6 Easy Exercises to Reduce Hip Fat and Thigh Fat

Excess fat around the hips and thighs can make our body look fluffy. Many of us go for aerobics and other exercises to get rid of it, while some may consider fat removal surgery to get rid of it instantly. However, treating it with some simple hip fat reduction exercises is possible.

This article will discuss seven easy exercises to reduce hip and thigh fat. To begin with, you can use an online body fat calculator to determine how much excess fat you have in your body. You may also consider measuring the girth of your hip/buttocks using an inch of tape and keeping a record. I recommend doing these exercises regularly for at least six months to see results. The exercises we will discuss today are designed to burn the fat around the hip area. By burning this fat, our hip size will gradually reduce, and our body fat will decrease.

#1 Semi-squat exercise to lose hip fat

One of the best exercises for reducing hip fat is the semi-squat. In this exercise, you must stand straight and keep your hands forward to maintain balance. Unlike regular squatting, where you sit down, in semi-squatting, you only need to squat halfway down, as shown in the figure.

Here are the steps of the exercise:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward.
2. Place your hands on your hips or hold them in front of you.
3. Lower your body into a squat by bending at the knees and pushing your hips back.
4. Stop when your thighs are parallel to the ground or when you feel a stretch in your thighs and glutes.
5. Hold this position for a few seconds.
6. Slowly rise to the starting position by pushing through your heels and straightening your legs.
7. Repeat for at least 20 repetitions, keeping your back straight and your core engaged throughout the exercise.

By doing this the fat around our hips and thighs will burn out, and so the size of our thighs and hips will reduce.

#2 Modified semi-squat

Sometimes, this semi-squat exercise feels difficult for people. You can do a slight modification to make it easier for you. For the wall semi-squat exercise, follow the same steps but lean your back against a wall, keeping your feet a few inches away from the wall. This will increase the intensity of the exercise and provide additional support for your back. In this way, my whole body weight does not go on the knees, and some body weight goes on the wall, and then I squat this way.

You should do this 20 times in one session; if you do more it’s better.

#3 Side-lunge exercise for hip fat reduction

The following hip fat reduction exercise is called a side lunge. It is a very simple exercise, for which the starting position would be standing with feet apart.

1. To start, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and take note of the gap between them.
2. Keep your hands at your sides and step to the side with one foot, bending that knee and keeping the other leg straight. Make sure to keep your weight on your heels and your back straight.
3. Then, push off with the bent leg and return to the starting position.
4. Repeat this movement 20 times on one side, and then switch to the other side for another 20 repetitions.
5. If you count each step as one rep, you should aim for a total of at least 40 reps.

As a Physiotherapist, I can confirm that this exercise is quite effective for burning fat and toning your thighs.

#4 Hip abduction exercise to lose side hip fat

Our next exercise for hip fat reduction is hip abduction; the purpose of the following exercise is also to burn the fat around our hips and thighs.

The next exercise in our routine is hip abduction, which is great for reducing fat around the hips and thighs.

1. To perform this exercise, begin by standing straight next to a chair for support.
2. Take your legs sideways while maintaining your balance with the chair.
3. Repeat this motion 40 times, 20 times with each leg. If 40 repetitions are too strenuous, you can reduce the number to 20.
4. To make the exercise more effective, you can use a resistance band – a stretchable rubber band that you can tie around both legs.
5. Pull against the resistance of the band to add resistance to the exercise.
6. As this is a resistance exercise, it’s okay to do fewer repetitions – aim for 15 to 20 for optimal results.

As you progress with the exercises, you can use this online ideal body weight calculator to find if you have improved to the ideal body weight.

#5 Lift leg in quadruped

This exercise targets the muscles around your hips and can help burn fat in that area.

1. Assume a quadruped position, with your hands and knees on the ground and your back straight.
2. Lift your right leg until it’s parallel to the ground and hold it there for 5 seconds.
3. Slowly lower your right leg back to the ground and repeat with your left leg.
4. Repeat the exercise, alternating between lifting your right and left legs.
5. Aim to complete 15-20 repetitions per session.

#6 Straight leg raise in side-lying

In the next exercise, the leg raises in side-lying (second pose in the above image). This exercise is effective in burning the fats on the outer thighs and hips. To perform this exercise, follow the below steps:

1. Lie sideways on the floor with your legs straight and feet stacked on top of each other.
2. Rest your head on your lower arm, and use your upper arm to support your head.
3. Lift your top leg upward while keeping the bottom leg still on the ground.
4. Raise your leg as high as you can comfortably go, and then lower it back down slowly.
5. Repeat this movement at least ten times.
6. After completing the set, turn to the opposite side and repeat the same steps with your other leg.
7. Perform this exercise at least 10 to 15 times in one session.
8. You should aim to perform this exercise twice a day.

With time, you will start to notice a reduction in the fat around your hips and the overall thickness of your hips. This exercise is beneficial for your long-term health.

Final words

In conclusion, regular exercise combined with a healthy diet can help reduce hip and thigh fat. It’s important to remember that spot reduction is not possible, and it’s best to focus on overall weight loss through a combination of cardio and strength training exercises.

Additionally, making small lifestyle changes such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking instead of driving can also contribute to a healthier body composition.

Of course, in addition to these exercises, regular cycling, jogging, and swimming-like activities will help you reduce fat around other body parts. You can even plan Time-Restricted-Eating to make your weight loss goal even more effective.

Keep Reading: 7 Best Diastasis Recti Exercises After Delivery

Sunit. S. Ekka

Dr Sunit Sanjay Ekka is a physiotherapist in practice for the last 15 years. He has done his BPT from one of the premium Central Government physiotherapy colleges, ie, SVNIRTAR. The patient is his best teacher and whatever he gets to learn he loves to share it on his Youtube channel and blog.