Dropping body fat in one week CAN be done, but it takes hard work. I can give you all the information you need, but it really is easier said than done. You need to give it 100% – if you don’t, you will not get the results. This is exactly what you need to know to drop body fat.
1. YOUR NUTRITION MUST BE ON POINT
This pretty much says it all, and is the most important factor out of all of them. You CAN’T get results without good nutrition.
You must be eating the right amount and the right type of food to get the best results. I know this can be hard, so I’ve created a FREE calories and macros calculator for you. I have also put up my own daily diet so you can get an idea of what you should be eating on a daily basis.
It is very time consuming to count calories and can get very frustrating. My best advice would be to count calories for one week to educate yourself on how much food you should be eating and then eat intuitively after this. Download the free app myfitnesspal which will make the calorie counting a lot easier.
2. EXERCISE HARD BUT SMART
If you want results, you need to put in the hard work. Light exercise 3-4 times per week just isn’t going to cut it. Generally I would recommend the following:
- 2-3 high intensity cardio only days. This doesn’t mean power walking. While power walking is great, it doesn’t burn as many calories as a high intensity workout session. And to get results quick, you want to maximise calories burned. Do something that really gets your heart rate up such as running or a high intensity gym class.
- 3 days of resistance training.
- 1 rest day. Don’t forget about the rest day, it is just as important!
And if you really want to get the best possible results I would suggest you to find out your body type which leads me to y next point.
3. LEARN YOUR BODY TYPE
There are three different body types and they all lose weight and fat differently. So learning your body type is extremely important.
Someone who is naturally quite thin needs to eat and train differently from someone who naturally has a bigger body frame. But when you know this and when you put a little extra effort everything is possible :)
4. GO THAT LITTLE BIT EXTRA
These extra tips may not seem that important, but they ARE! If you get your nutrition and exercise right, you will make a great difference. But if you can get these right as well, you will go further.
- Cut out all processed food
- Cut out all alcohol
- Drink at least 2-3L of water per day
- Get 8 hours of quality sleep per night
- Allow yourself some time every day to de-stress and don’t be constantly busy. Stress plays a major factor in fat storage due to the hormone cortisol, so keeping stress levels down is a must!
If you can stick to this 100% for one week, it is impossible not to get results. And if you can stick to this consistently for 8 weeks, your body is not going to know what hit it! ;)
I should also mention my 3 Steps to Lean Legs Program. I designed it for women who want to get lean and toned without the bulkiness. There are three different versions of the program, one for each body type. I want you guys to get the best results and I know that we’re all different so we cannot eat and train in the same way :)
My program combines cardio and lighter resistance training and it also has a complete 8-week meal plan so you can be sure your eating healthy and according to your body type.
Hope you like it!
Love Rachael xx
Hiiiiiiiiiiiii!!
Should I workout after fasting of 23 hours or do I need to eat something light before workout, for losing fat fast?
Hi lovely! If it’s solely for fat loss, we don’t really recommend that you fast for a very long period of time. And it would be best if you have a light meal or snack before working out to fuel your body with enough energy. I hope this helps. :)
Hi. I am currently doing the Train Like a Model program. I have also been following the tips Rachael gives on her blog. Is there anything else I could do to help reduce body fat? Thanks
Hi lovely,
Aside from resistance workouts, it would be best if you incorporate cardio into your routine and adjust your diet for weight loss by eating at a calorie deficit. You can learn more about it in this blog post. :) I hope this helps. xx
Hi Rachel,
I am skinny fat, 61kg, 167 cm with 40% body fat. I am okay with they way my legs and arms are, however my problem is mid-section. What program should I follow?
Hi lovely,
I recommend that you check out our new program. The GAL (Glutes, Abs, and Legs) Program is an 8-week video course. It is focused on slimming down your legs, toning up your abs, and lifting & firming up your booty. The program consists of 16 full-length follow-along videos, cardio options, and nutritional guidelines for your specific body type. Please note that it doesn’t have any meal plans or recipe ebooks.
If you have any questions, you can email us at info@rachaelattard.com
Hey Rachael,
I’m a mesomorph and an athletic/sporty teen. I have abs and I’m toned and slim but I’m having trouble loosing fat from my inner thighs. Any suggestions would help thanksxx
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out!
I know that the inner thighs are a problem area for many women and a very challenging part to slim down.
That’s why Rachael wrote this very detailed blog post that might help you.
Feel free to read it. <3
Let me know if you have other questions. xx
Love,
Len
Hi Rachael, I bought the program a few months ago but I recently became vegetarian, do you have any vegetarian food plans I can follow?
Thank you! X
Hi lovely <3
Unfortunately no, but you can follow the vegan version, or modify the regular version - just be mindful of the calories when you make the changes. :)
Love,
Tina xx
Hi, I am i guess skinny fat. my body fat percentage is 24% and I would love to drop it. I am a mesomorph. What should I do?
Hi Lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m sending you two blog post I think you’ll find very useful.
One is going to tell you what to do if you’re skinny fat. You can read it here.
And the other is going to teach you how to eat and train for your specific body type. You can find it here.
You can also check out Rachael’s Lean Legs Program :) It’s going to help you lose extra body fat and tone your body all over without making you bulky. It’s tailored specifically for your body type. You can check it out here.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! I’d be more than happy to help as much as I can!xx
Love,
Marina
Hi! I am an endomorph and have a question about cardio. On the 2-3 days where I should only do cardio, what kind of cardio should I be doing? Because here it is saying that I should be something that gets your heart beat up like running and not just walking, but what if that causes too much bulk? Will power walking be enough? Or do you recommend any other types of cardio? Thank you in advance! :)
Hi lovely,
We recommend power walking as much as you can and running 2-3 days per week (you can even combine the two). If you find that running makes you gain too much muscle feel free to substitute it with power walking. You can also go swimming and boxing, but walking is the best for slimming down the legs! :) xx
Love,
Diana
Hi, I am an endomorph and build muscle really quickly legs and shoulders. My diet is good. Would the workout help without the diet? I practice martial arts which adds the the muscle but I need this for strength in techniques. Is is possible to be strong and lean? I am 42 years old and only 5ft.
Hi lovely,
You don’t have to follow the meal plan perfectly, you will still get results if you follow the workout plan and eat healthy.
The healthier you eat the better your results will be, but of course you can modify the plan to suit you.
I would only suggest sticking to your daily macros and calories requirements as much as you can.
Any kind of resistance training will help you maintain your strength so yes, it’s definitely possible to be lean and strong. :) xx
Love,
Diana
Hi Rachael, I LOVE your blogs, they’re so motivating and you’re lovely! I was just wondering if I only did resistance workouts and power walks would I bulk up as I’m not doing enough cardio?
Hi lovely,
These types of workouts are the best for slimming down, so you won’t bulk up. I would only avoid doing too much HIIT, squats, lunges and heavy weight lifting, as this can make you bulky. :) xx
Love,
Diana
Hi! Does an elliptical make your legs bulky?
Hi lovely,
I don’t think this machine will really cause bulkiness, but it won’t slim down your legs like running and walking will! :)
The pushing down motion means you engage your quads more so it may build more muscle here, but it’s not the style of workout that will necessarily cause bulkiness. If you can’t walk or run for some reason, the cross trainer is the next best thing! xx
Love,
Diana
Does swimming make you bulk up int he arms and shoulders?
Hi lovely,
No, swimming won’t bulk up your arms and shoulders. It’s a great cardio for slimming them down! xx
Love,
Diana
hey.
Do you think vinyassa yoga/ power yoga once a week can make you bulky? And is yoga even effective at building muscle? I do yoga once a week for 1.5 hour as resistance training but im afarid its a waste of time. when i do the movements i do feel a burn / shaking tho. I also do pilates once a week but i actually dont feel like its working on my muscles so im not sure if pilates is effective too.
Hi lovely,
Yoga is a great full body workout and has a lot of health benefits, so I would definitely recommend it!
It may build a bit of muscle, but it won’t make you bulky (chances are even smaller if you’re doing it only once a week).
Pilates is another type of resistance training that is usually low impact, so it should help you lose fat and tone up without bulking.
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program!
The program has been designed to include the perfect type of resistance training and cardio to give you a lean and toned look, without making you bulky.
It’s an 8 week workout and nutrition plan that will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe ebook and demonstration videos.
If this is what you’re looking for I would definitely recommend giving our program a go. :) You can find out more about it here:
Lean Legs Program
Love,
Diana
xx
Hi Rachael, im a little confused if i should only do body weight exercises as in your program and walking and running or if i need to do HIIT and more resistant training to lose body weight as you seem to have recommended to lose body percentage. I want to avoid getting to bulky which i have tendancy to do with alot of that style of training. My aim is to lose 6-7%body percentage lean out and decrease body measurements. Thankyou.
Hi lovely,
I would love to help you as much as I can :) That’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program!
The program in the eBook is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/lean-legs-program/
For more helpful info please have a read of this blog post
Love,
Diana
Xx
Hi Rachel, absolutely love your blog! Thank you for sharing all your knowledge.
I’m getting married in a few months and just wondering how many weeks prior do your recommend completely cutting out alchohol so that I get maximum results?
Hi Rachael,
I just wanted to say that I love your blog. It is so informative and is exactly what I am looking for – I also have a mesomorph body type, so your body is GOALS for me!!
I used to have pretty slim legs, but then I started getting into fitness and would workout 5-6 times per week. After reading your blog posts, I realized that I was doing all the exercises to bulk up legs (skipping, HIIT, loads of squats and lunges, and would also do a CrossFit class when I could). This resulted in me getting pretty thick calves and thighs, which was awful for me because my mum is Chinese and so her legs are naturally very slim. I’m currently saving up to purchase your eBook (uni tuition comes first, haha), but just wanted to ask you if I could continue to do resistance training ~4 times per week? Would that increase bulkiness? I’ve also started power walking almost every day, so I can’t wait to see results. The resistance training exercises I would do would come almost exclusively from the ones you post on your blog and Instagram.
Thanks for replying, and sorry for posting a comment on such an old blog post!
xx Lauren
Hi lovely, i’m so happy to hear that :) Thank you! Yes you could definitely do the resistance training 4 times per week (plus cardio). That shouldn’t increase bulkiness. I hope you get some amazing results! All the best hun xx
Hi Rachael,
I have a few questions about cardio and fat burning. Firstly, I want to know how to do fasted cardio safely. Sometimes when I get up in the morning I’m really hungry and then when I’m on a walk, I have hunger pain. Is that ok? Or will that cause the opposite effect and hold on to the fat?
Second, for the past couple years, I’ve run about 3 miles, a couple times a week. I’ve gotten to the point where I can pretty much run comfortably at an average pace of 8:40/mile. Is this a good fat burning cardio exercise? I read your blog where you said fast walking is better for fat burning than slow running.
Finally, I’ve gained a little bit of weight over the past month from not eating as mindfully as I should. That combined with running up hills (I live in San Francisco) has caused my legs to get bigger. Now I’m afraid to run at all, even on flat ground.
I’m a really healthy eater (mostly fruits like berries and green apples, non-starchy veggies, proteins, dairy, healthy fats, and some grains (not very much). I do like dark chocolate, however, but I feel like I need to cut sugar out completely. Yet, I know my diet will begin to feel restrictive.
What do you recommend?
(Also, would vigorous vinyasa yoga count as HIIT?)
Hi lovely, thanks for your comment! Here are the answers:
No, walking fasted in the morning (even if you’re hungry) won’t cause your body to store fat. But if you’re really hungry, I would eat something before your walk. Or make sure you eat a bit more the night before :)
I would definitely try to increase your running speed. It’s better to either walk or run faster.
You don’t need to give up chocolate or junk food completely, and you don’t want to feel restricted. So I would just try to eat it in moderation (easier said than done though, I know!).
No I would not count vigorous vinyasa as hiit (hiit is intervals). But it would be a style of body weight resistance training xx
Hello Rachael! Great blog with lots of information!!
I am a meso-endo body type and I need to lose body fat!! I have been doing HIIT and weights, but lately I have been thinking of starting power walking instead of HIIT(jump squats, burpees, pushups, jumping lunges) and weights which I think they bulk me. I have quite muscular legs and wide upper body but it is covered with excess fat. I eat very healthily, low carb mostly, but I cannot lose fat. Should I stop doing hiit and strength type of training and focus os power walking? Also, is running going to help? I am afraid that by not doing any resistant training I will slow down my metabolism and not burn fat. But I have very strong legs I feel that I need to lose fat in order for them to seem toned. I have excess fat all over my body, what should I do??? Thank you in advance!!
Hi lovely, thank you! I would definitely add in some walking and running. I agree that you still need resistance training so I would just modify the workouts you do. Have a look at the HIIT circuits and lighter resistance workouts I post on my blog as these will tone you up and keep your metabolism up, without making your legs bulky. Good luck! xx
Hi Rachael
I have been on a very good diet for a while, a while as in at least the last five years. Initially I lost 10kgs but now I’m just stuck – to be lean I would still have to lose another 5kgs, I’m a little squishy. Obviously I have a cheat day, possibly once a week. I also work out 4 days a week, with the odd surfing expedition in there as well. I was on 1000 – 1200 calories a day. Can you help?
Hi lovely, congratulations on losing 10kgs! It’s really hard to know why you can’t lose another 5kgs without knowing exactly what you eat, how you train, etc. But I’ll try give you some advice. 1000 calories is very low, so I would definitely try to stick to 1200 calories or higher, otherwise you will do some metabolic damage (you may have already done some). Also including a couple of higher calorie days, especially on days when you do an intense workout will help you boost your metabolism and fat burning ability. Mix up your workouts too and include both resistance and cardio, plus some interval training. I would also make sure everything is good with your hormones (especially cortisol) as this can affect your ability to lose weight. Good luck! I’m sure you will do amazing – you sound very dedicated! xx
Hi there ? if i want to lose body fat and want to have a slim figure, what workouts do you recommend? Thank you!
Hi lovely, check out all the workouts on my blog! I recommend all of them :D xx
Hello! I want to slim down or lose body fat(specially my arms and stomach) what workouts should i do? (From the ones you posted :) ) thank you!
Hi lovely, I would try the HIIT based workouts! xx
Hey Rachel! I’ve been attempting a strict healthy diet for a long time now and while I have lost weight, I am still having trouble with a constantly bloated stomach! Is there a cause of painful bloating? Thanks! Rebecca
Hi Rebecca, the main issue is usually some type of gut health problem or food intolerances. It could be worth seeing a naturopath for this as they will do all the tests! Otherwise you could try and eliminate foods yourself and see if it makes your bloating better xx
Hi Rachael, I would love to know your thoughts on Kombucha, is it to sugary if I’m trying to reduce my body fat? Thanks in advance :)
Hi Rachel, I personally don’t drink kombucha, just because I don’t like tea or coffee (weird I know!). But it supposedly has LOTS of health benefits, and I think if you just stick to the natural varieties (without any added sugar), this should be fine :) xx
Good day
I am a runner and are under 60kg do 7-10km 5/week of fartlek to LSD. I have a lot of cellulite on my thighs upper leg and are also getting on my lower legs when I sit? Can you please assist me? Given up!!!
Hi Diane, do you only do cardio? I would add some resistance training which will help you tone up your legs and get rid of the cellulite! I promise it will make a difference xx
Hi Rachael!
I am a frequent exercise person and workout 6 days a week. I do a lot of things such as running and HIIT but recently I think I’ve been losing muscle in my arms and my butt is sagging/has more fat. I eat a vegan diet that consists of whole foods so I’m not sure what it is… maybe I am running too much? I don’t know
Hello rachel! I have been exercising my whole life, i took a month off and now i been back at it for almost two months yet my thighs seem to have been getting bigger and ive always had very lean thighs. Im cardio sessions everyday, briskwalking, or running and im just really frustrated. Im also a nutritionist and i pay attention to my food. I just dont know what im doing wrong except not really taking any rest days. Im just really frustrated with my thighs and i want to see results soon
Hi Gabriella, I’m sorry to hear that you are having these problems! Have you been doing any other exercises other than cardio? I.e. classes or HIIT or weights, etc? xx
Hey Rachel, one of my biggest problems is my stomach and arms but mostly the stomach – that’s where I store fat mostly.
I don’t want to loose weight but I do want to loose fat..
What foods should I definitely not have? I know to cut out sugar except for fruit and cut out grains (pasta, bread) but what else ? Thank you xxx
Hi Olivia, if you start by cutting out sugar and grains you will be miles ahead! Also make sure you’re eating LOTS of veggies and drinking lots of water x
Hi Rachel, I have been sugar free (except for natural sugars from fruits, etc.) since January, and I have been doing resistance training 4-5 x a week and still seeing no changes. I want to know if you have any exercises that specifically target inner thigh fat? This is the area I am struggling with the most!! Thanks :)
Hi hun, diet sounds like your biggest issue! If you are exercising a lot but still not seeing changes, it’s related to your diet. Also, have a look at this blog post about inner thighs xx http://www.rachaelattard.com/how-to-get-skinny-legs-top-3-mistakes/
Hi Rachael,
I would like to know if, to lose fat quickly, it was a good idea to do some sport (15 min) in the morning, before the breakfast, when my stomach is empty.
And also if elliptical was a good way to have thin legs only and not very muscular ones.
Thank you :)
Hi Claire, Rachael here. Yes doing 15 minutes of cardio type exercise in the morning before breakfast would burn more fat. The elliptical is good cardio, but walking/running is much better to lean out your legs x