Am I stuck with my awful saddlebags?
midlomel1971
Posts: 1,283 Member
I am 5'8" and weigh about 200 and am trying to get down to 150-155. I have a pear shaped body with a fairly small waist and flat stomach (considering I've had 2 kids.) But I have horrible saddlebags! Seriously, sometimes I feel like you could hang something off of them. It doesn't help that I sit on my butt behind a desk all day.
One of the things I've learned since joining MFP is that you can't spot reduce. This came as a shock because I can't tell you how many hours I've spent trying to tone that area. Am I doomed to have these saddle bags forever? I'm doing resistance training on the Express Circuit machines at my gym every other day. I'm also trying to work some cardio into my week 3x a day and I walk every day.
Thanks for any advice. I can't tell you how much inspiration, information and support these boards have given me.
One of the things I've learned since joining MFP is that you can't spot reduce. This came as a shock because I can't tell you how many hours I've spent trying to tone that area. Am I doomed to have these saddle bags forever? I'm doing resistance training on the Express Circuit machines at my gym every other day. I'm also trying to work some cardio into my week 3x a day and I walk every day.
Thanks for any advice. I can't tell you how much inspiration, information and support these boards have given me.
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Replies
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I'm down 53 lbs, with 24 to go, and I've just noticed that mine have shrunk considerably. My shoulders and hips are now the same width. There is hope!
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As you lose weight you'll lose from all over. It may end up being one of those places you lose from last.
Resistance training is a great thing to help focus your loss on fat and keep as much muscle as possible. You may find better luck with free weights rather than the machines. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you2 -
As you lose weight you'll lose from all over. It may end up being one of those places you lose from last.
Resistance training is a great thing to help focus your loss on fat and keep as much muscle as possible. You may find better luck with free weights rather than the machines. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you
Yes, I plan to switch over to free weights soon. I wanted to get a little stronger and work on my balance before doing that. Thinking of StrongLifts but learning more about it first.
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Genetics is a *kitten* sometimes. You may never lose them completely if that's how you're built unless you go for a super lean cut. The good news is, with 45-50 lbs still to lose, it has to come from somewhere!
And chances are a good bit will be from there. 2 -
Genetics is a *kitten* sometimes. You may never lose them completely if that's how you're built unless you go for a super lean cut. The good news is, with 45-50 lbs still to lose, it has to come from somewhere! And chances are a good bit will be from there.
You might be right because I remember a guy making a rude comment about them when I was in high school (!) so I think they've always been there. And unfortunately, a lot of my weight always comes from my boobs. *sigh*
@*#%ing genetics!
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I'm a pear too so I feel your pain! On the plus side, we pears look very lovely and slim in pics from the waist up lol3
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midlomel1971 wrote: »Genetics is a *kitten* sometimes. You may never lose them completely if that's how you're built unless you go for a super lean cut. The good news is, with 45-50 lbs still to lose, it has to come from somewhere! And chances are a good bit will be from there.
You might be right because I remember a guy making a rude comment about them when I was in high school (!) so I think they've always been there. And unfortunately, a lot of my weight always comes from my boobs. *sigh*
@*#%ing genetics!
You just pretty much described my body. I'm also 5'8, currently 139 lbs, tiny waist, flat stomach and mother*&%$ing saddlebags that won't quit. I don't say that to discourage you, I just wish my expectations had been more realistic from the get go. I'll likely always have a big butt and saddlebags. They're a lot smaller now though, so they don't bother me as much. I think you'll find most people would trade you for that flat stomach! 1 -
I've always had them too. I can remember being in my 20's, running every day, weighing 132 pounds, and being jealous of a co-worker who looked so awesome in a pencil skirt! I was in awesome shape and still looked wrong in a pencil skirt
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ridiculous59 wrote: »I've always had them too. I can remember being in my 20's, running every day, weighing 132 pounds, and being jealous of a co-worker who looked so awesome in a pencil skirt! I was in awesome shape and still looked wrong in a pencil skirt
Oh yeah, no way! Thank goodness for A-Line skirts!!1 -
ridiculous59 wrote: »I've always had them too. I can remember being in my 20's, running every day, weighing 132 pounds, and being jealous of a co-worker who looked so awesome in a pencil skirt! I was in awesome shape and still looked wrong in a pencil skirt
Oh to wear a pencil skirt! I swear I look 20 pounds heavier in one. Definitely A-line for the win!!0 -
People who carry extra weight through their hips/thighs/bottom are often estrogen dominant. If it really really bothers you, you could see if your doctor will run a hormone panel to ensure that your hormones are balanced, especially if you have any other symptoms of estrogen dominance.
But it's more likely that it's just how your genetics have manifest. I also have really thick thighs... it's freaking annoying!0 -
midlomel1971 wrote: »Genetics is a *kitten* sometimes. You may never lose them completely if that's how you're built unless you go for a super lean cut. The good news is, with 45-50 lbs still to lose, it has to come from somewhere! And chances are a good bit will be from there.
You might be right because I remember a guy making a rude comment about them when I was in high school (!) so I think they've always been there. And unfortunately, a lot of my weight always comes from my boobs. *sigh*
@*#%ing genetics!
On the plus side, apparently it is healthier for women to have weight at the hips than around the stomach, so from that perspective you're more likely to see more health improvements
Even if you still have saddle bags later, they WILL get smaller. Maybe not completely gone, but smaller. And curvy hips/thights can be very attractive (a significant number of people would likely agree)! As an adult, wider hips might look "better" on you than when you were a teenager and still filling out everywhere else.
Pencil shirts are hard to walk in anyway! Hahaha.0 -
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I don't mind the wide, curvy hips - it's the way my saddles bags pucker out in that area.0
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^ This. Small waist and curvy hips/butt? Awesome. Saddlebags poking out beneath said hips? Not so much
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Keep losing and do a lot of leg days - walking lunges, side lunges, speed skaters, curtsy lunges, leg lifts, etc... will all help build good muscle in that area so it is less noticeable.1
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