All people have their insecurities. They greatly vary and have different nature, and most of the time, are not that visible or important to others until the person points them out themselves. Although it may not make any difference for other people, it significantly affects that person’s confidence. That is why people search for how to hide their freckles, how to banish stomach hair, or how to get rid of knee fat. There is nothing wrong with the desire to get rid of your insecurities.
One of the ways to fight them is to accept and appreciate them. If you accept your little “flaws” and realize that they don’t determine you as a person, the embarrassment and remorse that you felt towards them will disappear. Another way to fight your insecurities is to get rid of their cause. It may also take some time but will be almost as effective as acceptance. So, if you want to know how to get rid of knee fat, then read on.
In this article, you will find out what causes knee fat, and how to get rid of fat accumulation in the knee area with the help of exercise.
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To understand how to get rid of knee fat, first, you need to know what causes it. There are different reasons why your knees may look like they have excessive fat accumulation, here are some of them:
One of the most common reasons why you have an increased amount of fat on your knees is weight gain. It is only natural, because as you put on weight, your body deposits fat all around it, and your knees are not an exception. You may have noticed that even your fingers and feet become thicker, as you gain more weight. That is why the key to getting rid of knee fat is oftentimes weight loss.
Aging can also be one of the reasons why your knees look like they are fat. With age, your skin loses elasticity, which causes sagginess in the areas where your skin often extends due to the movement, like your elbows and knees. It is a natural part of aging and can’t be completely avoided. A 2013 randomized controlled trial showed that taking collagen supplements can add to the elasticity of your skin (6), so you may consult your doctor on that matter if you want to preserve the youthfulness of your skin a bit longer.
Although it may look like a knee fat, in reality, it may be just loose muscles that require some toning up. If you ignore that part of your body while focusing on strength, you may end up with saggy-looking knee skin. To avoid that, try to include some resistance training into your workout routine.
Everything is good in moderation. Lack of exercise can cause the sagginess on your knees, while too much exercise can make the area above your knees look bigger. If you are a squat, lunge, or other heavy leg exercise lover, you probably have very well-developed quadriceps. They make your legs and thighs look bigger while creating an illusion of knee fat. In such a case, try to go easy on the exercises that focus on your quads, and give your muscles a chance to slightly decrease in size, so that your knees would look thinner and smaller.
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Now, there are lots of types of knee fat, so people may wonder how to get rid of inner knee fat, how to get rid of side knee fat, how to get rid of above the knee fat, etc. The thing with that is, you don’t choose where exactly you will lose fat. You may have heard of a spot reduction. It suggests that if you work a certain part of your body more, then you will burn fat in that particular spot faster.
It is supported by claims of people who noticed how in course of their weight loss process they slimmed down in their waist or legs, etc., faster than they did in any other part of their bodies. This is possible, but not due to the spot reduction, rather because of their genetics (3). Those people didn’t lose weight only in that place, they lost fat from all over their body, but that particular spot happened to be the one that had the most visible result.
In reality, you can’t choose where to lose weight, because it’s not how it works. Numerous studies have shown that locally-focused exercises don’t reduce the fat on the targeted parts of the body, but rather act as an overall effective weight-loss tool (5, 8, 9). In the process of slimming, you create a caloric deficit, which makes your body use your fat depositions as the source of energy. As a result, you transform fat from all over your body into energy, causing weight loss (11). So, getting back to the question, “Is it possible to get rid of knee fat?”, the answer is yes. However, not by performing only leg exercises, but by following a healthy diet which creates a caloric deficit, and performing regular physical activity.
As clear as above-stated facts, to burn your knee fat, you need to lose weight. In order to effectively shed a couple of pounds, you need to burn more calories than you consume. First, calculate how many calories your body requires a day with this calories burned calculator. It can also be used to calculate how many calories you burn performing a certain type of physical activity, which also adds to your caloric deficit. As 1 pound (0.45 kg) of fat equals 3500 calories, to lose 1-2 pounds (0.45-1 kg) a week, which is a recommended weight loss pace, you need to reduce your daily caloric intake by 500 or 1000 calories (4). Here are some exercise recommendations that will help you create that caloric deficit healthily.
Any physical activity burns a certain number of calories, so any exercise is better than no exercise. However, certain types of training are especially effective at melting fat and toning up your body. Here are some of the best exercises that will help you get rid of knee fat:
Walking and running are both cardio exercises. They not only add to the number of burned calories but also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases (10). Half an hour of walking with the speed of 4 mph (6.4 km/h) burns 135 calories in a 125-pound person, 167 calories in a 155-pound person, and 200 calories in a 185-pound person. Half an hour of running with the speed of 5 mph (8 km/h) burns 240 calories in a 125-pound person, 298 calories in a 155-pound person, and 355 calories in a 185-pound person.
If you increase the intensity of your training and run with the speed of 7.5 mph (12 km/h), then 30 minutes of this activity will burn 375 calories if you weigh 125 pounds, 465 calories if you weigh 155 pounds, and 555 calories if you weigh 185 pounds (2). Walking is the best option for beginners, as it is not as demanding, but still can be an as good workout as running (12).
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Cycling, as the previous two exercises, belongs to the category of cardio training. It has a low impact on your back, hips, knees, and ankles, and at the same time is highly effective at burning calories and strengthening your legs, hips, and glutes (1). 30 minutes of cycling with the speed of 12-14 mph (19.3-22.5 km/h) burns 240 calories in a 125-pound person, 298 calories in a 155-pound person, and 355 calories in a 185-pound person.
Bicycling for half an hour with the speed of 16-19 mph (25.7-30.5 km/h) burns almost as many calories as running with a speed of 7.5 mph (12 km/h). It burns 360 calories in a 125-pound person, 446 calories in a 155-pound person, and 533 calories in a 185-pound person (2). Cycling has everything the perfect cardio exercise can offer you; low impact on your joints, leg muscle strengthening, and improved heart health.
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Swimming is an overall beneficial physical activity. It is considered to be a cardio exercise, as it increases your heart rate and the amount of oxygen that your body consumes. It is also quite effective at burning calories. 30 minutes of breaststroke swimming burns 300 calories in a 125-pound person, 372 calories in a 155-pound person, and 444 calories in a 185-pound person (2). Swimming really does have it all. Here are some of its main benefits, which will make you want to jump into the water and have a swim right away (7):
Swimming works for all your major muscle groups, strengthening your body and promoting equal muscle development.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or a professional, a woman or a man, a kid, or an elderly. Everyone can start swimming!
Swimming is an extremely low impact exercise as the water gently supports your body, removing the pressure from your locomotor apparatus, while still providing enough resistance for you to work your muscles.
A lot of doctors recommend swimming over any other type of exercise during pregnancy. Water supports your weight, making it an ideal option to stay fit without harming your body and your baby’s health.
Like any other exercise, swimming can help you control and reduce your stress levels.
With swimming, you don’t have to pay hundreds of dollars for your gym membership. Many towns and cities offer public pools with discounted rates, or even free access at certain times. Any lake, ocean, sea, or river is also a great option, but be sure to take all the safety precautions.
You never know what to expect from life, so it is better to be ready for everything. Swimming is not only a fun way to lose weight and tone up but also a lifesaver in certain situations.
There are some things that a person would like to change about them, whether it is slightly saggy breasts, flabby arms, or broad shoulders. People often have something they are insecure about. That is why sometimes they spend hours trying to get rid of those things.
This article can answer the question of how to get rid of knee fat. First, you need to determine what causes your knee fat. It may be weight gain, aging, lack of physical activity, or excessive workouts. Now that you are sure that it is a knee fat, and not just saggy skin or large quads, you can take the next step, and that is weight loss. To successfully trim down a couple of inches, you need to burn more calories than you consume. You can reach it with the help of a healthy diet and regular exercise. Some of the best exercises that will strengthen your body and blast away your knee flab are walking, running, cycling, and swimming.
You must remember that any changes in your diet or workout plan should first be discussed with your doctor.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!