How Long Does It Take to Slim Down Legs?

One question I see on every single Q&A I do on my Instagram is – How long will it take to slim down legs? Or to be more specific, I get 2s variations of this question – How long will it take to lose leg fat? or How long it will take to lose bulky leg muscle?

I have a LOT of experience with both leg fat and bulky muscles, both as a PT who worked with thousands of women but also as a woman who struggled with these issues.

In this blog post, I’ll share how long it will take to slim down legs by losing both fat and muscle. I’ll share my personal experience and things I went through when trying to slim down my legs. I’ve made a lot of mistakes when trying to slim down my thighs and I want to help you avoid those mistakes.

RELATED POST: MISTAKES I’VE MADE AND WHAT I’VE LEARNT ON MY FITNESS JOURNEY

HOW CAN I TELL IF MY THIGHS ARE MOSTLY MADE OF MUSCLE OR FAT?

Ok, first of all, I want to explain how can we know if our legs are muscular or if they have excess fat. Knowing this will help us figure out the best plan of action for slimming down our thighs. Also, based on my own experience and on my experience as a PT, it will take longer to lose leg muscle than leg fat. This another reason why it’s important to understand whether someone has more muscle or fat.

THE PINCH TEST

Luckily, it’s usually very easy to tell whether we have more muscle or fat, or both. Here’s what you should do:

1. Contract your leg muscle (everyone will have at least some leg muscle, we wouldn’t be able to walk if this wasn’t the case)
2. Pinch and poke your thighs to determine if they feel more soft, hard or if they are a combo of hard muscle beneath and soft layer of fat on top.

When you contract your leg muscle if your legs feel mostly firm to touch, and you don’t feel a lot of softness at the top of the thighs, this means your legs are mostly muscular.

If your legs feel mostly soft when you contract your leg muscles, it means there’s probably more fat than muscle.

And if you feel firmness when contracting but also feel like there is a softer layer on top of your thighs, that means your thighs have both muscle and fat.

Most women will have both muscle and leg fat. We women tend to have a higher body fat percentage than men and we store more fat in our thighs (biology reasons) than in our upper body.

We also tend to build muscle more easily in our lower body than in our upper body. (I work only with women and I’ve had a lot more women telling me they bulked up in their thighs than the ones who complain about buling up in their upper body.)

Don’t get me wrong! I think having muscle in our legs is fantastic for strength and mobility. But I also know that having a lot of muscle, can sometimes give the appreance of bulkiness and make some women uncomfortable. Of course, what’s bulky is highly subjective. What may feel bulky to you may not feel bulky to other people and vice versa.

So if you are someone who loves having a lot of muscle in your legs and you’re just interested in losing leg fat, that’s awesome. But if you are someone who prefers a more lean aesthetic and you feel like your leg muscle are too bulky, I know exactly how you feel and I have the solution for you. (More on that below! :))

OK so now that we know if we want to reduce leg fat, leg muscle or both, we can talk about how to reduce each and how long it will take. :)

HOW TO REDUCE LEG FAT FAST?

I have to be honest with you, when it comes to fat loss, there are no short cuts. If you want to lose leg fat in a healthy, sustainable way, you’ll have to adjust your routine, stick to it and be patient. Plus, if your goal is to make your things smaller, make sure to avoid doing things that will make them bigger.

BIGGETS MISTAKE FOR LOSING LEG FAT

When they want to reduce thigh fat, a lot of women make this one specific mistake. I see it ALL the time and I’ve made this exact mistake myself when I was just staring my fitness journey. And I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve told me, fitness industry made you make this mistake too!

If you want to lose leg fat fast, you should definitely avoid this mistake.

Here’s what happened to me.

I wanted to lose extra body fat, leg and belly fat to be more specific. My then PT told me to start doing HIIT and to add leg focused workouts like squats and lunges to my routine. And because I didn’t know better, I listen to them. I started doing a lot of HIIT (jumping HIIT especially) and I’ve included a ton of squats in my routine. BIG MISTAKE!

Within a couple of weeks since starting this routine I noticed my legs getting bigger instead of smaller. But when I asked my PT about it, they told me not to stress – “Your legs will get bigger before getting smaller“.

So I keet going, I was doing more suqats and more HIIT. I started lifting heavy thinking this will help me lean out. But the more I exercised, the bigger my thighs got.

RELATED POST: TOP 7 EXERCISES YOU CAN DO INSTEAD OF SQUATS AND LUNGES

3 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO TO LOSE LEG FAT FAST

Was I losing body fat when doing HIIT, weights and squares? Well, yes I was losing body fat but my legs weren’t getting smaller. And I kept this routine for a long time, for almost a year. :(

In the end, I couldn’t fit into any of my jeans and I didn’t feel good in my own skin.

That’s when I decided to leave my PT and started doing my own research on how to reduce leg fat and muscle. I learned that the best and fastest way to lose leg fat is to:

1. Do low-intensity cardio (walking to be specific)
2. Ditch the leg day and focus on full body bodyweight training
3. Eat at a slight calorie deficit

I have a very detailed blog post on how to lose thigh fat and slim down your legs. It’s called How to Get Lean Legs – Why You Need Cardio for Slim Legs and I’d highly recommend reading it. :)

HOW TO REDUCE BULKY LEG MUSCLE?

I know you may not love to hear this but losing bulky leg muscle can be a bit tricky. You’ll probably need to change your whole workout routine and I know that can be an uncomfortable and difficult decision.

Plus, losing bulky leg muscle can take a bit longer (depending how much muscle you have and much you want to lose). In my case, it took stopping everything I did to build these bulky muscle and it took me around 6 months to get to a point I started feeling comfortable in my own body.

I wrote a lot of blog post on this topic and I’d really recommend read this one that’s all about how to slim down muscular thighs.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SLIM DOWN LEG FAT AND MUSCLE

The timeline for slimming your legs varies from person to person, depending on factors like your body type, genetics, diet, exercise routine, and consistency.

RELATED POST: HOW TO GET SKINNY LEGS: FAT BURNING HIIT WORKOUTS

Generally, with a well-rounded exercise program and a healthy diet, you can start to see noticeable changes in your legs within 4 to 6 weeks. For more significant slimming, it could take around 3 to 6 months of dedicated effort.

From my experience and what I’ve shared in my one of my previous blogs, avoiding heavy lifting and incorporating more reps with lighter weights can help. I’ve found that shifting my routine to include more Pilates, yoga, and high-rep low-weight exercises helped me slim down my muscles while burning fat.

Pilates style legs and booty workout is my favorite exercises for a lean and toned lower body!

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A post shared by Women’s Health and Fitness (@rachael_attard)

With my routine I noticed changes within a couple of months. However, muscle slimming, combined with fat loss, took about 6 to 9 months. It’s important to remember that everyone’s body responds differently, and patience is key!

Slow and steady wins the race. It’s about creating sustainable habits rather than seeking quick fixes :)

BODY TYPES AND LEG FAT LOSS

The rate at which you lose leg fat can also depend on your body type. Before you start, it’s crucial to know your body type, as this can influence your approach and the timeline for results.

If you want to know your body type, here’s a free, two-minute quiz that you may answer! 

Here’s a quick rundown of the three body types, their characteristics and expected results timeline :)

Body Type	Characteristics	Expected Results Timeline
Ectomorphs	Typically lean and may find it easier to lose fat but harder to build muscle.	Noticeable changes within 4-6 weeks with consistent cardio and strength training.
Mesomorphs	Naturally muscular and might lose fat and gain muscle relatively quickly.	Results in about 4-8 weeks with a balanced diet and regular exercise.
Endomorphs	Tend to store more fat and may take longer to see changes.	Slimming within 6-12 weeks with a dedicated routine.

WHY IS SLIMMING DOWN LEGS ACCORDING TO YOUR BODY TYPE SO IMPORTANT?

Slimming down your legs based on your body type is super important! Everyone’s body is different, right? So, what works for one person might not work for another. That’s where the personalized approach comes in handy. It helps you target fat and build muscle in the right places, making your legs look awesome.

Plus, it prevents any imbalances that could lead to injuries. And when you’re working with your body’s natural shape, you feel more confident and motivated ;)

DIET AND WORKOUT PLANS FOR DIFFERENT BODY TYPES

Check out the table below for easy-to-follow diet tips – like what to eat and what to avoid – and workout tips – including how often to exercise and what types of activities work best for your body type :)

Body Type	Diet Tips	Workout Tips
Ectomorph	Focus on a macronutrient breakdown of 40-50% carbohydrates, 30-35% protein, and 20-25% fats. Emphasize whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and lean proteins while avoiding processed foods.	Incorporate 2-3 cardio sessions weekly with low to moderate intensity activities like walking or jogging. Engage in resistance training 3 times per week with moderate weights and high reps.
Mesomorph	Aim for a macronutrient distribution of 35-40% carbohydrates, 30-35% protein, and 30% fats. Prioritize balanced meals with healthy fats, proteins, and low GI carbohydrates while avoiding refined sugars.	Combine high-intensity and low-intensity cardio sessions, including running and power walking, to target fat loss. Incorporate resistance training 3 times per week for muscle definition.
Endomorph	Adjust macronutrient intake to 20-25% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 45-50% fats. Focus on high-protein and healthy fat sources, with carbohydrates primarily from fruits and green vegetables.	Include low-intensity cardio sessions 5 times per week, such as power walking, and engage in resistance training 3 times weekly with bodyweight exercises to tone muscles without bulking.
Combination	Follow the guidelines of the dominant body type for optimal results. Set realistic goals based on individual body types rather than aiming for drastic changes.	Adjust workouts according to the dominant body type, incorporating a mix of cardio and resistance training tailored to specific goals and capabilities.

And after you’ve checked out the table, remember that t’s all about finding what works best for you and sticking with it :)

Consistency is key, and small changes over time can lead to big results. So, keep at it, stay positive, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving the body you want!

RELATED BLOG POST: WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE TO GET RESULTS YOU WANT – ECTOMORPH, MESOMORPH, ENDOMORPH

FINAL THOUGHTS

When it comes to slimming down your legs, it’s important to remember that it’s not just about the way they look – it’s about feeling good and being healthy too.

Understanding your body type is a big part of the puzzle. Once you know what you’re working with, you can customize your diet and exercise plans to fit your needs perfectly. And hey, consistency is key! Stick with it, and you’ll start seeing progress before you know it.

So, let’s keep it simple and focus on taking small steps towards your goals. You’ve got this!

BEST PROGRAM FOR GETTING SLIMMER LEGS

If you like a more specific workout program to target fat loss on your legs and to build lean muscle without getting bulky, I suggest you check out my Lean Legs Program 1. 

With my program, you should see fat loss results after just 1 round (8 weeks)! And for losing unwanted muscle bulk, I would recommend repeating my program once or twice. :)

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments!

SOURCES:

• Women Have More Body Fat Than Men – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19021869/
• More Fats in Thighs – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3411490/
• Leg Muscles – https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22220-leg-muscles