Best cardio for inner thighs
RunRun72
Posts: 19 Member
Hi everyone 
! So I am TRYING to eat foods high in protein and tone my body. I really love cardio ! I do 2 hours a day on my stepper ! I was wondering , which cardio is best for inner thighs ?
thanks
! So I am TRYING to eat foods high in protein and tone my body. I really love cardio ! I do 2 hours a day on my stepper ! I was wondering , which cardio is best for inner thighs ?thanks
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Replies
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strength/ resistance training will help more than hours of cardio15
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I don't think cardio does much for inner thighs, but maybe an HIIT program that incorporates lunges, squatting would help...I also find spinning has done wonders overall for my legs.1
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A moderate calorie deficit and a well structured resistance routine to help preserve the muscle you have.
Also, you shouldn't do cardio every day. Your improvements come when you get rest.8 -
you cannot spot reduce fat - which it sounds like you are looking for. as others said, calorie deficit for overall fat loss and strength/resistance to build muscle.7
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You can't spot reduce. Though if you are looking to tone up, I'd recommend cutting back on the cardio and adding strength training.2
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A moderate calorie deficit and a well structured resistance routine to help preserve the muscle you have.
Also, you shouldn't do cardio every day. Your improvements come when you get rest.
I haven't seen any recommendation to not do cardio every day, for healthy individuals. Strength training, yes, needs a day or two break in between, but cardio can almost always be safely done daily, especially doing low impact and/or low intensity types.3 -
I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more8
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I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Actually, while cardio may burn more calories in the moment, strength training actually burns more calories in the long run. Fat cells don't burn calories, but muscles do, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning, even when you aren't working out. Plus, the body also burns calories post strength training to help to heal the muscles. So yes, one hour of cardio burns more calories than one hour of strength training, but strength training burns calories during the activity, after the activity during recovery, and long term through increased muscle mass.20 -
Maybe look into some crossfit, circuit training or similar types of cardio that incorporate strength training in with your cardio. I work with my trainer twice a week to do some circuit training that works this way and burn loads of calories those days. I can completely feel my muscles getting stronger (under my fat! LOL) But I'm getting there.I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Cardio alone isn't going to do it. You are going to have to face that fact.
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I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
i felt the same as you and avoided it for a long time, till I started getting a lot of injuries when running.
i added in resistance training (not loads, just a full body routine twice a week, occasionally 3 x) and now clothes that never used to fit me at this weigh do, and I haven't picked up an injury in months.
Exercise shouldn't be just about the calorie burn!12 -
I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Why not incorporate both? You can run a full body program 3x per week, it doesn't take that much time. And do cardio and keep active on the other days. Strength training is so much more than a calorie burn.6 -
This is the best article I've seen on "toning".
https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/muscle-tone/
But yes, nothing will specifically target inner thighs. Also, for a lot of women this is the very last place for fat storage (myself included), so it will might not go away until you hit very low body fat levels, which can be unhealthy.3 -
michelle172415 wrote: »I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Actually, while cardio may burn more calories in the moment, strength training actually burns more calories in the long run. Fat cells don't burn calories, but muscles do, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning, even when you aren't working out. Plus, the body also burns calories post strength training to help to heal the muscles. So yes, one hour of cardio burns more calories than one hour of strength training, but strength training burns calories during the activity, after the activity during recovery, and long term through increased muscle mass.
Isn't it about 4 calories per pound of muscle gained? While I agree some resistance training is likely beneficial to all, that "extra burn" is hardly a selling point.4 -
I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Yeah, well...cardio does almost nothing for body composition. To be toned means that you have muscle and have cut fat to reveal the muscle...you maintain and build muscle with resistance training, not cardio.5 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »michelle172415 wrote: »I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Actually, while cardio may burn more calories in the moment, strength training actually burns more calories in the long run. Fat cells don't burn calories, but muscles do, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning, even when you aren't working out. Plus, the body also burns calories post strength training to help to heal the muscles. So yes, one hour of cardio burns more calories than one hour of strength training, but strength training burns calories during the activity, after the activity during recovery, and long term through increased muscle mass.
Isn't it about 4 calories per pound of muscle gained? While I agree some resistance training is likely beneficial to all, that "extra burn" is hardly a selling point.
I'm not a scientist, so I don't know the exact number of calories, but even if the added muscle mass does burn an additional 4 calories per hour per day, after an entire year, you'd lose 10lbs doing nothing extra. Heck, even if it's only 4 calories per day, after an entire year you'd still lose 1/2lb, again, for doing nothing extra.
While not super scientific, I think that this quote does a great job of explaining it in laymans terms. "But resistance training builds muscle, and muscle burns calories, Keith says. "Muscle is metabolically active, meaning that the more of it you have on your body the more calories you'll burn throughout the day even when you're not exercising,"Nick Clayton, M.S., M.B.A., personal training program manager at the National Strength and Conditioning Association, tells SELF. Experts know that lean muscle mass requires more energy to maintain itself than fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories it needs (and therefore, burns) every day, though the exact number is hotly debated." Source https://www.self.com/story/whats-better-for-burning-calories-cardio-or-weight-training
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MelanieCN77 wrote: »michelle172415 wrote: »I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Actually, while cardio may burn more calories in the moment, strength training actually burns more calories in the long run. Fat cells don't burn calories, but muscles do, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning, even when you aren't working out. Plus, the body also burns calories post strength training to help to heal the muscles. So yes, one hour of cardio burns more calories than one hour of strength training, but strength training burns calories during the activity, after the activity during recovery, and long term through increased muscle mass.
Isn't it about 4 calories per pound of muscle gained? While I agree some resistance training is likely beneficial to all, that "extra burn" is hardly a selling point.
While it might be only a few calories at rest, if you are using them regularly then that adds to the burn. Also for me with more muscle I am able to sit at a higher weight and look lean so that adds up too. I wouldn't go through everything I went through just to burn a few extra calories though!0 -
Hi everyone ! So I am TRYING to eat foods high in protein and tone my body. I really love cardio ! I do 2 hours a day on my stepper ! I was wondering , which cardio is best for inner thighs ?
thanks
There is no cardio that will specifically target inner thighs, or any target area at all. Cardio will simply decrease overall BF% and help with fat loss. I would suggest weight training if your goal is a more toned and firm look.3 -
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michelle172415 wrote: »MelanieCN77 wrote: »michelle172415 wrote: »I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Actually, while cardio may burn more calories in the moment, strength training actually burns more calories in the long run. Fat cells don't burn calories, but muscles do, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning, even when you aren't working out. Plus, the body also burns calories post strength training to help to heal the muscles. So yes, one hour of cardio burns more calories than one hour of strength training, but strength training burns calories during the activity, after the activity during recovery, and long term through increased muscle mass.
Isn't it about 4 calories per pound of muscle gained? While I agree some resistance training is likely beneficial to all, that "extra burn" is hardly a selling point.
I'm not a scientist, so I don't know the exact number of calories, but even if the added muscle mass does burn an additional 4 calories per hour per day, after an entire year, you'd lose 10lbs doing nothing extra. Heck, even if it's only 4 calories per day, after an entire year you'd still lose 1/2lb, again, for doing nothing extra.
While not super scientific, I think that this quote does a great job of explaining it in laymans terms. "But resistance training builds muscle, and muscle burns calories, Keith says. "Muscle is metabolically active, meaning that the more of it you have on your body the more calories you'll burn throughout the day even when you're not exercising,"Nick Clayton, M.S., M.B.A., personal training program manager at the National Strength and Conditioning Association, tells SELF. Experts know that lean muscle mass requires more energy to maintain itself than fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories it needs (and therefore, burns) every day, though the exact number is hotly debated." Source https://www.self.com/story/whats-better-for-burning-calories-cardio-or-weight-training
I'm in camp "do both" for a variety of reasons including the higher metabolic activity of muscle, but 4 calories per pound really isn't much, in context.
Realistically, without performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), it's probably going to take a woman a month or more to add a pound of muscle, when all factors are close to perfect (relative youth, well-designed progressive lifting program consistently done, proper protein intake, a calorie surplus, . . . ). Muscle at rest burns about 4 calories more per day per pound than fat (around 6 vs. around 2 - fat is metabolically active). (There is debate about whether those are the exact numbers, but the point is, they're not very big numbers).
So, yes, not quite an extra half pound a year of calorie burn (365 x 4 = 1460; pound of fat about 3500; 0.42 pounds). And that's a good thing.
But I can do 250 calories of cardio - what I want to do daily just for fun and for health reasons anyway - and burn that half a pound in a week. (7 x 250 = 1750). Alternatively, if I don't care about cardiovascular health, I can just eat 250 calories below my maintenance calories, and burn that same half pound of fat.
Yes, there is afterburn from strength training, and a caloric benefit from muscle repair. Cardio also has an afterburn (EPOC, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) and requires muscle repair, though the muscle repair is generally significantly less. But it's not zero. It's not a huge difference, and these aren't huge numbers either. NBD.
There are lots of reasons to strength train: Strength is useful, there is no "tone" without muscles, there is that small bit of extra metabolic activity, there's probably a bit of a calorie bonus when active as a muscular person vs. a similar-weight fat one, a muscular person at X weight will be smaller and tighter (look better, for most people's tastes) than a less muscular one of the same height and weight, strength training does burn calories (though fewer per minute than most cardio), and more.
In particular, OP, if your goal is slim and "toned" inner thighs, your best and quickest route is a calorie deficit (through eating reductions or cardio) to lose the fat, and strength training to preserve/build some muscle. (Most people can preserve muscle by strength training in a calorie deficit, but can't add much muscle mass. People new to strength training may add a little, even in a small calorie deficit, but preservation is the big deal. Also, strength can increase significantly even in a deficit, and appearance can improve. But most gains will happen more readily after weight loss.)
If you don't enjoy strength training, you don't have to do it, that's your decision. But it is the best route to your goal, if you're clear-headed about the math and the biology/physiology of it.
Spot reduction? Nope, doesn't work. I do one of the more leg-strength-intensive forms of so-called cardio, rowing (boats when I can, machines when I must), and have rowed multiple times a week for 16 years. When I lost weight, I had some OK leg muscles under the fat . . . but even at 120 pounds (5'5") I still had inner thigh fat, because that's one of the spots my body is genetically pre-disposed to hang onto fat the longest. Meh. Strong and healthy matters to me, cute doesn't. YMMV.
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michelle172415 wrote: »Actually, while cardio may burn more calories in the moment, strength training actually burns more calories in the long run. Fat cells don't burn calories, but muscles do, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning, even when you aren't working out. Plus, the body also burns calories post strength training to help to heal the muscles. So yes, one hour of cardio burns more calories than one hour of strength training, but strength training burns calories during the activity, after the activity during recovery, and long term through increased muscle mass.
Sorry to bust in here on this hotly debated topic, but fat cells do burn calories. People (on the internet) say that a pound of fat burns between 2-4 calories a day. They also say that a pound of muscle burns between 5-9 calories a day. It's tough to tell the exact numbers, but everyone is certain that muscle burns more than fat. Then again, your body is supposed to change how hungry you are based on how well you are filling your caloric needs, so even if you need higher maintenance calories then theoretically you'd be that much hungrier.
Concerning OP, I can't tell if they want to reduce inner thigh fat or strengthen their inner thighs. "Tone" is a pretty vague word.
If you want to lose fat, eat less. Inner thigh fat? Eat less. Belly fat? Eat less. Upper arm fat? Eat less. Your body will start to lose fat, and eventually it'll have to come off of your inner thighs. I wish there was a better way for me to magically burn fat off my midsection and leave my boobs alone, but those are pipe dreams.
If you want to strengthen your inner thighs, there's not any cardio that I know of that will do the trick. Do a few sets on the Hip Adducter machine after your cardio session - it will only take a few minutes and you won't be able to sit cross-legged for a week!2 -
And AnnPT77 came in and said it better than I ever could have, darnit.1
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snemberton wrote: »A moderate calorie deficit and a well structured resistance routine to help preserve the muscle you have.
Also, you shouldn't do cardio every day. Your improvements come when you get rest.
I haven't seen any recommendation to not do cardio every day, for healthy individuals. Strength training, yes, needs a day or two break in between, but cardio can almost always be safely done daily, especially doing low impact and/or low intensity types.
If you are talking about walking sure. But if someone is on a stepper for 2 hours, they will break down the muscle fibers which will need to be repaired. Doing it daily while not including some resistance training will not yield the desired results.7 -
spin class.
I lost 7 inches from EACH thigh.4 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »michelle172415 wrote: »I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Actually, while cardio may burn more calories in the moment, strength training actually burns more calories in the long run. Fat cells don't burn calories, but muscles do, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning, even when you aren't working out. Plus, the body also burns calories post strength training to help to heal the muscles. So yes, one hour of cardio burns more calories than one hour of strength training, but strength training burns calories during the activity, after the activity during recovery, and long term through increased muscle mass.
Isn't it about 4 calories per pound of muscle gained? While I agree some resistance training is likely beneficial to all, that "extra burn" is hardly a selling point.
One pound of muscle burns approximately 30- 50cals a day, that’s about 1-2cals an hour. That might seem small to some. For me I’ve added 5lb of muscle approximately since starting my fitness journey. I’ve been lifting heavy for a year now and am a woman over 35 so it’s been slow going. Still that 5lb I added an extra 150-250 cals I burn every day automatically, or 1050-1750 a week (basically an extra days worth of food from where I started). It adds up.
https://www.ncsf.org/enew/articles/articles-poundofmuscle.aspx4 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »michelle172415 wrote: »I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Actually, while cardio may burn more calories in the moment, strength training actually burns more calories in the long run. Fat cells don't burn calories, but muscles do, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning, even when you aren't working out. Plus, the body also burns calories post strength training to help to heal the muscles. So yes, one hour of cardio burns more calories than one hour of strength training, but strength training burns calories during the activity, after the activity during recovery, and long term through increased muscle mass.
Isn't it about 4 calories per pound of muscle gained? While I agree some resistance training is likely beneficial to all, that "extra burn" is hardly a selling point.
One pound of muscle burns approximately 30- 50cals a day, that’s about 1-2cals an hour. That might seem small to some. For me I’ve added 5lb of muscle approximately since starting my fitness journey. I’ve been lifting heavy for a year now and am a woman over 35 so it’s been slow going. Still that 5lb I added an extra 150-250 cals I burn every day automatically, or 1050-1750 a week (basically an extra days worth of food from where I started). It adds up.
https://www.ncsf.org/enew/articles/articles-poundofmuscle.aspx
More like 6 cals / lb /day....
https://bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/dissecting-the-energy-needs-of-the-body-research-review.html/4 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »michelle172415 wrote: »I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Actually, while cardio may burn more calories in the moment, strength training actually burns more calories in the long run. Fat cells don't burn calories, but muscles do, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning, even when you aren't working out. Plus, the body also burns calories post strength training to help to heal the muscles. So yes, one hour of cardio burns more calories than one hour of strength training, but strength training burns calories during the activity, after the activity during recovery, and long term through increased muscle mass.
Isn't it about 4 calories per pound of muscle gained? While I agree some resistance training is likely beneficial to all, that "extra burn" is hardly a selling point.
One pound of muscle burns approximately 30- 50cals a day, that’s about 1-2cals an hour. That might seem small to some. For me I’ve added 5lb of muscle approximately since starting my fitness journey. I’ve been lifting heavy for a year now and am a woman over 35 so it’s been slow going. Still that 5lb I added an extra 150-250 cals I burn every day automatically, or 1050-1750 a week (basically an extra days worth of food from where I started). It adds up.
https://www.ncsf.org/enew/articles/articles-poundofmuscle.aspx
More like 6 cals / lb /day....
https://bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/dissecting-the-energy-needs-of-the-body-research-review.html/
https://www.livestrong.com/article/438693-a-pound-of-fat-vs-a-pound-of-muscle/
I’m going to stick with these numbers since it’s been my experience that based on this I have added a few hundred calories to my daily intake to maintain weight7 -
Count me in the “do both” camp.
When I lost the weight last time I incorporated strength training early. Focusing on core strength and abs. When I reached my goal weight I was stronger and thinner than I had ever been at that weight previously. I don’t believe I spot reduced. I believe building muscle from strength training was aesthetically nicer after the cardio and calorie deficit peeled away the layers of fat.
I plan strength 3x per week. Cardio is generally 5x per week.1 -
I think what the OP might've meant was that she was looking for cardio exercises that use the inner thighs while exercising. So, I'm going to answer it in that vein: I find stepping (similar to step aerobics on a step), mostly when I take side steps does work the inner thigh while getting cardio. Also, skating.0
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snemberton wrote: »A moderate calorie deficit and a well structured resistance routine to help preserve the muscle you have.
Also, you shouldn't do cardio every day. Your improvements come when you get rest.
I haven't seen any recommendation to not do cardio every day, for healthy individuals. Strength training, yes, needs a day or two break in between, but cardio can almost always be safely done daily, especially doing low impact and/or low intensity types.
Low impact cardio is great to do daily. Running, just like resistance training, needs rest days.0 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »michelle172415 wrote: »I hate resistance training because it does not burn much calories and if I do cardio , I get to burn calories and therefore , eat more
Actually, while cardio may burn more calories in the moment, strength training actually burns more calories in the long run. Fat cells don't burn calories, but muscles do, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning, even when you aren't working out. Plus, the body also burns calories post strength training to help to heal the muscles. So yes, one hour of cardio burns more calories than one hour of strength training, but strength training burns calories during the activity, after the activity during recovery, and long term through increased muscle mass.
Isn't it about 4 calories per pound of muscle gained? While I agree some resistance training is likely beneficial to all, that "extra burn" is hardly a selling point.
One pound of muscle burns approximately 30- 50cals a day, that’s about 1-2cals an hour. That might seem small to some. For me I’ve added 5lb of muscle approximately since starting my fitness journey. I’ve been lifting heavy for a year now and am a woman over 35 so it’s been slow going. Still that 5lb I added an extra 150-250 cals I burn every day automatically, or 1050-1750 a week (basically an extra days worth of food from where I started). It adds up.
https://www.ncsf.org/enew/articles/articles-poundofmuscle.aspx
More like 6 cals / lb /day....
https://bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/dissecting-the-energy-needs-of-the-body-research-review.html/
https://www.livestrong.com/article/438693-a-pound-of-fat-vs-a-pound-of-muscle/
I’m going to stick with these numbers since it’s been my experience that based on this I have added a few hundred calories to my daily intake to maintain weight
@SCoil123 Did you read the article you linked?
Quote....
"Common gym lore says that 1 lb. resting muscle will burn 30 to 50 calories daily compared to fat, which burns no calories. The truth is that muscle tissue will burn seven to 10 calories daily per pound. Fat burns two to three calories daily per pound. Replacing a pound of fat with a muscle, therefore, helps you burn an additional four to six more calories each day, says Cedric X. Bryant, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise. If you utilize a strength training regimen, you can expect to gain 3 to 5 lbs. of muscle mass in three to four months, bringing your net caloric effect to 15 to 30 calories per day. The best way to benefit from the calorie-burning potential of your muscles is to actually use them. Your basal metabolic rate, or the number of calories your body uses when you are at rest, typically accounts for 60 to 75 percent of the calories you burn in a day."
Estimate your muscle mass and multiply by 50 cals and you will see that your belief cannot possibly be true.
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