Diets to Reduce the Size of the Thighs & Butt

Fad diets may make it appear that you can target certain areas of your body by changing the way you eat, but that's not the case. Reducing the size of your thighs and butt requires a healthy eating program combined with exercise; you can focus your exercise on your problem thighs and butt easier than you can focus your diet.

Although there's no magic food that can shave fat off your thighs and butt, an overall healthy eating plan can reduce the total amount of body fat you carry. If you are more pear-shaped and carry most of your fat in your thighs and butt, then that's the areas a healthy diet will target. Lower your caloric intake, but make smart choices with your calories. Skip empty calories with no nutritional value, such as ice cream, and instead choose lean meats, fruits and vegetables and high-fiber foods. Drink lots of water; it works with the fiber to flush out unwanted calories and help you lose fat.

Fat-burning foods might help you lose the fat stored in your butt and thighs when used in combination with a low-calorie diet and the right exercise. Eating these foods alone won't give you the legs and rear you're looking for, but they can help increase your metabolism and make your body more susceptible to weight loss. Drink green tea -- without sugar, of course -- and add spice to your meals with chili peppers or red pepper flakes, garlic or ginger. Exchange meat with soy when you can and eat grapefruit. Avoid grapefruit juice, along with other fruit juices, because they contain a higher sugar content than the fruit as well as less healthy fiber.

Cardio exercises raise your heart rate and burn fat. It works over your entire body, but you can choose cardio exercises that work your legs and butt more than other body parts to help reduce their size faster. Running is an excellent fat-burning exercise, but you can also jog up the stairs at your house, take up kick boxing or ride a bike. If you're using a stationary bike, keep the resistance fairly low; too much resistance can build bulky muscle, keeping your thighs the same size even when you lose the fat.

In addition to cardio, target your problem areas with resistance exercises. When you're just starting out, use only your own body weight as resistance, then add hand weights for additional resistance later. Exercises that help work your thighs and butt include lunges, squats and leg raises. Alternate days where you work out your lower body and upper body; overall fat loss occurs when the entire body builds muscle. Stick to low weights and high repetitions to keep your muscles sleek and lean; high weight and low repetitions lead to bulky muscles, which won't reduce the size of your thighs and butt.