Do you want to wear that short, knee-length dress? There’s only one thing that stops ladies from wearing dresses that leave their legs exposed — calf fat. Calves are located at the back ofyour lower legs. And like any other part of your body, this area can also accumulate fat and look bulky when you walk. In fact, this fat accumulation of fat can make your lower legs appear fatter and heavier than your thighs. Losing the calf fat can help you achieve toned and well-
shaped legs. Plus, your legs tend to appear slimmer. We’ve compiled a list of the best exercises and some diet tips that can do wonders for cutting the calf fat easily. Let's read on to know how to lose calf fat in a healthy way.
15 Exercise to Lose Calf Fat (How to do)
You can lose body fat through exercise. Even though there isn’t a particular exercise that can cut fat from specific parts of your body, some exercises can help reduce overall body fat and make your muscles slender. Remember, consistency is the key. You can’t get rid of the calf fat in a few days of practicing calf fat reduction exercises. You may need to practice regularly for months to see the results. Most importantly, these exercises work when you watch your diet
and follow a healthy lifestyle.
1. Calf Stretching
Stretching won’t directly reduce your calf fat, but it makes your leg muscles flexible enough to perform a leg workout effortlessly. You need a foam roller for stretching. Here’s what to do.
â— Sit with your back straight and both legs stretched. Place both your hands at the back for support.
â— Place a foam roller below your lower legs, such that your knees should be straight.
â— Lift your buttocks and move your body forward and backward so that the roller moves up and down the knee. Do it with one leg at a time and repeat the same process for another leg.
â— You will feel the pressure on your hands as you need to push your body using your hands as support. Do this every day for at least 3 minutes on both legs.
2. Hands Under Foot
This is similar to the yoga pose, where you touch your hands to the feet, except with a few variations.
â— With your spine straight and the legs at a shoulder-width distance, move your torso down to touch the feet.
â— Slip both hands under your feet
â— Your head should be facing your knees, and the elbows must point outward
â— Be in this pose for 5 seconds, and then return to your normal position
Perform it 6-8 times a day.
3. Standing with Dumbells (Calf Raised)
Beginners can start with this simple and effective calf muscle reduction exercise. Here’s how to do it.
â— Stand normally with your feet and knees together. The knees must not bend. Your back and shoulders must also be straight as you stand.
â— Hold dumbells in both hands and keep the core muscles of your body tight throughout the exercise.
â— Keep your balance and raise the back of your feet up gradually. Once you have lifted the heels, stay in the same position for at least 10 seconds before touching your feet back to the ground.
â— Return to the same position and repeat the exercise 10 times every day.
4. Ankle Rotation
This is another simple exercise to reduce calf fat. You don’t need any equipment, a special setting, or an instructor for guidance. Just follow these steps for ankle rotation.
â— Stand straight with your feet apart. Put both your hands on the sides.
â— Lift your left leg and try to turn the foot inward. As you do that, you will feel pressure on your calves. Feel the pressure for 10-20 seconds, and then move your foot outward.
â— Return to the normal position
â— Repeat the same with your right leg
Do it for 10-20 minutes every day to reduce calf fat.
5. Seated Calf Raises
This is the same as standing with dumbbell exercise, except you need to sit and lift your heelswith the weights on your thighs.
â— Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and a shoulder-length distance between your legs. Hold the weights on your thighs and look straight. Make sure your back is straight, and the elbows are pointed slightly outward.
â— Lift your heels slowly.
â— Stay in this position for 10 seconds and put your heels back on the floor
Do it 20 times a day. You can increase your weight every week to feel more pressure on your calves.
6. Weighted Sumo Squat
It’s a simple squat exercise, but with dumbbells and calf raise. Here’s how to do it.
â— Keep your feet apart with your spine straight and dumbells in your hands.
â— Move your feet outward with your back straight and your chest out. Lower your upper body until the thighs and hips are aligned.
â— Stay in this position for a few seconds and get back to the standing position with your torso up and the heels raised.
â— Flex the knees again, move your torso down, and get in a sumo squat position
Repeat it 12 times a day. Weighted sumo squat is not for beginners. You should practice other simple calf reduction exercises mentioned above before practicing squats with your calf raised.
7. Virabhadrasana
For the complete leg exercise, Virabhadrasana is a great exercise. It strengthens your leg and knee muscles. It also puts stress on your calf muscles, making them flexible and melting the excess fat. Here’s how to do it.
â— Put your feet at hip distance and lift your arms up
â— Turn to the right and place your right foot at 90 degrees, and the left one stretched backward, forming a 45-degree angle.
â— Put pressure on your left leg while raising your arms toward the ceiling.
â— Maintain this position for at least 30 seconds
â— Get back in the normal position and repeat the exercise for the other leg.
8. Skater Hops
Another calf exercise that can cut extra fat on your calves is skater hops. The exercise doesn't require any tools or a special instructor. These steps will help.
â— Keep both your legs together and stand straight with your spine straight.
â— Bend your knees a bit and lift the right foot slightly bit up. You should lift your foot to a point where the shinbone and thighs are aligned. You need to take the runner’s position.
â— The exercise is performed like you are jogging. With your right leg up, you need to hop on the left leg.
Perform this exercise for 10 minutes a day.
9. Squats with Your Hands Up
For your thighs and the calf fat, this squat exercise is quite helpful. You can practice it at home.
Here’s how to do it.
â— Keep your spine straight and feet at a shoulder-width distance
â— Get your hands on the side
â— Lift your hands up toward the ceiling
â— Move your torso down to get into a squat position. You should stay in the position for some time and feel the pressure on your calf. Go down as low as possible and then return back to the normal position.
Repeat this exercise 10 times every day.
10. Downward Facing Dog Pose
Yoga poses can do wonders for those struggling with calf fat. One such pose that can reduce your calf fat is the downward-facing dog.
â— Put your hands and legs on the floor with your hands under the shoulders.
â— Exhale and gently lift your torso and the hip up. Make sure your feet are wide apart.
â— You must not bend the knees. While keeping the knees straight, move your hips and thighs as backward as possible.
â— This stretching will put pressure on your calves.
â— Your arm blades must be facing downward with the spine. The full pressure will be on the thighs and your arm.
â— Maintain this position for 10 seconds and then return to your normal position.
You need to repeat it at least 5 times every day.
11. Arm Plank and Knee Dips
You may have performed elbow planks in your workout routine at some point. Well, this exercise is the same, except you need to use your knee, too, for calf reduction. Here’s how to do it.
â— With your elbows touching the ground and your knees and thighs lifted, get into a plank position
â— Flex your knees so that they touch the floor (do one knee at a time)
â— Bring your knee back to the normal position
â— Repeat with the left knee
Repeat the exercise a few times for 10 minutes every day.
12. Endurance Running
Sometimes, an exercise as simple as running can help reduce your overall body fat, including calf fat. You must follow the below steps to see the results.
â— Start with a 5-10 minute warm-up. It can be stretching, jogging, or running.
â— Run on the treadmill with a 3-degree incline or on the road.
â— Remember, running is useful when you run slowly and for a longer duration so that your body can burn fat easily.
Repeat endurance running every alternate day for up to 30 minutes (15 minutes if you are a beginner).
13. Stair Climbing
As the name suggests, there’s nothing needed except stairs, which you can find at home. Here’s how to perform.
â— Start with a warm-up exercise for 5-10 minutes. You can practice jogging or a few simple stretches just to get your muscles ready for strenuous exercise.
â— Climb up and down the stairs at a medium pace continuously
â— Put pressure on your toes instead of the entire feet.
â— You can increase the running pace gradually to see better results.
Repeat this a couple of times (15-20) every day.
14. Jump Squats
If you are looking for a simple exercise to reduce calf fat, you should give this one a shot. Here’s how to do it:
â— With your spine and torso straight, move your feet apart and maintain shoulder-width distance. Keep your chest out.
â— Bending your knees, get into a sitting pose. The buttocks should point outward, and the shoulder must be rolled back.
â— Raise your hands up toward your head and take a jump
Perform 3 sets of this exercise 15 times each.
15. Plie Calf Raises
Last but not least, this simple calf reduction exercise can help you shed those extra pounds on the calf without any equipment. Here’s how to do it.
â— Keep a distance between your legs (wider than shoulder-width)
â— Get your hands in front of you and join them. Your back must be straight
â— Lift the heels up gradually, and keep your toes intact.
â— Move the heels downward without touching the floor. Lift them back up again.
Practice it for 10-20 minutes daily.
Diet And Tips To Lose Calf Fat
â— Follow a healthy diet by cutting fattening foods, such as fried food, pizza, processed meat, and burger.
â— Add more veggies, fruits, whole grains, and healthier foods to your diet.
â— Do not wear high heels often, as they make your calves appear thicker and legs shorter. They also put unnecessary pressure on your lower back and thighs.
â— Resistance training can make your calves bulkier. So, avoid too much resistance training. Likewise, running on a treadmill is a good exercise only if you keep the incline 3 degrees or less. Running fast can make your calf broader.
â— Avoid knee exercises that strengthen your muscles without cutting fat. Remember that your goal is to cut calf fat so that your calves can get in shape and look slimmer.
â— Consider calf exercise to reduce fat in this area.
â— All these efforts will go to waste if you can’t control your late-night hunger pangs. Go to sleep earlier and avoid eating late at night, as it’s the most common cause of body fat.
Conclusion
You might not perform physical activity, but the muscles at the back of your leg can still accumulate considerable fat, hence making your legs appear bulkier. Although it isn’t a cause of concern, it does affect the shape of your legs. Some people feel embarrassed to wear short dresses that leave their legs exposed simply because of the excess calf fat. If you are wondering how to lose calf fat, try the above exercises.
