2 Steps to Firm Up Flabby Thighs, According to a 45-Year-Old Trainer
Are you trying to tone up flabby thighs? One trainer claims to have an easy, simple, two-step solution. Shauna Theresa is a women's fitness and nutrition coach who helps women over 40 "boost metabolism, build strong, sculpted bodies, and lose fat for life" using her STRONG method. She shows off her transformation in a new social media post and shares game-changing tips. "4 things that helped me tons my thighs at age 45," she writes.
You Need to Grow the Muscle and Decrease Body Fat to "Tone"
"If your goal is to get 'toned' legs or any body part for that matter, it's important to know what that really means," she starts. "Muscles can't get 'toned'. They can shrink or grow. BUT they can look 'toned' when you build them and have less body fat. Knowing that, it's important you implement the right plan to support growing muscle and having less body fat."
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Step 1: Grow the Muscle with Diet
The first step is to grow the muscle, starting with diet. "Eat enough calories and protein (maintenance calories or 100-200 calories above), have carbs pre and post workout to help performance and recovery," she says.
Step 1: Grow the Muscle with Exercise
Exercise is also a key part of the first step. Shauna says to "weight train 3-4 times a week with progressive overload, train close to failure" and also "walk daily to help recovery, and get activity that does not compete with building muscle," she says.
Step 1: Grow the Muscle with Healthy Habits
The final part of step one? There is another key healthy habit: Rest. "Get 7+ hours of sleep," Shauna says. "Do this for 3-6 months."
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Step 2: Decrease Body Fat with Diet
The second step is decreasing body fat. She recommends starting this step, again with your diet. "Eat in a calorie deficit (goal weight in lbs x 12) while still prioritizing protein, still having carbs pre and post workout," she says.
Step 2: Decrease Body Fat with Exercise and Sleep
The other habits – exercise and sleep – are also part of the second step. She recommends "still training heavy and close to failure with progressive overload so your body preserves muscle and burns fat, still getting 7+ hours of sleep, and walking daily. Do this for 6-12 weeks then cycle back maintenance," she says.
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Repeat
"When you implement and cycle the 2 steps above, you optimize your body and metabolism to build muscle, burn fat and maintain results sustainably," she says. "This is how I got leaner and stronger in my 40's. It's all about knowing the right dials to turn, and knowing how to work with your body instead of against it." And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.
