Inner thigh fat

scshelby

Hey! I’m looking to slim down my Inner thighs. I’m a track and cross country runner and I’m about the biggest on my team, 5’5 and 127 pounds I’m trying to slim up and lose fat so I can go faster considering I’m on the slower side. And I know that with less fat and more muscle power and such I can go faster. (Also coming off of an injury) but I’ve gone from 145-126 this semester and My inner thighs are still on the thicker side than I would like. So I’m just reaching out to see what others have done and what I can do and if anyone has any before or after pics that would be great!

scshelby

This is also a somewhat recent progress pic

cmriverside

Wouldn't it be better to focus on building leg strength? I mean, where you hold fat [what little fat you do have] is genetic. Stronger legs from weight lifting would increase your speed and power. Attempting to target the places you lose fat is not going to be productive. You can't target fat loss. It's genetic.

You have a woman's body. The skinny little-girl legs are in the past. I remember freaking out a little bit about this when I was a young woman. Everything is different!!

You look great. :flowerforyou:

AnnPT77

What cmriverside said.

Spot reducing fat isn't possible. You're already at a healthy weight, both by BMI and appearance (you look lovely and strong, BTW).

You'll want to consult with your coach, to make sure that you prioritize performance and recovery in-season, but I think you're in the perfect spot to consider recomposition, a process in which you eat at/near maintenance calories (so stable body weight), and strength train with a good progressive full-body program. Increasing muscle is easiest when young, so your timing is perfect.

In the recomposition process, you aim to gradually build strength and muscle mass, and simultaneously slowly lose fat mass. Because fat mass is less dense than muscle mass, you'll slowly get slimmer and tighter, but the maintenance calories will keep you from sacrificing athletic performance (a common thing if losing weight, especially as you get closer to a good, healthy weight).

Increased strength (especially leg strength) will benefit your running performance, and be a complement to a sensible running training program (which I hope your coach is providing). Those two things, strength and a good running program, are likelier to improve your performance more than more weight loss, at this point. Done carefully and conscientiously, a strength training program may even help you rehab from injury, and avoid future recurrences.

Recomposition is a slow process, which I know can be a frustrating idea at your age, but I think it can be a great route to both improved performance and appearance (even beyond where you are now), without risking a period of backsliding performance that could happen from trying to lose more weight.

More information about recomposition is here:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat

I think that if you review the (long) thread, you'll find some photos of women who are achieving some of the appeararnce goals you're pursuing, via this route.

BrianSharpe

If getting faster is your goal ask your coach about speedwork (if you're not already doing it) fun things like running hills, fartleks, running stairs etc etc etc and, as has been previously mentioned, add some strength work into your routine.

scshelby

I’m a collegiate runner so I’m doing these runs already. I have illiopsoas bursitis and a pelvic tilt

Azdak

“Slimmer thighs” is not really a performance enhancement by itself. If you want to excel at running performance, depending on the events, you need to lose fat (and gain strength). And therein lies the dilemma for many athletes, esp female athletes. The level of body fat that is necessary for peak performance is not always ideal for health. That’s certainly not anything that I could recommend—it’s a decision you have to make for yourself. All I can say is that “slimming” your thighs is not a productive goal.

AliNouveau

Your fat inner thighs are probably muscular.

Speaking as someone who grew up doing a keg intensive sport it's tough learning your legs are muscular and a beautiful feature. I grew up never being able to wear straight leg jeans because of my big skater thighs. I can still look down at them and see the jiggle but there's no fat there.

So just embrace your beautiful muscular, fit thighs. They'll certainly help your running.

rheddmobile

I know it’s standard advice at the college level to lose weight to grow faster, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Your post reminded me of this recent news item:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qBwtCf2X5jw

The short version is that this girl was extremely fast, her coaches told her to slim down, and it wrecked her body and also her running career. Also that she feels that the weight loss culture around college women’s’ running is extremely toxic and destructive.

scshelby

I’d like to lose more weight all around as well as thighs. My lower belly. I only look that good in the second pic bc of the pose and flex normally and regular I don’t look thst good rithiut making it that way I’m not that great of a runner now but I want to be better and last year my coach told me to lose weight and that’ll be a key step in getting better I’m only a jv runner and Still the biggest in my team

cupcakesandproteinshakes

scshelby wrote: »

I’d like to lose more weight all around as well as thighs. My lower belly. I only look that good in the second pic bc of the pose and flex normally and regular I don’t look thst good rithiut making it that way I’m not that great of a runner now but I want to be better and last year my coach told me to lose weight and that’ll be a key step in getting better I’m only a jv runner and Still the biggest in my team

There’s a few issues here performance and appearance related.

Women are genetically predisposed to carry weight on their hips and thighs and bellies.

Picking on a body part and focussing on it is not helpful to good mental health. Your perspective is distorted. Everyone else here including me sees a really nice pair of legs. And you can run fast too, way to go.

Comparing yourself to others is also unhelpful.

You are already lean. Losing weight may make you run faster and it may make your thighs slimmer. But it may not. And you may still not be happy. Happiness is the most important thing.

Can you talk to a counsellor/ therapist about your body issues?