill" listing="3"]