The lower, thicker area of the leg where the ankle and the calf meet is known as the cankles. It is not a medical term but a slang word that combines two words, calf, and ankle to make a cankle describing thick ankles. Most of those who have cankles are not comfortable as they are a dread, so you will learn how to get rid of cankles.
A crankle has no separation for the calf and ankle like the whole leg is one with the foot. It appears so when the calf is not fully developed, or it has a significant amount of fat surrounding that part of the leg.
The human body has specific characteristics like weight, height, and type(thick or thin). However, you can change your body shape effectively by toning up different body parts through dieting or physical exercise. Building body muscle needs is compelling when you train with resistance training besides cardiovascular training.
When doing physical exercise, one needs to incorporate calf muscle exercises three or four times a week alongside a healthy diet to make a difference.
Reasons Why Cankles Appear
Anyone who would say that chunky ankles are attractive is an outright liar. You may be wondering why some people have cankles, which is why this post will make you understand. Some are genetically predisposed. They can appear when one gains weight, and fat is stored in the legs and pulled down by gravity.
It is also possible when a body retains too much fluid, leading the tissues around the lower ankle and calf to swell. During pregnancy, cankles are common, they can also be a sign of kidney disease, heart failure, a blood clot, or a possible blockage in the lymphatic system.
However, regardless of their cause, below are effective ways to guide you on how to get rid of cankles and slay those strappy heels accompanied by that short sexy dress.
How to Get Rid of Cankles
1. Weight Loss
The best way to slim your ankles is to lose some weight if you are obese. When you decide to lose weight, you choose where you want to lose and tone up—sticking to a consistent calorie-controlled diet with the right exercise to get them smaller.
Once you begin to exercise, start slowly, let the body get used, increase the intensity over time, and get there. Please don’t go for the quick-fix methods because they only work out for a while and then eventually backfire.
2. A Strict Healthy Diet
Cankles can be diet-related if your diet is high in sodium, the body might retain a lot of water, which may be noticeable around the ankles. Some natural herbs like parsley can reduce water weight, and you can also consume less processed foods and stop adding salt to already cooked food.
It is also smart to reduce your starch and carb intake. Although carbs are essential to the body, a diet high in starch, and sugary foods, the body can retain more water. A balanced diet can help your legs get lean from losing water weight.
3. Weighted Calf Raises
It would help if you had dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell to work these muscles: the superficial calf muscle and deep calf muscle. And this is how to go about it:
- With your feet shoulder-apart, stand upright with the weights to the side in each hand, and relax your shoulders with your arms extended.
- Your feet should feel the weight shift.
- Push your body upward as you press down the weight and push up your body with your heels raised off the ground.
- When you get to the top, hold the position for a moment.
- Slowly, bring your heels down to the ground.
- Bend your knees slightly and maintain an athletic position without locking them ever.
- Start small, then get intense as the body adapts: Three sets of fifteen repetitions with the weight will give results over time. Also, you can adjust the weight when it feels necessary.
- You can make the exercise more intense by increasing the weight on each side and the repeated activity to a set of twenty.
4. Skip The Rope
Rope skipping is not only a cardio workout but much more like making your ankles slender or giving them that appearance. The exercise tones up your ankles and makes them appear smaller, and you should consider jumping the rope for about ten minutes daily.
5. Walk More
Get a smartwatch or pedometer to track your steps and count them because walking is an excellent exercise for anyone and more so if you have crankles. Walking improves blood circulation and builds up calf muscles in the legs and, when they are bigger and tighter, the ankles will, in return, look smaller.
6. Eat More Vegetables
In every meal, you take, reduce the meat portion and double up the vegetables. An increase in roughage decreases calories in your meal. With less meat, the salt intake will also go down, and the fiber in the veggies will cut your appetite, which will make you eat less in the following meals.
Conclusion
Don’t obsess with one part of your body because it will keep you from loving yourself. If your self-esteem is in jeopardy, the above methods will guide you on how to get rid of cankles. Work out the whole body, watch your diet, and be consistent in everything you do for favorable results.
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