Looking good is certainly one of the most dominant motivators to join a gym or any structured form of exercise. I only wish, feeling great precedes that for you will look your best only when you feel on top of the world! The body is a reflection of the soul. When our body is efficient in the creation, maintenance and control of energy, good health is the natural, normal result. However, when the various processes are not in optimum functioning capacity, the resultant imbalances lead to aches, pains, fat accumulation, bad shape, lack of energy and the whole works. An un-energetic body leads to a dented self image.

All of us have our own personal weak spots – the place your body chooses to accumulate all the unnecessary fat and toxins. One such place that makes you feel ‘ugly’ are your thighs. It will be easy to roll out a few exercises for your thighs with the promise they will make them look better. But those are half promises for there is nothing called ‘spot reduction’. Your thighs will look great when the rest of you functions just as well too! Oh yes! There are those who have amazing legs – but they are a result of having a functioning body maintaining balance in all areas. To be healthy and fit, and look your best always, you have to be aware of your health choices – what you eat, how you sit, how much you move – and not just on a weekly or daily basis but on a minute to minute basis.

 Your legs are not only functionally very important but also most crucial to help achieve fitness. The leg muscles are definitely among the most durable and capable of being trained effectively. Keeping your legs and especially your thighs in good condition is not too difficult if you remember to use them often! Which means you are not designed to be seated on a chair all day! Ensure you are keeping them active and moving all the time. Most crucially ensure you balance your weight on both legs when you stand for long periods as we tend to shift our weight to our more dominant leg leaving the lazy one to rest.

Very often, people who do not follow a structured workout soon loose their ability to sit on low chairs, climb high cars, even walk up a small flight of stairs. Though sitting down is a squatting movement, since the chair is there to hold on to if your leg strength is inadequate,  many lose the ability to lower themselves with control. The loss of this ability to squat is also leading many to a permanent state of constipation. The ‘Indian squat’ or the ability to sit fully down has a very important physiological role of helping the elimination process. As humans are the only animal that must push feces up hill, due to the anatomy of the colon, native people who squat to work, socialize or defecate, are able to squat down until their hands reach the ground or until the torso is fully relaxed and supported by their thighs. Such a full squat results in the thigh compressing the lower abdomen eliminating all the wastes. As the modern toilets don’t require a full squat, there has been a massive increase in constipation.

So not just to have great thighs, but to also ensure you lead a much more active healthy life, it is important to work on your leg muscles. A simple squat everyday can do wonders for the rest of your body. Probably that is why in India, it is traditional for the devout Hindu to squat in front of his lord everyday by performing the ‘Thoppukaranam’.

Written by Gita Krishna Raj  |  Published in Food & Health in July 2013