Shape Up Your Legs in 10 Simple Steps

It’s time to get those legs in shape! If you’ve always wanted shapelier legs then keep on reading because we’re going to cover a few of the things you can do to get your very own pair of gorgeous gams. Many women hate their legs and would gladly swap them for a shapelier pair if it was possible. But you can’t change your genetics, so rather than fighting against what you’ve got, own it and make the most of your potential.

It doesn’t matter where you’re starting from – long and lean, short and stout or somewhere in between – you can take a few steps to shape up your legs. They may never look as long and sleek as a catwalk model’s, but – dammit! – they’re yours. So don’t try to hide the legs you’ve got, shape them up and get ready to flaunt them!

10 Gorgeous Leg-Shaping Tips

1. Get Your Workout On

   You knew this would be here, didn’t you? Yes, working out is our favorite way to sculpt a pair of beautiful legs. The best thing about it – as long as you stay active – it’s permanent! Make sure you’re including these leg-sculpting exercises in your workouts:

   • Squats
   • Lunges
   • Step Ups & Box Jumps
   • Calf Raises

   And if you want to really work those legs, make sure you add our Lean & Sexy Legs Workout to your workout schedule!

2. Eat Clean

   Okay, okay, we admit it – we talk about eating clean a lot. That’s because it’s crucial to getting the body you want. Your workouts are only half the story – and most people find them the easier of the two – but if you really (and we mean really!) want to get great results, you’ve got to take it to the kitchen too!

3. Roll Some Foam

   Not in the bath, with a foam roller. If you don’t already know (where have you been?!) a foam roller is a device which allows you to give yourself a deep tissue massage. This has a few benefits: relaxes the muscles, circulates blood and lymphatic fluid (a good thing!), breaks up scar tissue and adhesions, and most importantly, smooths and lengthens muscle.

   Lengthening the muscles in your legs will help to give them a longer and leaner appearance, plus it helps you recover from your workouts quicker – bonus!

4. Work With What You’ve Got

   Their your legs, so learn to love ‘em! We’re all born differently and as much as many of us would love to have had different results in the genetic lottery – them’s the apples! In other words: love what you’ve got and learn to work with it. You can work out until you’re blue in the face, but you can’t make your legs longer. If you don’t have the genetics for that elusive ‘thigh gap’ you’re not going to get it.

   Forget about what you don’t have and focus on your assets. If you think you’ve got short stubby legs, or funny looking kneecaps, or no calves – don’t hate them – find out what works for you and use it to your advantage.

5. Use the Power of Illusion

   Working out can certainly sculpt you a pair of gorgeous legs, but a thousand crunches, lunges and step-ups can’t change your genetics. Still, there are other things you can do to give the illusion of longer, shapelier legs. For example:

   • A dress with a high hemline or high waist.
   • High heels, especially nude heels.
   • Use an instant glow or shimmer moisturiser to highlight your contours.
   • A airbrush or spray-on tan also highlights the contours of your legs, giving them a more slender appearance.
   • Spanx for your legs. Not a replacement for working out though!

6. Pamper Yourself

   What’s the point of having incredible, shapely legs if they’re dry, flaky and have razor burn and ingrown hairs? So take some time to pamper your legs – it’s a great way to relax, and the end result will look fantastic. Try some of these ideas:

   • Use coconut oil as a pre- and post-shave lotion for super-smooth legs. Even better, it doesn’t contain any parabens. In fact, some people swear by coconut oil as being even better than your usual shaving cream. Try it out and see how it feels.
   • Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
   • Exfoliate! Use a loofah or an exfoliating mitt.
   • Shave with a shower oil. L’occitane does an amazing almond shower oil.
   • To prevent razor burn, ingrown hairs and for amazingly smooth legs, we’ve found Shaveworks Cool Fix works incredibly well (it’s unisex, not just for men). A little goes a long, long way!

7. Watch the Sodium & Hydrate

   Too much sodium in your diet (and it’s in almost everything) can result in edema, more commonly known as water-retention. So if you want to reduce the puffiness and bloating (in your whole body) or the dreaded ‘cankles’ then reduce your sodium intake and increase your water intake – keep yourself hydrated!

8. Minimize Cellulite

   Cellulite is a bit of an annoyance isn’t it? But, don’t get mad, get even – you can minimize and even eradicate it completely! Take a look at our 6 ways to get rid of cellulite to help you fight back!

9. Yoga!

   Not only will doing yoga strengthen your whole body – some poses are especially good for your legs – but the stretches will help you lengthen your muscles and improve your flexibility. Not into yoga? Then simply make sure you include 10 – 15 minutes stretching after your workouts to keep those muscles limber.

10. Get Moving

    We know lifting heavy things is good for sculpting some sexy muscle, but it’s a good idea to get your cardio on too! Not only will it be a good cardiovascular workout, but you’ll be building working all those muscles you don’t usually hit. Plus it’s fun! Here are some ideas:

    • Dancing
    • Kickboxing / boxing
    • Running
    • CrossFit (includes weight training).

How do you feel about your legs? Let us know in the comments below!

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