Saddlebags are the excess fat located around the hips and thighs. Some fat around these areas is healthy but stubborn saddlebags are unhealthy and very difficult to eradicate.

There are certain elements that promote the development of these saddlebags. Some of these include living a sedentary lifestyle, eating too much junk food, being overweight, and hormonal problems.

The good news is that with commitment you can get rid of the saddlebags and get your body into the best shape possible. Use the following tips to get rid of saddlebags:

Eating a Healthy Diet

A healthy, balanced diet should do a lot to help you get rid of the excess fat in your hips and thighs. You can adopt a diet that specifically helps you reduce the fat in your saddlebags.

The two things you will have to eradicate from your diet are refined carbohydrates and sugars. That includes white rice, bread, and all pastries.

Although your body needs carbohydrates for energy, you should consume healthy carbohydrates. Examples include sweet potatoes, brown rice, oats, and beans.

You should also incorporate green vegetables into your meals as often as possible. Though it may not be possible to eat clean all the time, you should do all you can.

Exercise Your Thighs and Hips

If you have saddlebags, you should perform exercises that specifically target your thighs and hips. The exercises should include both cardiovascular exercises and resistance training.

Examples of exercises that target your saddlebags include squats with a side leg lift, clamshells, lunges, and deadlifts. As you can see, most of these exercises target the legs and lower body in general.

However, you should not only focus on your legs but also exercise your lower back. Lower back exercises such as pull-ups and leg lifts will do wonders to your saddlebags.

Restore Your Hormone Balance

As stated above, hormonal imbalances are one of the reasons for developing excess fat around your thighs and hips, particularly for women. The main hormone responsible for saddlebags is estrogen which when out of balance leads to more fat in usual places.

One vital element that influences the level of estrogen production is stress. If you can reduce your stress levels, the effect on your saddlebags should quickly become apparent.

Therefore, if you have excess fat in your hips and thighs, you should first get your hormones checked. You can then take appropriate action based on whether your estrogen levels are high or low.

Get Moving

A simple solution to getting rid of saddlebags is to get moving. A sedentary lifestyle where you are sitting from morning until evening will surely lead to excess fat in not only your hips and thighs but also all over your body.

Therefore, if you have a sitting desk, you should try and switch it for a standing desk. Being upright for the majority of the day automatically engages your leg and hip muscles.

Other than the exercises outlined above, you should get involved in other activities that burn a lot of fat such as swimming, running, cycling, pilates, and yoga among others.