I want thinner, more toned thighs?
jennaandthemoon
Posts: 28
I am perfectly happy with my upper body. I have a nice looking stomach, arms, shoulders, and I have a nice collarbone.
My only problem is my thighs. They arent fat by any means. But I would love for a more toned look, maybe a thigh gap.
Anyone have any good exercise routines for making them smaller and more toned?
Or diet solutions?
THANKS!
My only problem is my thighs. They arent fat by any means. But I would love for a more toned look, maybe a thigh gap.
Anyone have any good exercise routines for making them smaller and more toned?
Or diet solutions?
THANKS!
0
Replies
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Heavy weight training will get them as compact as they can get. To some degree, the way your body is built will determine how slender your thighs can become. We can't spot reduce, unfortunately.0
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Heavy weight training?
I'm not an idiot, but what exactly is that? I usually just work out from home on the treadmill, and I do yoga in my basement.0 -
I also just noticed that you are recovering from Anorexia. This can often be a lifelong disease to battle. You probably have body dysmorphia, which is common with eating disorders, so I think it is a RED FLAG for you to be focused on making one body part more perfect.
Are you in therapy? I would highly recommend working with an eating disorder therapist who can help you move away from perfectionist thinking and more toward self acceptance. The way you look is far less important than the way you choose to think about yourself.
Take good care!0 -
I have only had 2 things that seemed to slim my thighs significantly. Brazil Butt Lift and the stationary bike. I am doing my second round of BBL and it still seems to be slimming things. Last year when I was doing a more weight based routine I would do the stationary bike while I was watching TV, just to get some cardio in, saw a visible slimming with that too.
I know spot reducing is not possible, however I also know my body responds differently to different workout routines. It may just be a matter of trying different things until you find one that gets you the results you are seeking.0 -
Heavy weight training?
I'm not an idiot, but what exactly is that? I usually just work out from home on the treadmill, and I do yoga in my basement.
Training, with weights, ie. barbell, dumb bells, etc. By heavy, she means with lots of weight. Deadlifting, squatting, hip thrusts, lunges with weights will give you great legs. If you want a "toned" and muscular body, that means lifting heavy and eating to build muscle.
Good place to start: http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.htm
ETA: Oh and Strong Curves, duh. That's a great book.0 -
It's been 6 years since I was full-blown anorexic. To give you a picture... my lowest weight was 115lbs and I am 5"9. That is considered underweight. Right now I am about 135lbs and I know I am at a healthy weight. I dont feel like i need to lose pounds. It's been a good 6 years since I was anorexic but I say I am still recovering simply because I am trying to normalize my eating and exercising habits.
I've been through all the the therapy, I have no desire to be a skeleton anymore. I am truly happy with life. I just want to have a normal eating and exercise routine.
I just want nice thighs! lol0 -
You are most likely a pear shape, and may never be happy with that shape. I am a pear as well, I have practically zero breasts, but my abs rock, but I am also cursed with bigger thighs. I just attribute it to a runners build. I am built to run! ;-) Heavy lifting may help, but I do not have a gym membership nor a set of weights, so I am stuck with the way I am. I don't want to develop unhealthy diet habits to create the slimmer thighs I desire. Besides, the rest of me would look sickly! So I am just going to have to be happy where I am.
Good luck!0 -
Ah you're probably right, haha. I am very pear shaped.
I dont have huge thighs, I just wish they were smaller.
Maybe that's just a wish that may never be granted!0 -
An easy exercise program is Jillian Micheal's 30 day slim. You're doing lunges and squats all throughout the video, AND cardio. So you're building muscle while burning fat. I did this workout every other day for 2 months and I've never seen my thighs so slim. I was thinking about doing it again I loved it so much!0
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I have slim thighs and am trying to add more curve there, the grass is always greener...
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I also just noticed that you are recovering from Anorexia. This can often be a lifelong disease to battle. You probably have body dysmorphia, which is common with eating disorders, so I think it is a RED FLAG for you to be focused on making one body part more perfect.
Are you in therapy? I would highly recommend working with an eating disorder therapist who can help you move away from perfectionist thinking and more toward self acceptance. The way you look is far less important than the way you choose to think about yourself.
Take good care!
Hey!
That's not right going through someone's stuff and bringing it out like that. She didn't even mention this, how impolite of you.
She's talking about something very close to my heart, thighs and their annoying habit of not slimming down. It is perfectly feasible to want to talk about how to improve them.
Very odd thing to do. Sorry OP, hope you get some feedback here.
For me, it is to do with being about 20% body fat then they slim down to 20" which I can live with. I'm 5'7" and currently 130lb after a cut bulk cut cycle. (Google n search) it's all here.
Good luck0 -
I just read the thigh gap has more to do with your structure and how wide your hips are built anyway, so even if you slim down there is a good chance you still won't get that gap unless you are too skinny. It's an unrealistic picture of what the media says we need to be. Don't fall for it.0
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I have seen amazing results in my legs since I started doing dumbbell exercises. I use 12 pounds weights and do 3 sets of 10 reps in these exercises:
Squats
Lunges (can be static, pendulum, whatever you prefer)
Side lunges
Calf Raises
Calf Raises on a step
Dumbbell swing-through
Stiff-legged dead lift
I find that dumbbells are less intimidating to me than barbell weight sets and are usually located a little out of everyone else's way at the gym, so I can get my workout done quicker without having to share space or equipment usually.
this is a pretty good website I reference to find dumbbell exercises for all parts of my body:
http://www.dumbbell-exercises.com/exercises/legs/index.html0 -
I just want to say that you look beautiful and healthy and there are way worse things in the world than not having "thigh gap". Congratulations on trying to get healthy and normalize your eating.
I was slender my entire life up until about 5 years ago and to be honest, I NEVER appreciated the body I had, even at my very thinnest when my knee bones and elbows were sticking out. I was always thinking I could be thinner, smaller, etc. I now realize I had body dysmorphia for most of my life.
Just watch out for the perfectionist thinking! Try to appreciate what you have right now. 0 -
I also just noticed that you are recovering from Anorexia. This can often be a lifelong disease to battle. You probably have body dysmorphia, which is common with eating disorders, so I think it is a RED FLAG for you to be focused on making one body part more perfect.
Are you in therapy? I would highly recommend working with an eating disorder therapist who can help you move away from perfectionist thinking and more toward self acceptance. The way you look is far less important than the way you choose to think about yourself.
Take good care!
Hey!
That's not right going through someone's stuff and bringing it out like that. She didn't even mention this, how impolite of you.
She's talking about something very close to my heart, thighs and their annoying habit of not slimming down. It is perfectly feasible to want to talk about how to improve them.
Very odd thing to do. Sorry OP, hope you get some feedback here.
For me, it is to do with being about 20% body fat then they slim down to 20" which I can live with. I'm 5'7" and currently 130lb after a cut bulk cut cycle. (Google n search) it's all here.
Good luck
meeehhh I can see- but if it's on the internet- I also believe it's fair game and worth while to make a note- that sometimes things are the way they are and fussing about them won't help or maybe be coming from a negative place.
OP- get thee some education about strength training/heavy lifting and compound lifts.
Learn to squat and DL with a bar bell. LIFT all the things.0 -
Hi there!
Diet won't change your thighs, except to reduce some fat pockets. You can't pick where the body reduces, though! More importantly, work the thighs. Every day - squats, burpees, donkey kicks (that's on all 4s kicking behind or bending your knee and lifting up your thigh? Great for the glutes, too. the more defined your glutes are, the thinner your thighs should look. Also, look up "abductor and adductor" exercises for the inner thighs. Do you have a stretchy band you can use?
Good luck!
teecy0 -
I also just noticed that you are recovering from Anorexia. This can often be a lifelong disease to battle. You probably have body dysmorphia, which is common with eating disorders, so I think it is a RED FLAG for you to be focused on making one body part more perfect.
Are you in therapy? I would highly recommend working with an eating disorder therapist who can help you move away from perfectionist thinking and more toward self acceptance. The way you look is far less important than the way you choose to think about yourself.
Take good care!
Hey!
That's not right going through someone's stuff and bringing it out like that. She didn't even mention this, how impolite of you.
She's talking about something very close to my heart, thighs and their annoying habit of not slimming down. It is perfectly feasible to want to talk about how to improve them.
Very odd thing to do. Sorry OP, hope you get some feedback here.
For me, it is to do with being about 20% body fat then they slim down to 20" which I can live with. I'm 5'7" and currently 130lb after a cut bulk cut cycle. (Google n search) it's all here.
Good luck
meeehhh I can see- but if it's on the internet- I also believe it's fair game and worth while to make a note- that sometimes things are the way they are and fussing about them won't help or maybe be coming from a negative place.
OP- get thee some education about strength training/heavy lifting and compound lifts.
Learn to squat and DL with a bar bell. LIFT all the things.
Jesus. Lol thanks guys. Probably shouldnt have even mentioned I was a former anorexic if thats all we are gonna talk about haha.
I JUST WANT NICE THIGHS hahaha but thanks for the concern.0 -
An easy exercise program is Jillian Micheal's 30 day slim. You're doing lunges and squats all throughout the video, AND cardio. So you're building muscle while burning fat. I did this workout every other day for 2 months and I've never seen my thighs so slim. I was thinking about doing it again I loved it so much!
It's pretty much impossible to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. (Extreme outliers outstanding...of course)0 -
No exercise will target them to make them smaller. If you want to condition the muscle underneath so the look a little "harder" squats, deadlifts, and leg curls are the top 3 IMO.I am perfectly happy with my upper body. I have a nice looking stomach, arms, shoulders, and I have a nice collarbone.
My only problem is my thighs. They arent fat by any means. But I would love for a more toned look, maybe a thigh gap.
Anyone have any good exercise routines for making them smaller and more toned?
Or diet solutions?
THANKS!
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
**** I hate workout videos. and weightlifting.
But this is all great feedback thank you.0 -
**** I hate workout videos. and weightlifting.
But this is all great feedback thank you.
If you hate working out or lifting weights... what do you want to do?0 -
Weighted squats and lunges are what I do. I love them, even though they are hard work! Leg day is Saturday for me.... 0
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Since you are a "pear shape" any fat you do have is stored on your thighs. Unfortunately you might have to drop to an unhealthy body fat percentage (and weight) to remove that fat. And yeah, a "thigh gap" is very genetic and has more to do with bone structure than actual fat.
But yes, weight lifting will tone and strengthen your thighs. I know for me, fat thighs with muscle underneath look a lot better than plan ol' fat thighs.
I really enjoy Stronglifts 5x5. I've also heard good things about Strong Curves.0 -
my thighs and legs are the only thing on my body that look good at this point. im an apple. hoping to change that.0
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I guess you would call me a pear shape as well. I am very lean up top, and carry more weight/fat in my thighs. I have been running for 4 months, doing bodyweight strength training, playing squash and watching cals, and I am very happy with how my thighs are looking now. They carried me for 14 km this morning on my long run, so I really can't complain about their function. I am probably down to about 20% body fat now, and my quads have some great definition. Still want to improve on my hammies, though. I have lost 3 inches from each thigh since I started (from 23 to 20 inches). Maybe some strength training would be beneficial for you? Like I said, I am only doing bodyweight exercises at home, not going to the gym.0
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my thighs and legs are the only thing on my body that look good at this point. im an apple. hoping to change that.
Apples are my favourite fruit!0 -
Step 1: Drop the thigh gap thing, they are silly. I've got one, but shucks that was the "luck" of the draw with having wide hips. Understand what you can and cannot change about your natural build, and move forward accordingly.
Step 2: do squats
Step 3: do moar squats
I'm sure there are a boatload of compound exercises that will help that area, but in my own experience I've found squats to be glorious and effective. Best of luck OP0 -
Just as @ModernNerd said...definitely do them squats...that is a must and really only solution lol I would add for lean cuts and physiques you are going to want to look into the formula of high reps low weights. So try to get your reps within the range of 15-20. Start with no weights to get comfortable with the exercise work on form, then transition to the bar with no weights and as it gets easier increase the weight per side by 5.
Whoops forgot to add one more factoid you can also look for a gym that has the hid adductor and abductor machine. That's REALLY good for strength your outer and inner thighs as well as your hips. Use the same philosophy as stated above.
- James0 -
For the most bang for your buck, you'd be looking at heavy lifting with barbells (or dumbbells if you don't have access to barbells).
I highly suggest reading Starting Strength, Stronglifts, AllPros and NROL. Pick one of the routines and stick with it for a few months.
Other forms of strength/resistance training you could also look into are TRX Supsension and Sandbags.
If you don't have access to equipment, look into bodyweight routines from Convict Conditioning, NerdFitness, or/and You Are Your Own Gym.
Links to the above programs and some additional info:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/850719-strength-training-the-basics
Stronglifts: http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/
(For Stronglifts, please be sure to get the Free PDF on this and read through it, not just the summary)
NerdFitness: http://www.nerdfitness.com/resources/#resources-apps
AllPros: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/902569-barbell-routines-when-you-only-have-dumbbells0 -
Thigh gap...
If you have wide hips, you'll have a thigh gap.
If you have narrow hips, you can be very underweight and still have legs that touch.
It's your skeleton. Your pelvis/hips. Not your body fat.
I'm a recovered (?) anorexic myself going wayyy back. I remember when those two words "thigh gap" hit the internet and I wish they'd go away. It's nonsense. I've seen heavy girls with thigh gaps and very skinny girls with thighs that touch.
Personally, I can "give myself" a thigh gap depending on how I stand, with my pelvis tilted forward or back. One looks like I'm rockin a big gap even with feet and knees together, the other looks like two legs smooshed together.0
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