Fat on ankles are commonly known as Cankles and can be caused due to many reasons. While it is not at all painful, it can become a real headache if you prefer putting on leg revealing dresses. In fact, even wearing those stylish sandals can make your legs look odd if you have fat on the ankles. Cankles are subcutaneous fat and being over-weight is one of the most common reasons behind it. Apart from excess weight, genetics, fluid retention in the body, certain medications as well as illnesses like heart or kidney failure might also be the reason behind Cankles.
However, whatever is the reason you can always tone it done. If it is caused due to genetics you might not be able to get those perfect ankles without fat, but improvements are sure to be visible. In case the ankle fattening is caused due to certain medications or illness, once the cause is removed, automatic improvements can be seen with the right exercises.
Here are some of the best ways to lose the ankle fat,
Get the right diet
To lose ankle fat, you really cannot opt for a spot reduction technique, unless you are ready to go under the knife. Hence you have to focus on losing fat from all over the body which will include the ankle fat loss as well. When it comes to losing weight, the diet is always the key. So, check out the right diet for losing ankle fat.
Opt for a calorie deficient diet
The first step to lose excess fat from the body is to opt for a diet that is deficient in calorie. If you eat less calorie than you burn on a daily basis, automatically your body will burn out the stored fat giving your body a slimming effect. So, decide your diet carefully and make sure that it has less calorie. Opting for a less calorie diet does not mean starving yourself. Settle for a diet that is high in nutrients and dietary fibers but less in calorie. Fruits and vegetables should be your natural choice to make such a diet.
Limit the saturated fat you consume
Saturated fats not only directly add up to the overall fat content of the body but also cause a number of health conditions. When you are trying to lose few kilos, it is really important that you bring your total saturated fat consumption close to nil. Red meat, butter, cheese, deep fried foods are the best sources of saturated fats. So, discarding them from your diet will surely help. Polyunsaturated fats, like the Omega 3s are good for the body and also for weight loss, so include, fishes and olive oil in your daily diet.
Check out the carbs and sugars
Carbohydrate and sugars are the other ingredients in a regular diet that are easily stored in the body adding to the total body weight. So, if you are trying to lose extra fat, it is important to limit the amount of carbohydrate and sugars you consume daily. Even the artificial sweeteners are not good for weight loss, and hence keeping their amount low in your daily diet is suggested for weight loss. Sweets, ice creams, pastries, chocolates, colas, chipsall should be out of your menu list to lose weight.
Say bye to junk restaurant foods
If you are ordering a veg pizza or a veg burger in the hope that it is healthy for your body, please be informed that you are not right. The vegetarian dishes at the restaurants always come laced with high amount of butter, cheese and oil for making them tasty, which is sure to add up to your body weight. So, limit your junk eating habits.
Opt for a potassium rich diet
According to some health specialists consuming a potassium rich diet can be helpful for reducing the water retention in the body and thus helping in making the cankles less prominent. Potassium is good for your heart too, so opting for a diet that is rich in potassium and low in sodium might be helpful.
Follow the right lifestyle
The right lifestyle can be very helpful to maintain a healthy body weight and here is what you can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Instead of having 3 big meals, take 4-5 small meals throughout the day and always complete your dinner by 8 in the evening. Do not opt for heavy dinners and do not go to bed right after having your dinner. Also drink plenty of water to keep your natural metabolism rate at its peak. Say bye to booze, as alcohol is a major reason of fat storage in the body.
Exercises for losing ankle fat
Once you have sorted out your diet and your lifestyle, the next step is to exercise. Some particular leg exercises along with cardio can be very helpful for losing the ankle fat. Here is a brief account of the exercises that you should do for losing the ankle fat,
Cardio exercises
Cardiovascular exercises helps in reducing the total body weight, which can be highly helpful to lose the excess fat from the ankles. However, when you are trying to reduce the cankles, before picking the cardio exercises make sure that you do not opt for exercises that places a lot of pressure on your calf muscles, as that might result into bulking up of the calves, which you might not be looking for. The best cardio exercises for losing ankle fat can be, running slowly for a long distance, cycling, climbing stairs on your toe etc. In a word, performing any cardio exercises keeping your toes pointed downwards can be helpful to lose the ankle fat. 60 minutes of cardio, 5 days a week can be the key to a perfect body.
Calf raises
Calf raises can be very effective to burn the excess ankle fat. To do calf raises take a flat and thick wooden plank and place your toes on it. Half of your feet should be in the air. Now placing your weight on your toes push your heels up. Once you reach the maximum position, come down slowly but do not touch the floor with your heels. Repeat the same for at least 15 times in one stretch.
Sitting calf raise with dumbbell
Sitting calf raises with dumbbells can be performed by sitting on a chair that is high enough to keep your legs straight without touching the ground. After you have placed yourself comfortably on the chair and have stretched your legs downwards, place dumbbells on your legs as shown in the picture. Now, push your heels up keeping your toes pointed downwards. Once your heel reaches the maximum point, push it back to the level of your toe. You need to do at least 15 repetitions in one stretch.
Lateral jumps
Lateral jumps are easy and common leg exercise that can be highly helpful to burn the fat around the ankles. Place a marker on the floor. You can simply place a pen or a towel longitudinally on the floor as a marker and then jump from one side of it to another. Make sure that you are jumping on your toes and not on your heels. Do lateral jumps for 4-5 minutes everyday.
Sumo squat with calf raise
Stand with your legs more than shoulder-width apart and lower your body by bending your knees, while keeping your torso erect. Now standing at this position raise the heels of your feet and once you reach the maximum extended position, get back slowly on the floor again. Perform at least 15 repetitions at a stretch for the best results.
Yogaposes for losing ankle fat
Practicing some particular yoga poses might be helpful for losing ankle fat. These poses focus on the stretching of the leg muscles and hence can be effective to tone up the area giving a slimmer look to the ankles.
Ustrasana
Ustrasana or the camel pose can effectively work for toning the ankle area. To do this asana stand on the yoga mat on your knees. Now bend your upper body backwards to hold your ankles with the help of your hands as shown in the image. Once you reach the final position hold it for 30-40 seconds and then get back to the starting position, unfold your legs and relax for 15 seconds before starting the next repetition. Complete at least 3 repetitions in one sitting.
Adho mukha savasana
The downward dog pose stretches the legs giving an overall toning effect. Lie flat on the floor on your stomach and place your palms on the floor beside your shoulders. Fix your legs on the floor by placing your feet strongly. Now step back with the help of your hands, bending your body from your waist to reach the position as shown in the figure. At the final position your hands, legs as well as your torso all should remain fully stretched. Hold this position for 30 seconds and then get back to the starting position. Take rest for 30 seconds and perform two more repetitions.
Ardha navasana
To perform Ardha Navasana or the half boat pose lie on the floor on your back with your legs stretched and your hands folded under your head. Your legs should be joined together. Now raise your legs as well as your torso to a 30 degree angle from the floor. Make sure that you do not bend your knees or your waist while doing this asana. Feel the tension from head to toe for 30 seconds after reaching the final position and then relax. Repeat for 2 more times with intermediate breaks.
