Do Squats make your hips bigger???

AnnPT77

bnmoyler wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Keep in mind that genetics have a strong influence on our individual range of possible shapes. For example, I am never, ever going to have an hourglass figure - 10" or so difference between waist and hips/bust sort of thing . . . short of radical surgery, anyway.

I'm 5'5". When I'm thinner, around 120 pounds, my narrow pelvis, small-ish ribcage/bust, and wider waist make me a fairly boyish, sort of sporty/athletic shape, around 34"-27"-34". When I'm fatter, I get kind of pear shaped, with most of the fat in waist/hip. Around 180 pounds, I was about 42"-36"-45".

There is no glamour girl hourglass figure in my body's genetic vocabulary. I could probably weight-train my way to a little more booty (long time, much effort) and augment my way to a bunch more bustline, but the potential is still pretty limited. Here's the thing, through: I like my body's healthy shape. It's me.

I'm not trying to be a downer, really. Try to think of me as a cranky old granny who really cares about you (I'm old enough):

Work hard to build the best self you can be, and be proud and happy about what your character, persistence, and hard work achieve. That can include goals about health and physicality, for sure. But don't stake your happiness on reaching a completely arbitrary "ideal" body shape based on how other people look, or think you should look. Work for a slim, strong, beautiful body, for sure. But don't chase an arbitrary goal that may or may not truly be you. Go after your best body, not someone else's. You'll be beautiful, guaranteed (and you are now, too).

Best wishes!

P.S. The clothing fit part s**ks for pretty much all of us, just in different ways. Sorry about that part . . . !

This is true. I was actually thinking about genetics earlier. My sister is very thin. She always has been. She used to body build in her younger days and till this day, she's still totally fit. However, her hips are quite large in proportion to her body. I remember her always complaining about it when I was a kid. You've just made me face the facts. And over all, I am happy. I'm more fit and toned than I've ever been so you're right; I should just focus on being the best me I can be.

Yay! It makes me really, really happy to read that. Thank you for writing it.

jessef593

bnmoyler wrote: »

jessef593 wrote: »

Eat less carbs and stop working out.

Glycogen is an energy source for working out. Seriously just keep eating in a deficit, that’s all you can do.

A couple years ago, I slowed WAY down with working out. I'd do it like once a week and it wasn't anything crazy either. I ate much less because I wasn't hungry. I did shrink and I remember being surprised at the fact I was losing more weight while doing nothing than when I was Killing myself. So bazaar. I think there is some truth to this.

Or you were eating so little that you physically couldn’t hold weight. The more you move, the more energy you require and that your body is going to want.

You eat more when your body works harder. Almost like how a car that gets driven everyday will require more repairs than a car that doesn’t get driven. So bazar!

Sounds like you’re just trying to cling to anything but realizing fitness isn’t linear. It’s back and forth so please get over it

rheddmobile

To answer the specific question: squats grow mainly your quads - front of legs - and glutes - rear end. The size of your hips doesn't mostly come from muscle except your gluteus medius - side of your butt - which is hard to grow because it's used to tilt your pelvis from side to side, they are mainly fat over bone. If you have fat on your hips you can lose weight and hope it comes off from there. If you can feel your hip bones, that's it, that's just the size you are.

"Toned" isn't really a thing. Muscles get bigger or smaller, and more or less covered with fat. There's not a simple way to make body parts tighter but not larger.

jordanveach2016

I just want to add here too that I have really struggled with the whole hunger portion and I actually found out that my blood sugar was out of whack. I would get extremely hungry like really fast and my face would drain of all colour, etc. and it was terrible because then I'd go for whatever was fast (ie: carbs) to get back to normal. I have found that eating protein at every meal (and sometimes as snacks also) has helped tremendously. I no longer experience the highs and lows of quick energy and I can make it through more intense workouts, regularly because there is nutrition in my body.
It may just be a simple fix like mine. I eat eggs or protein shake in the morning, almonds as a snack, some sort of meat and veggies for lunch and again at dinner. I do some fruit if I'm starving around 2pm for quick energy, but I only do that if I'm working out that day.
Hope that helps!

bnmoyler

rheddmobile wrote: »

To answer the specific question: squats grow mainly your quads - front of legs - and glutes - rear end. The size of your hips doesn't mostly come from muscle except your gluteus medius - side of your butt - which is hard to grow because it's used to tilt your pelvis from side to side, they are mainly fat over bone. If you have fat on your hips you can lose weight and hope it comes off from there. If you can feel your hip bones, that's it, that's just the size you are.

"Toned" isn't really a thing. Muscles get bigger or smaller, and more or less covered with fat. There's not a simple way to make body parts tighter but not larger.

I see. Makes sense. I can feel the bone and you're right; it's really like below the hips coming from the side of glutes.

amyteacake

Thighs, maybe. Hips, no.

Some people are just born with wide set hips due to genetics. I have wide set hips due to genetics. You might just be retaining more weight/water in your hip area or you just have wide set hips and there's nothing wrong with that at all!