I’m always asked a lot of questions about cardio, but more specifically, the best type of cardio is to lean out your legs and avoid making them bigger and musclier. So thought I would answer all your questions here! If I haven’t answered your question, please feel free to ask below in a comment and I’ll add it to the blog post! xx

WILL WALKING 1 HOUR NON-STOP HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS 10 MINS 6 TIMES A DAY FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

For toning and slimming your legs, you can choose to split your walk into shorter sessions or complete it all at once—both can be effective! However, if your goal is weight loss, walking for one continuous hour is likely better. This is because longer, uninterrupted sessions allow you to sustain a steady calorie burn, which can lead to greater overall energy expenditure. Consistency and increasing your total daily steps will also contribute to better results.

IS CARDIO THE WAY TO STOP BEING SKINNY FAT?

Not exactly! While cardio has its benefits, resistance training is much more effective for addressing the “skinny fat” look. Resistance training builds muscle and reduces fat simultaneously, giving your body a toned and defined appearance. A combination of both cardio and resistance training is ideal for overall health, but prioritize strength-based exercises to see the most noticeable changes in your body composition.

HOW MANY STEPS A DAY DO YOU RECOMMEND?

I recommend aiming for 10,000 steps a day! This is a great benchmark to keep you active, improve your cardiovascular health, and support weight management. If 10,000 steps feel overwhelming, start smaller and gradually increase your daily total. Every step counts!

RELATED POST: 30-DAY WALKING CHALLENGE

CAN WALKING DOWNHILL BUILD YOUR LEGS?

Walking downhill works your muscles differently than walking uphill or on a flat surface. While it can engage your leg muscles and improve coordination, it doesn’t provide the same level of muscle-building stimulation as walking uphill. Uphill walking increases resistance, which helps strengthen and tone your legs. For slimming your legs, walking on flat surfaces is the best option since it avoids excessive bulk.

DO YOU HAVE TO WALK EVERY DAY?

Walking most days is a fantastic habit to develop, but it’s okay to take a break when your body needs it. Listen to your body and prioritize rest when you’re feeling tired or sore. Consistency is key, so aim for regular walks without putting unnecessary pressure on yourself to walk daily.

DOES WALKING HELP WITH KNEE FAT?

Yes, walking can help reduce knee fat! It’s a low-impact exercise that engages your leg muscles and burns calories. When paired with a balanced diet and some resistance training to tone the surrounding muscles, walking can help improve the appearance of your knees and legs overall.

WHAT KIND OF CARDIO IS BEST WITH KNEE ISSUES (INSTEAD OF RUNNING)?

If you have knee issues, low-impact exercises are your best bet. Walking and swimming are excellent options that minimize strain on your joints while keeping your heart healthy. The elliptical machine can also work, but swimming has the added benefit of being gentle on your entire body. Focus on activities that feel comfortable and don’t cause pain.

RELATED POST: SAFE EXERCISE ALTERNATIVES FOR BACK AND KNEE PROBLEMS

RUNNING BULKS ME UP, BUT I WANT TO KEEP DOING IT FOR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH. HOW MUCH IS OKAY?

Running is great for cardiovascular health, but if you’re concerned about it making your legs look bulky, try limiting it to 2–3 times per week. Balance your running routine with resistance training and low-impact cardio like walking. This will help you maintain your cardiovascular fitness without overworking your leg muscles.

TO LOSE WEIGHT FASTER, WOULD RUNNING 45 MINUTES 5 DAYS A WEEK HELP, OR IS THAT TOO MUCH?

Running 45 minutes five times a week is a lot, and it might lead to burnout or even injury. Instead, I recommend running 3 times a week maximum and using the other days for resistance training. Resistance training boosts your metabolism, builds muscle, and helps you burn more calories even at rest—making it a more sustainable option for long-term weight loss.

SHOULD WE DO CARDIO BEFORE OR AFTER RESISTANCE TRAINING?

It doesn’t matter too much in the long run, so do what works best for you! That said, if you’re doing both in the same workout session, it’s generally better to start with resistance training. This ensures you have enough energy to lift weights effectively and reduce the risk of fatigue during your cardio session.

SHOULD I TAKE A BREAK IF MY FEET START TO HURT?

Absolutely! If your feet are sore, take a break and let them recover. Good, supportive shoes are a must for avoiding foot pain and injuries like shin splints. Look for footwear that provides cushioning, arch support, and fits well. If the pain persists, consult a healthcare professional to rule out underlying issues.

DOES WALKING HELP WITH BELLY FAT?

Walking is amazing for slimming down your legs and improving overall fitness, but it isn’t a magic solution for belly fat. To target belly fat, you need a combination of a healthy, balanced diet, resistance training to build muscle, and sometimes high-intensity cardio-like running. The key is to create a calorie deficit while maintaining muscle, and walking can play a big role in this process.

DOES WALKING BURN MUSCLE GAIN?

No, walking does not burn muscle gain! It primarily burns fat and glycogen (stored carbs) for energy. Muscle loss typically occurs only if you’re in a prolonged state of starvation or extreme calorie deficit. Walking is an excellent complement to resistance training as it supports fat loss without compromising your hard-earned muscle.

DO I NEED TO WALK ON AN EMPTY STOMACH?

Not necessarily. Any walking is great and the more steps you can accumulate during the day, the better! But it is possible that you might burn a higher percentage of fat if you do your walking fasted (i.e. before breakfast).

Walking burns stored carbohydrates (stored in your muscles as glycogen) and fat. If you don’t have as much stored carbs, your body might burn more fat. Also, it will be more effective if you have eaten a low-carb meal for dinner the night before.

It can be beneficial to do your walking on an empty stomach, but it’s not necessary. Walking any time of the day is good!

WHAT SPEED SHOULD I WALK AND RUN?

These speeds should be used as a guide only. Speeds will also vary depending on your height (obviously taller people will be able to walk/run faster).

• I would suggest aiming for a walking speed of 6-7km/hr or 3.7-4.3mph.
• I would suggest aiming for a running speed of 10-12km/hr or 6.2-7.5mph.

WHAT INCLINE SHOULD I WALK / RUN AT?

I suggest zero. Walking and running are best done on a flat surface if you don’t want to bulk up your quads. Any uphill walking and running will use your quads more and can make your legs bulkier.

If you are on the treadmill, you can set your incline to 0.1% to replicate walking outside. But if you have trouble with shin splints (like me), I would keep it to 0%.

RELATED POST: 30 DAY WALKING CHALLENGE

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WALKING / RUNNING ON THE TREADMILL COMPARED TO OUTSIDE?

No, they will both have the same results. It’s just more of a personal preference.

Sometimes I prefer doing my cardio on a treadmill because I can track my speed and see if I’m improving (especially for running). But it just feels good running outside!

I also don’t mind walking on the treadmill because I can watch a TV show on my phone as I walk ;) Another great benefit of having access to a treadmill is that you can do your cardio regardless of the weather conditions.

IS IT BETTER TO RUN SLOW OR FAST?

A lot of women tell me that run slowly for 45 minutes and are confused as to why this isn’t better than walking for 45 minutes or running faster for 20 minutes. I’ll try to explain.

When you are jogging slowly, the action of your legs means that it is the same as running. Running does build muscle. The action of walking actually really helps to get rid of fat on your legs, not running or jogging. So slow jogging for 45 minutes means you will build muscle, without really getting rid of the excess fat that walking will. So you’re probably better off walking.

When you are running faster, your body is burning lots of calories and you’re pushing yourself so your fitness is increasing, which is great. But jogging slowly isn’t really that challenging, and you’ll burn less calories. It may even bulk up your legs because you are overdoing the running. You’re not getting the full benefits of running if you’re just slowly jogging.

I think it’s better and more effective to either run faster or just walk. That is my preference. Slow jogging is still better than nothing though so you can do it – it’s up to you. But I don’t think it’s as effective as the other two.

If you really want to slim down your legs, I have a 3 Steps to Lean Legs Program that will help you get lean and toned legs without the bulkiness :)

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I FEEL LIKE RUNNING BULKS UP MY THIGHSIS THAT POSSIBLE?

Yes, this is possible. Running does build muscle (but not as much as other forms of cardio or strength training). Usually, only people who are shorter or are the endomorph body type (or both) have issues with building too much muscle with running. If running is a problem for you, I would avoid it.

HIIT CARDIO – SHOULD I DO IT?

I wrote another blog post on the best type of HIIT cardio to do to avoid bulking up your legs. As I mentioned, running builds muscle and HIIT running will build even more. If you’re interested in doing HIIT cardio, please have a read of this blog post!

Whether or not you do HIIT cardio depends on your body type and to a certain extent, your fitness level.

If you are short or an endomorph body type (or both), HIIT cardio may not be the best exercise for you. It will build some muscle and with a shorter frame, more muscle may not be your goal. It could make your legs look bigger. If you know that running makes your legs bigger, then I would avoid HIIT cardio.

I mention fitness level because HIIT cardio is hard, and you need to have a good base of cardio fitness first to do this exercise effectively and get the benefits. Being able to run at a medium-fast pace for at least 20 minutes would be a great start. After that, I think you would be fit enough to add in some HIIT cardio.

As I mentioned above, if you have any cardio-related questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section or send me a message on Instagram and I’ll add them to the blog post :)

Love Rachael xx

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The post Cardio Q&A appeared first on Rachael Attard.

KNOW AND UNDERSTAND YOUR BODY TYPE 

First of all, you will need to know your body type as this will determine the type of workout and nutrition program you should follow. To find out what body type you are, check out my previous blog post here. I also have specific nutrition and workout guidelines tailored to each body type here: ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph. Have a read of these guidelines to find out how to get skinny legs for your body type.

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CARDIO 

Unfortunately, if you want skinny legs, you can’t avoid cardio. The best type of cardio to get skinny legs is actually low to moderate-intensity cardio such as power walking and light jogging. This is because it uses fat as one of the main fuel sources, whereas HIIT and weight training use mostly glycogen (carbohydrates).

Also, it is very beneficial to do power walking first thing in the morning or after your HIIT or weights session. After doing weights / HIIT, your body is depleted of glycogen and will turn to fat for energy. Power walking after your HIIT and weights sessions is a must! Even if it’s just a light walk for 20 minutes. Find out more about cardio for lean legs here.

RESISTANCE TRAINING 

If you want toned legs, you will need to do some form of resistance training. If you just want purely skinny legs with no definition, then you may not want to do resistance training. But I highly recommend it! Read my blog post here for tips on how to do weights without getting bulky.

HIIT (INTERVAL RUNNING)

If you do your HIIT right, it will help strip fat from your legs very quickly. However, most people do HIIT like this: 30 seconds sprint as fast as you can, 30-60 seconds rest and repeat for 10-15 minutes. This is great but uses mostly glycogen as a fuel source, not fat, and can contribute to bulking.

By modifying your HIIT so that you are running at a slower speed (but still faster than normal) for a longer period of time, you will burn more fat. For example, it is better to run at a medium fast pace for 2 minutes, with a 60-second rest, and repeat this 5-10 times (depending on fitness level) as this will burn more fat. To find out more about this type of HIIT, read my previous blog post here.

DIET 

If you exercise right, you will definitely notice changes in your legs, particularly with cardio. However, you will see even greater results if you are eating right. Depending on your body type, you may need a low-carbohydrate, balanced, or high-carbohydrate diet. Have a look at the nutrition guidelines for each body type to find out more (ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph). Also, I have a few good blog posts on diet to help you get started:

• My daily diet
• How to calculate your daily calorie intake
• Clean eating guidelines
• Last week’s meals

If you read through these nutrition blog posts, you will hopefully have a good idea on the amount and type of foods you should be eating to get the best results.

And if you’re looking for more meal ideas that are tailored to your body type, check out our FREE 7-Day Meal Plan! Sign up below to receive a PDF nutrition guide with meals that are free from gluten, dairy, and refined sugars, designed to support your healthy eating goals!

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SUMMARY 

Just in case you have missed any of the blog posts in the how to get skinny legs series, here they are:

1. Why you should be doing cardio for fat loss and lean legs
2. How to get skinny legs: endomorph nutrition and workout guidelines
3. Knowing your body type: ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph
4. How to get skinny legs: mesomorph nutrition and workout guidelines
5. Use HIIT to get results quicker
6. How to get skinny legs: ectomorph nutrition and workout guidelines
7. Top three mistakes you’re making
8. How to get rid of cellulite
9. How to do weights without getting bulky

To find out more about my lean legs workout and nutrition program, click here xx

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The post How To Get Skinny Legs Series: Summary appeared first on Rachael Attard.