Thigh Exercise Equipment

Masters in Exercise and Sports Science

There's not a person out there who doesn't want toned, cellulite-free thighs that look great in everything from bathing suits to skinny jeans. Marketers know this, and every year new exercise equipment arrives on the market promising sleek, beautiful thighs in just minutes of exercise every day. The truth is that sleek, toned thighs are the responsibility of the exerciser, not just the equipment. However, here are a few pieces of thigh exercise equipment that make the grade for quality and results.

When you hit the gym with the intention of toning up your thighs, you need to know how to navigate the commercial gym equipment. Here are a few of the best options:

You may not like squats, but they are one of the best thigh-toning exercises out there. Most gyms have free standing squat racks for this purpose, but some gyms also have squat machines (like the FreeMotion Squat) that are designed to take you through the squat motion without the hassle of handling weight plates.

Like the squat rack, the leg press machine is often available as either a free weight station or a selectorized weight machine. The leg press targets the thighs in a similar manner to the squat, but it's often a safer exercise for indiivduals with back problems because the back remains stabilized throughout the exercise.

The leg curl targets your hamstrings, or the back of your thighs, while the leg extension targets your quadriceps, or the front of your thighs. Most gyms will have these machines set up as part of their circuit training area.

The hip abduction and hip adduction machines target your outer and inner thighs, respectively. These machines may be separate, or in some cases, it's a single machine with a swiveling knee pad that allows you to change the target muscle group. Most gyms have these machines as a component of their circuit training area.

The exact same pieces of equipment you use at the gym are available as residential equipment if you have the space and money to allot for this purpose. If you don't, there's no need to worry. There are lots of options that cost less and offer the same results, as long as you take full advantage of them.

There are a number of home gym stations designed to target every muscle group in the body, including the thighs. Look for high-quality residential equipment from major manufacturers like LifeFitness, Precor and FreeMotion. These weight stations should offer you the ability to perform squats, lunges, deadlifts, and in some cases, leg extensions and leg curls. Some of the best options have dual adjustable pulleys that allow you to manipulate the angle of resistance for a wide variety of exercise options. These may not look like a traditional weight machine, and they may take some getting used to, but you (and your thighs!) will be glad you took the time to learn. You can expect to pay between $1,000 and $4,000 for a quality home gym station.

Fitness balls are a standard, inexpensive piece of home exercise equipment that you can use to target your thighs. Place a ball between your body and a wall to perform squats, balance one leg on the ball as you do backward lunges or roll the ball toward your supine body as you do leg curls. There's no muscle group you can't target with a simple fitness ball. Expect to pay between $20 and $50 on high-quality balls.

Suspension trainers like the Jungle Gym XT are relatively new to the fitness market, but they've definitely proven their worth. Like stability balls, suspension trainers add instablity to your exercise routine, challenging multiple muscle groups throughout every motion. The Jungle Gym XT is a high-quality piece of equipment that allows you to target your thighs while performing squats, lunges, hip adductions and abductions, leg curls and bridges. The best part? When you're done with your routine, simply pack away the trainer - it doesn't need a dedicated space. You can expect to pay between $100 and $200 for most quality trainers.

Strength training equipment doesn't have a corner on the market when it comes to toning the thighs. You can also strengthen and shape your thighs by performing cardiovascular exercises that target the legs. Treadmills and ellipticals do a good job of this, but a few other pieces of cardio equipment are even better.

No matter what type of bike you choose to ride, there's no denying the fact that cycling targets the thighs and butt. The nice thing about cycling is that you can choose to workout at a gym, at home or outside. You can even purchase bikes designed to be riden while working from home. The FitDesk is a relative newcomer to the market, but because of its home and office applications, its popularity is growing immensely.

Step mills are most commonly found at gyms because of their size and expense, but these stair steppers offer a great way to target the thigs. Unlike traditional stair steppers, step mills actually require you to climb rotating steps, forcing the full stair-climbing motion. A few minutes on a step mill and your thighs will start screaming. If you don't have access to a step mill, consider investing between $50 and $150 on an aerobic step. You can set it up and use it to step up and down in a similar fashion to walking up stairs.

Exercising your thighs isn't limited to land-based forms of exercise. If you have access to a swimming pool, you may want to consider using tools like Aqualogix. The Aqualogix leg fins provide multi-directional drag resistance to increase the difficulty of kicking, extending and curling water exercises that target the thighs.

Before spending an arm and a leg on exercise equipment, make sure you identify your budget and your available space. You may also want to think about whether you'd be more likely to exercise at home or at a gym. Once you've hammered that out, start your equipment search online, always checking third party reviews for the equipment and brand before spending your money. If you're going to invest in your health, you want to make sure you're investing wisely.

Celebrity Dieting Tips

The idea that "celebrities are just normal people" doesn't seem to hold up in view of the svelte figures that appear on the red carpet. If you have ever wondered how these public icons remain slim and well-preserved over the course of a lifetime, you may be in for a few radical surprises. Celebrities are public figures, and it is their job to look appealing and fit at all times. While the end result may look the same, diet tips and secrets of the rich and famous may range from healthy lifestyle choices to some extremely unhealthy decisions.

When it comes to maintaining a trim figure, diet is at least half the focus. The trouble with mirroring celebrity weight loss methods, however, is that not all celebrities employ the same regimens. Celebrities lose weight and maintain muscle tone through a variety of means, some of which are actually dangerous. Whereas some A-list celebs employ a personal chef, a restricted diet, and a personal trainer to keep up their glamorous appearance, others may look to prescription medication, dangerous drugs, and even end up with eating disorders.

It can be daunting for the average housewife and mother to see a celebrity give birth and then, two months later, appear primed and ready for a bikini shoot. ABCNews.com brings the issue to light, stating celebs often have a lot of help, even that of the surgical variety. There are so many tricks and tools available to celebrity budgets that simply aren't feasible for the typical American. In fact, the diet tips and secrets of many celebrities simply aren't much of a secret.

A svelt Gwyneth Paltrow on the red carpet.

Gwyneth Paltrow: Gwyneth Paltrow appeared onOprah in 2008 claiming that she "just cannot diet." Instead, her post-pregnancy figure is attributed to a rigorous training program. For some celebrities, a restricted diet plan can be traded for intense physical workouts under the supervision of an experienced trainer. According to People, after many years as a devout macrobiotic, Paltrow now espouses a more fun and balanced nutritional program that features much fewer restrictions.

Miranda Kerr: In interviews, Victoria's Secret Angel Miranda Kerr attributed her sleek physique to a love of organic foods, particularly green vegetables. However, in 2011, Kerr claimed her postpartum weight loss was supported by a special blood-type diet that minimized meat consumption and also by a consistent regimen of coconut oil.

Drew Barrymore:Good Housekeeping keeps tabs on the dietary habits of many current stars. Drew Barrymore recommends enjoying favorite foods, and simply eating less of them, whereas Jessica Alba extols a more structured regimen of produce, lean sources of protein, and the avoidance of sugar and carbohydrates.

It is important to note that the healthy balanced diet of a celebrity is frequently a far departure from the standard American's eating program. Celebrities have the funds to purchase organic foods and upscale brands that allow for no additives and preservatives. They often consume diets that are high in fresh produce and low in processed foods and unnecessary carbohydrates. The secrets of many stars are actually very popular and well-recognized dietary principles: eat healthy enzyme rich foods as close to their natural form as possible.

CelebrityDiets.org is a fun website to visit when you desire a more detailed look into your favorite celebrity's eating habits. Though the dietary practices vary from star to star, one principle remains fairly concrete: the slender fit stars are not exactly eating "whatever they want." Most celebrities have to work to achieve their supernatural frames, and the celebrities that don't will often become to victims of tabloid articles.

The pressures of Hollywood can be severe. Some stars, whose so-called diet tips are touted as Pilates and a vegetarian diet, have much darker secrets to hide. Hollywood is a breeding ground for eating disorders and dangerous fad diets. People magazine has spotlighted the "Red Carpet Cleanses" of many A-list stars. These liquid diets are often used to slim down and detox a celebrity before she steps into the limelight, but such programs are not recommended for long term usage. Unfortunately, weight loss can be every bit as addictive to Hollywood icons as being in front of the camera. Some celebrities will employ laxatives or severe willpower leading to starvation in order to stave off pounds. Diet pills and other dangerous drugs are amongst other methods used to keep celebs camera ready.

An article in Daily Mail encloses the testimonies of celebrity trainers regarding the unhealthful and fanatical measures that some celebrities will take in order to maintain a chiseled look. While Renee Zellwegger reportedly only ate boiled eggs on set during the filming of Cold Mountain, her protein rich program may actually be one of the more innocuous regimens.

Not all celebrity diet tips are secrets. Moreover, some secrets should remain secret. Severely restricting your diet or "Master Cleansing" yourself down a dress size may affect your metabolism negatively in the long run. Unhealthy dietary and lifestyle practices will take their toll on both your appearance and general wellness. Whereas many celebrities can afford the costly surgical and dermatological practices that keep their skin tight and glowing, the typical American will suffer greatly from crash diets and harmful chemicals. Instead, focus on keeping your weight loss healthy. Connect with a nutritionist or a dietician to ensure that you are eating adequate levels of nutrients to support metabolic processes. If it is within your budget, follow the celebrity principle of hiring a trainer that can tailor-make a workout regimen to fit your body's needs.

Minimize Diet Damage on Vacation

Vacations are a time for health and renewal.

For many individuals, maintaining a diet during vacation is a real challenge. The very essence of a vacation is surrounded by concepts such as relaxation and freedom. Individuals who are on a very restricted dietary regimen may be looking to "let go" temporarily in both an emotional and a dietary manner. However, all the hard work of a stringent diet can be easily affected in a negative way by even a short one-week vacation. The trick to minimizing diet damage during a vacation is to mentally prepare yourself for the task and foresee any threats to your self-discipline.

Vacation is a real chance to cut loose. Binding diet and weight loss habits are a hindrance to the freedoms proposed by a vacation. Individuals traveling outside the country may be excited to experience the unique culinary delights offered by a different culture. This experimentation may result in an extreme breakdown of one's self-control.

Unfortunately, self-control is the foundation of a successful diet and this requires practice and a lot of effort. Even a brief vacation and a more relaxed position on diet may be enough to undo months of?painfully acquired?self-discipline. Some individuals will come back from their vacation binges only to discover they no longer have the self-control to practice their diet. This is a real problem.

Maintaining self-discipline during your vacation is the key to minimizing dietary damage. Indeed, the cuisine of foreign lands is appealing and it isn't necessarily untouchable. However, an attitude of "just this once" simply will not work for individuals who really have to strive to maintain a certain weight. MedicineNet.com reports some dieters are actually "programmed" to regain weight. The majority of dieters on a restricted regimen will eventually regain the weight they have worked so hard to lose. Self-control remains the barrier to such weight fluctuations.

For dieters, the word vacation must be redefined. Vacation should not be viewed as a chance to cut loose from binding regimens. It should be seen as an opportunity to release stress while continuing to cultivate healthy lifestyle habits. A vacation that causes your body more stress and health damage will not leave you for the better when your trip has ended.

For individuals who are self-disciplined, vacation can still present problems where dieting is concerned. Airports, travel stations, and road trips will not always provide healthy foods. Airplane snacks and meals can pose a real temptation. Committed dieters work around such issues by bringing their own snacks in order to avoid the lure of vending machines and food kiosks. Fortunately, airports almost always sell bottled water. CNN hails the importance of drinking water for weight loss and maintaining a sense of "fullness." When traveling, always reach for water instead of vitamin drinks, sodas, and fruit juices.

If your vacation is extensive or diet is severely restricted, choosing accommodations that offer a kitchen can help you maintain your regime. Restaurants involve a lot of guesswork for dieters. Having your own kitchen gives you the option to prepare the sort of meals you would if you were in the comfort of own home. For persons who cannot afford such measures, be sure to research the restaurants in the areas to which you plan to visit. Most restaurants offer salads and there is almost always a food market that sells fresh fruit and produce.

The group affected most negatively during vacations is fad dieters. Fad diets are the most difficult to maintain. They are often the most restricted. Individuals whose diet consists mainly of?items such as cabbage soup or curious food?combinations may find it difficult to obtain?these foods?during vacations. TheNewsTribune.com comments on the unhealthy nature of many fad diets, which is something to consider in itself. However, vacation may pose a real challenge even to your most unhealthy dietary habits.

The more balanced your dieting regimen is, the easier it will be to maintain during most vacation plans. Moreover, the firmer your self-discipline, the less likely it will be that you'll abandon your healthy habits over the course of a few days or weeks. If you honestly feel a vacation will derail either your diet or willpower, you'll probably need to plan a vacation conducive to your?regimen or forgo the vacation altogether.

Most Effective Fat Burning Exercises

Masters in Exercise and Sports Science

When you are trying to lose weight, learning which exercises burn the most fat can help you reach your goal faster. All exercise burns calories but some types are more effective than others. Discover the most effective fat burning exercises that can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

While all forms of exercise will help you burn fat, exercises that continually target your major muscle groups while increasing your heart rate will help you burn fat more effectively. Keep in mind that when you're trying to burn fat, calories are the key to success. You can increase your calorie burn, thereby increasing your fat burn, by playing with the "FIT" principle - frequency, intensity and time. If you exercise more frequently, with greater intensity and/or for a longer period of time, you will increase your fat burning capability. Consider the following exercises:

Jogging and running are good aerobic exercises that burn calories much faster than simply walking. A light jog for an hour will burn approximately 500 calories while an hour-long run can burn between 550 to 1125 calories, depending on your speed, weight and body composition. The great thing about this type of exercise is you don't need any equipment, just well-fitting athletic shoes and comfortable clothing. According to the Mayo Clinic, an hour-long session of 5 mph jogging burns about 584 calories while a 8 mph run burns 986 calories. If you really want to burn more calories and fat, try running intervals or running up hills - by switching between high-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise throughout your routine, you will actually burn more calories and fat as your body has to work to recover from each high-intensity interval.

Biking engages the calf, thigh and gluteal muscles, while providing a great fat burn workout. Depending on the intensity, an hour-long bike ride can burn between 500 to 1125 calories. The Mayo Clinic found that even a leisurely hour-long bike ride of <10 mph can burn about 292 calories for a 160-pound person. Remember, by working harder or performing intervals, you can increase your calorie and fat burn. If you don't want to bike outdoors, most gyms offer group cycling classes that enable you to exercise under the supervision of a trained instructor who will push you to increase resistance and challenge yourself during every workout.

Fun sports activities that provide intense cardio workouts include basketball, soccer, squash, volleyball, racquetball or football. They all get the heart pumping and eliminate hundreds of calories as you run, jump, twist, reach, slide and backpedal to play the game. In one hour, basketball can burn about 700 calories, football and squash can burn as much as 800 calories, and soccer and racquetball may burn around 600. The Mayo Clinic estimates that a person of 160-pounds will burn between 500 to 584 calories during most leisurely hour-long sports games. If you choose to participate in sports to increase your fat burn, remember that the accumulated time you spend being active is extremely important - avoid counting water breaks, timeouts or team huddles toward your total exercise time.

If you like the idea of skating, try rollerblading for exercise. It provides a total body workout because of how you lead with your lower body, using your arms and abs for balance. The Mayo Clinic's exercise chart indicates that a 160-pound person can burn as much as 913 calories when rollerblading for an hour. If you're just starting out, look for smooth, flat concrete trails to get the hang of this skill. Skating does require a significant amount of balance, and you may have to work on your ankle and calf strength before you feel comfortable.

Use a rowing machine or join a rowing team to get a good workout that wipes away fat fast while strengthening the entire body. Rowing for 30 minutes can burn about 300 calories on average. The Mayo Clinic found that rowing on a machine for an hour burns 511 calories in a 160-pound person. The great thing about rowing is that you have to push backward with your legs while pulling with your core and back, essentially engaging your entire body throughout the exercise. The harder and faster you row on the machine, the more strength you will gain and the more fat you will burn.

Group exercise classes include everything from step aerobics to cardio kickboxing and Zumba. The great thing about these workouts is that an instructor will lead you through the movements while pushing you to work your hardest. If your goal is to burn fat, look for cardio classes that incorporate high-intensity full-body movements like kicking, jumping and dancing with strength training exercises. By challenging both your cardiovascular system and your muscular strength, you will ultimately burn more calories and fat as you exercise and recover. Thirty minutes of exercise can burn between 200 and 400 calories.

Your current health condition will determine your best exercise routine for optimal weight loss. Always consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine to make sure that you are healthy enough for the new workout. Enjoy exploring a variety of exercise options. For more information on effective fat burning exercise, Cardio for Fat Loss contains additonal ideas.

Alli Diet Supplement

In 2007, the FDA approved a new over-the-counter diet pill called Alli. Consumers were excited about the possibility of a safe and effective weight loss pill and flocked to drug stores to purchase it. Many are left wondering, however, does Alli work, and what are the side effects?

Alli is the name brand for the over-the-counter diet medication, orlistat. GallaxoSmithKline manufactures the drug, which is available in drug stores around the country. Orlistat is also the active ingredient in the prescription medication Xenical. Alli contains 60 mg of orlistat, while Xenical contains 120 mg per tablet.

According to the calorie hypothesis, when you consume any food, it provides your body with energy. That energy is measured in the form of calories, which are units of energy. Experts posit that the body is a machine acting on the properties of thermodynamics, and that it has certain energy requirements. When you eat foods containing more calories than your body needs, it stores the remaining energy as fat. When you eat foods containing fewer calories than your body needs, it takes the extra required energy from your fat stores. Put simply, the calorie hypothesis suggests that when you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. When you eat fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight.

To that end, Alli can help reduce caloric intake by changing how your body absorbs dietary fats. Fat is present in many of the foods you eat, and it is quite calorically dense. While carbohydrates and proteins have four calories per gram, fat has nine. This has led many diet and nutrition experts to hypothesize that foods containing fat are more fattening than foods without them. When you take an Alli pill, it blocks your body from absorbing about 25 percent of the fat present in the foods you eat. This leads to reduced caloric intake, because your body excretes the fat rather than using it as energy.

Since Alli blocks fat calories, this does not mean you can eat anything you want and still lose weight. Instead, the Alli website encourages you to alter your lifestyle as well, pursuing a healthy, low-calorie diet and exercise as part of an overall weight loss plan.

Whenever a new diet or diet product hits the market, two distinct types of evidence emerge in support of or against the efficacy of the product or diet. Empirical evidence utilizes double-blind, placebo-controlled scientific studies to gage a product's efficacy, contraindications, and side effects. Anecdotal evidence arises from user reports about their experiences with the product or diet.

According to MayoClinic.com, studies show that prescription strength orlistat (Xenical) helps users following a low-fat, low-calorie diet and exercise program lose an additional five to seven pounds in a year. With its reduced strength, experts estimate Alli can lead to an additional three to five pounds of weight loss.

The Alli website provides a section for user testimonials in their forums. While customers report weight loss, they all do so citing putting forth tremendous effort of diet and exercise to get the weight off, as well.

When Alli first received approval from the FDA, part of the buzz was about the possible side effects of the medication. In fact, many people feel that the threat of one of the drug's main side effects is what enables users to stick to a low-fat, reduced calorie diet in order to lose weight. The side effect that seems to have such a motivational impact on many Alli users is changes to bowels. Because the 25 percent of fat intake passes through the body unabsorbed, it makes its way out via the intestines. This may result in oily anal leakage and changes to bowel movements, particularly in the early weeks of the program or whenever the Alli user eats more than 15 g of fat at one time. This may manifest as oily bowel movements, diarrhea, oil discharge with gas, poorly controlled bowel movements, and greasy spotting. Other, lesser known side effects of orlistat may include:

Severe allergic reaction such as itching, hives, or anaphylaxis Liver damage Kidney stones Gallbladder disease Nausea Headaches Anxiety Back pain Menstrual irregularity

Only you can decide whether the benefits of taking Alli outweigh the risks of its side effects. Alli is not a magic pill. Instead, it must be combined with a careful regimen of fat-control, diet and exercise. If you do elect to try Alli, the company's website provides an array of tools to help you follow the prescribed plan.

Although it is available over the counter and approved by the FDA, Alli is still a drug that may have other detrimental effects on your health, and it may be contraindicated with other medications or medical conditions. Talk with your doctor before self-prescribing Alli.

Oblique Workout

Masters in Exercise and Sports Science

If you want to work the internal and external oblique muscles that run diagonally across your torso, you need to focus on twisting exercises that engage this portion of your abdominals. Targeting these muscles several times a week can help enhance your core strength, posture and balance, so add three to four oblique exercises to your regular exercise routine to start seeing results.

Even if you don't focus on exercising your obliques very often, they actually work constantly to help you perform basic functions. Your obliques engage every time you take a breath, helping to expand and contract the chest cavity as your lungs take in and exhale air. They also engage during torso rotation and flexion, as you bend, twist and move throughout the day. By including three to four oblique exercises two to three times a week, you can help increase your abdominal strength, improve posture and balance while also enhancing your functional fitness. Consider trying the following four exercises as part of your regular fitness routine:

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Bend your elbows and place your fists next to your ears. At the same time, lift your feet off the ground so that your hips and knees form 90-degree angles. Engage your abdominals and crunch your head and shoulders up off the floor. As you crunch up, engage your obliques and begin twisting your torso until your right elbow touches your left knee. As you perform this twist, simultaneously extend your right leg without allowing your foot to touch the floor. Twist back to center as you bring your right leg back to its bent position. Perform the same exercise, this time trying to touch your left elbow to your right knee as you extend your left leg. Continue "bicycling" your legs as you twist your torso to the left and right. Perform two or three sets of 10 to 15 full repetitions (twisting to the right and left is a single repetition). Lie on your left side with your feet stacked on top of each other and torso propped up on your forearm so that your elbow is positioned directly below your shoulder. You can place your right palm on the floor in front of your torso for additional balance. Engage your abs and lift your hips off the floor so that your body forms a straight line from your feet to your head. After gaining balance, lift your right hand off the floor and extend your right arm up toward the ceiling. Hold the position for five seconds. Keeping your body in the side plank position, slowly and steadily sweep your right arm down in front of your body, then reach it under your left side, twisting your torso so your chest faces down toward the floor. Hold this position for a second, then twist back to the side plank, sweeping your right arm back up toward the ceiling. Repeat three to five side plank twists before performing the exercise on the opposite side. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold an eight- to ten-pound dumbbell in your right hand, hanging at your side. Place your left hand on your left hip. Engage your abs and gradually flex your torso to the right side as you slide the dumbbell down the outside of your right leg. This should be a steady, controlled movement. When you've flexed as far as you comfortably can, continue engaging your obliques as you slowly return to the standing position. Perform 10 to 15 repetitions on your right side before switching sides. Sit on the floor with your knees bent, your feet flat on the ground. Hold a three- to ten-pound medicine ball in both hands at your midline. Keeping your torso straight and tall, lean back slightly so that your body forms a "V" shape. You can flex your ankles and lift your toes off the ground if you like. Keeping your hips stationary and the medicine ball tracking with your belly button (i.e., not twisting your arms), twist your entire torso to the right as you attempt to touch the medicine ball to the ground. After twisting as far as you comfortably can to the right, continue to engage your abs as you twist your torso back to center. Continue the twisting motion by twisting your entire torso to the left side, attempting to touch the medicine ball to the floor on your left. Perform eight to 12 full twists to each side while maintaining proper form.

When it comes to performing abdominal exercises, form is more important than the number of exercises you perform or the amount of weight you use. Start with light weight and fewer repetitions and work your way up to a more advanced routine. Improperly performing ab exercises could lead to back pain or injury; plus, you'll actually see greater results when you perform the exercises with the correct form.

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