Legs & Lower Abs

swagoner94

Hello MFP world!

Ok, so the last maybe 2-3 times I've posted for "Motivation and Support", I got 0-2 responses...
So help me this time team! please!

I've come a long way, and I go to the gym 6 times a week! I do stairmaster for 20 minutes (profusely sweating), and alternate between back and bi, and chest and tri. I do my legs EVERY day. They've shown improvement but I've been doing this for a while and expected more. I don't know what else to do! Biggest problem areas are saddlebags and inner thighs. And then there are my wonderful lower abs. Again, improvement, sure... I know cardio usually is the trick for that, rather than target exercises. And yet I also do some target ab workouts. What else do I do???

da_bears10089

There is no such thing as spot reducing. You will lose fat through a reasonable calorie deficit. You can definitely work on the muscles under the fat, but that won't get rid of it. i would suggest looking into something like Stronglifts 5x5 for a lifting routine and then cardio 2-3x a week.

LoraF83

There is no such thing as spot reducing. You will lose fat through a reasonable calorie deficit. You can definitely work on the muscles under the fat, but that won't get rid of it. i would suggest looking into something like Stronglifts 5x5 for a lifting routine and then cardio 2-3x a week.

This. You need to reduce your body fat to get the results you want. Compound lifting will help get you there, along with moderate calorie deficit.

Irockursocks87

I have been doing Turbo Jam for the past month and a half and have noticed a huge improvement in those areas. It's probably all the kicking lol

ashowers36

Okay a couple things here. First you shouldn't work the same muscle groups every day. You should alternate what you do from day to day. Like legs/lower body days 1, 3, and 5 and say upper body days 2, 4, 6. Your muscles need time to regenerate. When you build muscle you are actually tearing the muscle fibers. They need rest to repair themselves and to build new muscle.

Second you should do some cardio of some kind every day. I know it is no fun...trust me I really do know I hate doing it. My biggest problems areas are the same as yours and you really cannot spot reduce those areas. You need to do the cardio with some weight training. Also make sure you are eating back the calories that you gain from exercising. Your net calories at the end of the day need to match whatever your food calories are on you MFP app. (if that is what you are using). MFP already calculates a calorie deficit for you so if you don't eat back those calories you put yourself into starvation mode and basically your body doesn't want to lose anything because it is trying to store enough to keep you alive.

born2drum

Okay a couple things here. First you shouldn't work the same muscle groups every day. You should alternate what you do from day to day. Like legs/lower body days 1, 3, and 5 and say upper body days 2, 4, 6. Your muscles need time to regenerate. When you build muscle you are actually tearing the muscle fibers. They need rest to repair themselves and to build new muscle.

Second you should do some cardio of some kind every day. I know it is no fun...trust me I really do know I hate doing it. My biggest problems areas are the same as yours and you really cannot spot reduce those areas. You need to do the cardio with some weight training. Also make sure you are eating back the calories that you gain from exercising. Your net calories at the end of the day need to match whatever your food calories are on you MFP app. (if that is what you are using). MFP already calculates a calorie deficit for you so if you don't eat back those calories you put yourself into starvation mode and basically your body doesn't want to lose anything because it is trying to store enough to keep you alive.

This is absolutely correct. I would suggest hip abductors, squats, leg presses, lunges, hanging leg raises, planks, leg curls and cardio. I usually do 45 min weights plus 20min cardio then sauna.