How to Lose inches from thighs?

registers

Seriously, women cannot build bigger muscles (without supplemental assistance)..... we do not have enough testosterone in our bodies.

I wish people would quit repeating this, it not true.

Women and men have roughly the same amount of testosterone, just different types of testosterone (chemical isomers if you want to be technical). They are different enough that if you injected a man with enough female testosterone, he'd die (and vice versa).

Whether or not a woman bulks up, and how much she does, depends on genetics and her weight routine.

I've never had chicken legs just cause I'm a girl, and I never will. I have what has become known in my family as "Graham thighs," as everyone in the family has the exact same- full, rounded, and thickly muscled thighs. In Jr. High, when I flexed, my quad stood up a full 4 inches above my knee cap, and it did that because I was in basketball- specifically a post player, and my coaches set a weight training routine for us meant to strengthen our legs and butt. At one point I had a 24 inch waist and a 40 inch hip; and it was not fat- you do not get a fat *kitten* from squatting 275 and running 6 miles a day, you get muscle- depending on your genetics, you may get nice long lean muscle like Chandra, you may get something in the middle like Hope, or you may get ridiculously built like I did; being female has next to nothing to do with the equation. You could take 3 guys from the same families, give them the same workout, and see the same results.

In general, men are capable of lifting more than women because of their differing bone structure after puberty- their muscles have a better mechanical advantage, thus they can lift more with the same muscles (and the lifting more builds more, so in most cases they build muscle faster). Women are not incapable of building bulk muscle, if we were, you wouldn't see some of the figure-competition-off-the-rails types who, well, could wear a little extra makeup to make the gender distinction more clear. (And I'm not saying that to be mean, I had a mohawk as a 17 year old, and my bro and I look nearly identical without hair. That's when I started wearing glam earrings and more makeup, it was necessary.)

Point being, yes women can build bulk muscle if they're doing 8-10 reps of heavy weights, not just to the point of fatigue, but to the point of failure, ie when your (2) spotters have to grab the bar on your last rep (or 3). Also, doing stair climbers, or elepticals on high resistance, or the treadmill with the incline all the way up, or just plain running hills all the time, yes, you're butt will get bigger. Muscles, when used regularly, with increased resistance, get bigger, its what they're designed to do. Buying into sexist crap you've heard isn't going to change biology.

Those fitness models that are bulked up are juiced up on steroids. Yes women can build some muscle but not as much as a man. You say part of it is due to equal levels of testosterone, which might be true... but women have more estrogen which results in more fatty tissue in specific areas. I hesitate to say it will impair muscle growth. I know testosterone is the opposite of estrogen. I know that testosterone builds muscle, this can also imply that estrogen impairs muscle growth. You also mentioned we have different bone structures. I don't get this... most of us have arms and legs, and center mass.. We're pretty much in the same proportion, meaning I don't think men have longer legs and longer arms. If you're talking about pelvic bone, i don't see how that is relevant. Like i said I do agree women can build "some" muscle, but not much.

doughnutwretch

Every person has trouble spots on their bodies, and those are the first places we gain weight and the last places we lose weight. Drink lots of water and combine cardio exercises with strength training. If you don't see improvements right away, don't get discouraged. It takes time to lose fat and tone.

kimmerroze

Do lots of lunges and squats... and if you are afraid that your muscle is bulking up... as most women do you can always run your muscle away...

or low resistance cardio for hours....

Cardio burns muscle along with fat. Weight lifting burns fat...

If you have tons of fat on your thighs, do cardio and weight lifting. once your fat is gone and you start noticing your thighs getting bigger... Which will take a LONG TIME, then incorporate lots of cardio.

I run 15 + miles a week and lift 3 times a week..

It is thinning out my thighs quite nicely.

chrisdavey

Point being, yes women can build bulk muscle if they're doing 8-10 reps of heavy weights, not just to the point of fatigue, but to the point of failure, ie when your (2) spotters have to grab the bar on your last rep

Failure is not required. Going heavy and leaving 1 or 2 reps in the tank is fine. Going to failure repeatedly will stress the CNS and can eventually lead to stalling. You need to be able to recover from the workouts and having an overstressed CNS will not help this.

Some people use Max OT training which does involve going to failure (and beyond with negatives) but they then have much larger breaks from the gym for additional recovery time.

Kimmeroze: Not sure exactly where you got your info from but it isn't as simple as that.

Create calorific deficit (via diet or exercise but preferrably both) and you will lose weight.
To lose fat, do the same and incorporate resistance training and keeping protein intake relatively high (while at an overall deficit) and you will lose fat. (You will still lose a certain portion of muscle but the above measures are there to minimise that)

SiltyPigeon

Wow you were all soo helpful. :huh:

My opinion? Diet and exercise will reduce the problem you are experiencing with fatty thighs. Diet will reduce the size and exercise will tighten them so they are less giggly. If you end up with thunder He-man thighs from too much exercising, then exercise less. I'm sure that won't develop over night (if at all) so you'll have plenty of time to correct your routine.

Wii Active makes my thighs sore so I figure it's working for that area.

Schwiggity

It's funny how the sex that genetically is supposed to have some more fat around the thighs is the one that always wants to get rid of it.

yellowpear

It's funny how the sex that genetically is supposed to have some more fat around the thighs is the one that always wants to get rid of it.

ha.. ha.. i totally agree..

yellowpear

Thanks everyone for the replies.

ivyjbres

Those fitness models that are bulked up are juiced up on steroids. Yes women can build some muscle but not as much as a man. You say part of it is due to equal levels of testosterone, which might be true... but women have more estrogen which results in more fatty tissue in specific areas. I hesitate to say it will impair muscle growth. I know testosterone is the opposite of estrogen. I know that testosterone builds muscle, this can also imply that estrogen impairs muscle growth. You also mentioned we have different bone structures. I don't get this... most of us have arms and legs, and center mass.. We're pretty much in the same proportion, meaning I don't think men have longer legs and longer arms. If you're talking about pelvic bone, i don't see how that is relevant. Like i said I do agree women can build "some" muscle, but not much.

Different bone structures, meaning women's broader hips and men's broader shoulders cause muscles to attach at slightly different angles, (that's why anthropologists are able to determine sex from skeletal remains) and that causes a difference in the amount of muscle you can build and utilize.

But the attitude that women can't build muscle has more to do with their lack of muscles than their workouts.

jmula

I have been doing 8-10 reps and have been getting great results from it for building muscle. I do low reps in the 6-8 range and get a lot stronger from it. I never do more then 10 reps. To me, it's a waste of time. If your going to lift weights to get your muscles toned, why not do 8-10 and get there quicker. jmo.

aliceamyxo

Hey, I have the same probel and so have researched it in depth.
Cut out white carbohydrate foods, like white bread, pasta and potatoes, only eat wholemeal/brown bread, pasta and sweet potatoes. These, apparently, go straight to the thighs.
Also do hindu squats, search on youtube. they work the entire leg and work the quads a little extra.
Cardio fitness, on a treadmill at a 15-20% gradient, incline training, will also tone the inner thighs and bum. Do this in different bursts. Work at high intensity for 1-3 minutes, then low intensity for 2-5 minutes, this helps you increase your heart rate faster and burn of that fat and tone up.
To get a gap, do single leg lifts and double leg lifts, this work the whole thigh and bum area.

EthanJeremiahsMama

ah I have the SAME EXACT problem!

BUMP!!

aimeeturner

I have always gained most of my weight in my lower body - had a big butt and huge thighs. When I began my weight loss program, ALL I did was cardio. Then once I lost most of what I wanted to lose, I incorporated weight training in with my workouts. I now do weight training at high reps, basically circuit training, keeping my heart rate high, every other day in between my cardio days. I only have one hour a day to work out due to my schedule so I have to really give it my best effort. I don't know if you can tell from my picture or not, but I have gone down from a size 8/10 in jeans to a 2/4. So, I may not know all the technical words like some of these people are posting, but I can speak from experience. Feel free to add me as a friend and I will help you as much as I can based on my own experience. Best wishes.

H_Factor

I agree with the concept that you can't spot reduce, but there are things you can do that will help you burn fat more than others....

if you want to burn fat...instead of simply burning calories...and if you want to tighten up your legs and your buttocks, then start doing sprint intervals 3x per week (if you love the elliptical, you can do that in between your sprint days 2x per week...but it isn't necessary).

here are some different sprint intervals that I do:

1. all out sprint 10-20 seconds, walk back, rest until your HR drops below 130. repeat for 6-12 intervals. the key is going all out during the sprint, so you need enough rest in between to be able to go max effort each sprint.

2. all out sprint 10-20 seconds, immediately do a bodyweight exercise, rest until your HR drops below 130, repeat for 6-12 intervals with different bodyweight exercises. again, max effort on each sprint.

3. jog for a minutes, sprint for 10-15 seconds, repeat for 8-20 intervals.

4. (something I tried for the first time this past Saturday)...do a shuttle sprint (a/k/a suicide drill) followed by 4 bodyweight exercises. rest. repeat and do 3-4 more intervals with different bodyweight exercises.

if you go all out on the sprints, you will burn visceral fat (the fat you want to burn) and because of something called EPOC, you will continue burning for 24-48 hours after the exercise period.

gogirl1371

I also have the same struggle. However, the only way to lose fat deposits in your thighs, stomach, etc. is overall weight loss. intense, high energy and shorter cardio workouts 20-30 minutes with your heart rate at 145-150 (depending upon your age) and strength training to tone will help you lose inches, but the truth is there is no way to spot reduce.

Before I had my son, I was finding great results from the Tracy Anderson DVD's. Keep up with the exercise and try workouts like Tracy Anderson, Pilates and yoga, to help tone and strengthen while elongating your muscles. Also make sure you are drinking enough water and avoid sodium rich foods.

The only way to take fat just off your thighs is lipo.

Rae6503

Sorry, folks, but there isn't any way to spot-reduce fat. The first place you put on fat is going to be the last place it comes off. All you can do is keep concentrating on fat loss (not just weight loss) and your thighs will get smaller. Combine strength-training exercises with your cardio to help shape your muscles so that when the fat comes off, your legs will look lean and fantastic.

Good luck!

Pretty much this. Unfortunately I am really close to my goal weight, am pretty lean in my upper body and still have fat thighs.

H_Factor

Sorry, folks, but there isn't any way to spot-reduce fat. The first place you put on fat is going to be the last place it comes off. All you can do is keep concentrating on fat loss (not just weight loss) and your thighs will get smaller. Combine strength-training exercises with your cardio to help shape your muscles so that when the fat comes off, your legs will look lean and fantastic.

Good luck!

Pretty much this. Unfortunately I am really close to my goal weight, am pretty lean in my upper body and still have fat thighs.

try doing sprint intervals (see my post a few above this one for more specifics).

MamaBear05

I agree with the concept that you can't spot reduce, but there are things you can do that will help you burn fat more than others....

if you want to burn fat...instead of simply burning calories...and if you want to tighten up your legs and your buttocks, then start doing sprint intervals 3x per week (if you love the elliptical, you can do that in between your sprint days 2x per week...but it isn't necessary).

here are some different sprint intervals that I do:

1. all out sprint 10-20 seconds, walk back, rest until your HR drops below 130. repeat for 6-12 intervals. the key is going all out during the sprint, so you need enough rest in between to be able to go max effort each sprint.

2. all out sprint 10-20 seconds, immediately do a bodyweight exercise, rest until your HR drops below 130, repeat for 6-12 intervals with different bodyweight exercises. again, max effort on each sprint.

3. jog for a minutes, sprint for 10-15 seconds, repeat for 8-20 intervals.

4. (something I tried for the first time this past Saturday)...do a shuttle sprint (a/k/a suicide drill) followed by 4 bodyweight exercises. rest. repeat and do 3-4 more intervals with different bodyweight exercises.

if you go all out on the sprints, you will burn visceral fat (the fat you want to burn) and because of something called EPOC, you will continue burning for 24-48 hours after the exercise period.

I whole-heartedly agree with this! Number 4 is exactly what I do and is my holy grail. I have always carried the majority of my body fat in my hips and thighs. I used to lift weights a lot and could get pretty ripped and solid up top but nothing in the lower half. I started doing a sort of HIIT/Circuit routine 3 days a week and did the C25K program 3 days a week. I started seeing changes pretty quickly. As soon as I added the suicides plus 4 body weight exercises as one of my weekly circuits (I usually do 4-5 intervals), I saw very dramatic results in just a couple of weeks. It also helped tremendously with my C25K.

I will admit they are still rough. The first time I wanted to throw up while doing them but I stuck it out, as slow as I was. Improvements in my stamina happened pretty quickly. Don't do the more than once a week though.

agthorn

If you end up with thunder He-man thighs from too much exercising, then exercise less. I'm sure that won't develop over night (if at all) so you'll have plenty of time to correct your routine.

I agree! It's like so many women are afraid they're going to do one set of heavy squats and immediately 'bulk up' like a balloon. If you do it and get to a point where you feel you look 'bulky' (unlikely, but it could happen) then just cut back.

melsinct

Sorry, folks, but there isn't any way to spot-reduce fat. The first place you put on fat is going to be the last place it comes off. All you can do is keep concentrating on fat loss (not just weight loss) and your thighs will get smaller.

Agreed.

I am 2 pounds from goal and my thighs were the last place I lost inches.