Thigh Gap Desires

krystonite

I agree completely. I would like this more than anything. Everytime I lose weight I can see a gap appearing and I think its a possibility for me, though I have HUGE thighs as well after a lifetime of playing softball. I would LOVE to hear what some of your ways of getting to this goal will be!

You want a thigh gap more than anything? Now that doesn't sound right. Someone please enlighten me as to what this amazing thigh gap will bring them once they have it.

Because it's glamorized, duh. Lord knows we all need to strive to look like Victoria's Secret models.

It's amazing what our culture has done to us.

BioQueen

I would love one too, but it's not really for aesthetics. I HATE summer time when I have to always think about how uncomfortable I will be if I wear shorts or a skirt/dress. It's the discomfort I really want to get rid off.

CaptainGordo

This obsession with a gap between the thighs is very strange to me.

It smells of spooky and unhealthy, not unlike the gals that want to see their bones protruding. :indifferent:

Spooky? Unhealthy?

No, it's not unhealthy. My thighs don't touch and my BMI is 23! It IS mostly genetics though, and I totally understand why it's desirable. 10 pounds ago, my thighs rubbed together, which was very uncomfortable especially in the summer (walking around). I am lucky in that my thighs no longer rub together, now I still have about 8 pounds to lose and most of my body fat is in my middle so that I STILL look pregnant since I'm thin everywhere else.

Sweetheart, we were referring to the obsession with this. Thanks..

tangal88

So here's the thing. I've got thunder thighs. I want them gone. When I lose weight, I seem to ALWAYS lose it in my ab area. Which is cool and all. But my major target area is my thighs and my deepest desire is to have a thigh gap.
As a short female of merely 5'2" this is more difficult than you can imagine..so i REALLY REALLY NEED SOME HELP.
Please. Anyone who has any advice to point me in the right direction...I'd be eternally grateful.
Thanks so much!

As noted by other posters, this may not even be possible.

For example, I am 5'2", my hip shape is what it is. The distance between my hip joints will not be the same distance as a larger or taller women with a wider pelvis.

I also know in my case, my pelvis is slightly odd shaped, (found this out while pregnant, and was required to have a C section for this reason), and I also have one side of the pelvic area (illium crest) that is a bit higher and more forward then the other side. During pregnancy, as is common with many women, my pelvis also widened and shifted a bit, so shape changed more.,

I never knew this until I lost weight, and tightened up muscle all over - now the upper pelvic edges (crest area) are visible when I lay down, so I see distance difference.

Just pointing out, personal biology will limit what you can do in some areas. I probably never could have an inner thigh gap, unless I also lost a good amount of lean muscle in my legs, to be honest that is not my goal. I want to drop body fat, but gap thing, never appealed to me. Tight, non jiggly, thighs- yes,

Overall, losing body fat, and adding in a good strength training program for entire body, including lower body will do amazing things for hips, butt and thunder thighs. Weighted lunges, and squats with heaver weighs, (only one example) can do alot to tighten up and "tone" the rear and thighs, making them smaller, better shaped, firmer. But you must also lose the body fat, sitting over/in/under the muscle, or you will not see the benefit.

And even with that, again, you are limited to an extent by your genetics, bone structure etc.

qtcaro

To funny, a couple of months ago my hubby mentioned I had lost my pickaboo (the gap). I was kind of sad about the comment but working back to that weight. I'm 5'2" so for me its around 115 lbs.

savethecat

I too would like to experience the elusive "thigh gap" at least once in my life. I'm assuming because I'm around 5'4 I'm probably going to need to get into the 130-140s range before I can really have much hope for that. I can already see and feel a difference there though so I'm hoping I'm on my way.

HarrietSabre

Wow, why are people so angy about thigh gap? It doesn't sound to me like anyone on here is 'obsessed'. At the end of the day, everyone likes different things, so if they like the way that looks (and a lot of people do) then they are going to aim for that. Some people might not like the look, but not want the painful chaffing.

littlemsmuffet

I agree completely. I would like this more than anything. Everytime I lose weight I can see a gap appearing and I think its a possibility for me, though I have HUGE thighs as well after a lifetime of playing softball. I would LOVE to hear what some of your ways of getting to this goal will be!

You want a thigh gap more than anything? Now that doesn't sound right. Someone please enlighten me as to what this amazing thigh gap will bring them once they have it.

Most of us have a physical feature we want to improve, wouldn't you agree? Here are some reasons for the thigh gap in my experience:

(1) shorter women are more self-conscious about their legs, especially their thighs
(2) many women conserve fat on their thighs, therefore, a good indicator of body fat levels is the size of one's saddlebags
(3) "lean" levels of body fat often correspond to very good levels of fitness
(4) the smaller the circumference of one's thighs, the more pants they have to choose from
(5) "thunder thighs" are obvious, especially if they are disproportional to the rest of the body

If my goal is a thigh-gap, I must have low body fat and/or be very physically fit to achieve it. To achieve both of those, my diet must be very clean. So it's actually not a bad system

bry_all01

My sister, who is pretty skinny overall (about 135 on a 5'7" small frame), always had big thighs. She had liposuction, and said it was the best thing she could have ever done.

I KNEW I did it wrong! Forget all of the hard work and dedication I put into it, next time I'll just have surgery....

summertime_girl

My sister, who is pretty skinny overall (about 135 on a 5'7" small frame), always had big thighs. She had liposuction, and said it was the best thing she could have ever done.

I KNEW I did it wrong! Forget all of the hard work and dedication I put into it, next time I'll just have surgery....

Sorry I didn't mention that she runs 5 or more miles every day and eats healthy. It's not always about hard work and dedication. Some people have trouble spots that just don't go away, no matter healthy. Every body is built a little different. Nothing she did was ever going to get rid of the disproportionate fat in her thighs.

She's happy, she still runs every day, she's still thin. Just with slimmer thighs.

BriMarie21

Thank you to everyone for all of your responses. I really love MFP for all the support that everyone gives
Mostly thanks to those who have shared any sort of exercises. I didn't post because I need every single person to be sympathetic or understanding (although for those who are empathetic I do appreciate it because I really do feel your pain! We'll get through this.) For those of you criticizing, thank you for your thoughts but this is honestly just my major trouble zone for almost all of the reasons listed above (looks, chaffing, shorts/jeans/skirt issues) so I just posted this thread to look for a little support and a lot of advice.
I can see that genetics really may be playing a big part so I will have to keep that in mind as I lose and get more healthy, knowing that I may just be destined to lose it in other areas.
Thank you again! And please keep posting if there is any more helpful advice out there!

BriMarie21

And as a side-note: I guess thunder thighs is just kind of the expression I use. I am very active and played soccer competitively for many years and believe that really is what gave me my thighs. So they really aren't just straight "jiggly-fat" or whatever you want to call them. They are a lot of muscle but I think the inner thigh area is where my fat gets stored. Just a thought

juliesummers

Since I've always been fit and trim, I've always had a thigh gap to greater or lesser degrees, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I absolutely love it, and the bigger it is, the more I feel like I can just throw on any clothes and feel confident in it.

As others have mentioned, you can't really control where your body puts on fat - but you can control how much fat is on your body. Also -- my thighs do have muscle, so don't assume everyone with a thigh gap is weak. For all of those people who are saying that they have "thunder thighs" from working out -- keep that muscle, muscle is our best friend, but do yoga to increase flexibility and get that long, lean muscle definition, rather than short bulky muscles.

Sugar_Apple

I never had a thigh gap...I had no idea those things existed until I went to College....and back then I was barely 120 lbs.
So I guess its genetics also cause I would like to believe that the thicker thighs are to help hold up my bigger booty LOL

Vera1987

Since I've always been fit and trim, I've always had a thigh gap to greater or lesser degrees, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I absolutely love it, and the bigger it is, the more I feel like I can just throw on any clothes and feel confident in it.

As others have mentioned, you can't really control where your body puts on fat - but you can control how much fat is on your body. Also -- my thighs do have muscle, so don't assume everyone with a thigh gap is weak. For all of those people who are saying that they have "thunder thighs" from working out -- keep that muscle, muscle is our best friend, but do yoga to increase flexibility and get that long, lean muscle definition, rather than short bulky muscles.

Wow! Your legs are incredible! (:
If you don't mind me asking, how much did you weigh in this photo?

fittraier

Spongebob has a thigh gap. Healthy people usually don't.

Freakin' Hilarious!

Well, I have never looked, but my thighs are so muscular that if we were stranded on an island people would fight over who got to eat my leg when there is no food, becuase it is so meaty!

I am fitness instructor, and first I have ever heard of thigh gap!

cerrajean

It doesn't sound to me like anyone on here is 'obsessed'.

Original poster: 'my deepest desire'
another poster- 'I want it more than anything.'

THAT is what people are classifying as obsessed and unhealthy, I think.

Like I said in an earlier post- as I'm shedding pounds, it's starting to get easier for me to sit cross-legged because i can feel my thighs getting smaller. Some of you who've never had really fat thighs may not realize that crossing your legs at the thigh is a gift, not a right.

The chub rub is awful, but I don't understand the people who complain about constantly having it or having scars from years of chaffing. Our bodies will do what they need to in order to let us know something's not right. If you're wearing something that's chaffing your thighs, STOP WEARING IT. It's one of my favorite mottos- Just because they make it in your size doesn't mean you should actually wear it.

I look forward to buying all new sun dresses this summer, and yeah, I might have to throw some spanx on under them to keep my thighs from rubbing together- but it's either that or don't wear the dresses, since rubbing the skin off my thighs to the point of bleeding is really not an option.

karinaes

This obsession with a gap between the thighs is very strange to me.

But the truth is, it really depends mostly on the size of your hips and your genes. You may never have one, so you should enjoy and appreciate your thighs now and their lack of a gap.

Focus on something more important, like your fitness abilities. Those you can have and improve on. Thigh gaps come and go or never come in the first place.

strange to me too. i don't find it attractive, but for those that do.. i agree with the rest of your comment

kelseyhere

Since I've always been fit and trim, I've always had a thigh gap to greater or lesser degrees, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I absolutely love it, and the bigger it is, the more I feel like I can just throw on any clothes and feel confident in it.

As others have mentioned, you can't really control where your body puts on fat - but you can control how much fat is on your body. Also -- my thighs do have muscle, so don't assume everyone with a thigh gap is weak. For all of those people who are saying that they have "thunder thighs" from working out -- keep that muscle, muscle is our best friend, but do yoga to increase flexibility and get that long, lean muscle definition, rather than short bulky muscles.

Yeah you look "trim," but you don't look fit at all, you actually look anorexic (you claim you have muscles, if this is true, I'd be curious to know how much you can squat . By posting your picture and bragging, you are only helping to perpetuate this myth that all women can achieve a thigh gap. You're right that overall fat %age plays a big role, but genes more than anything is going to determine if it's really possible (the example of the fit woman and daily runner who got lipo just to achieve a "thigh gap" proves this!). The fact is, many women would probably kill for a body like yours, but it's just not possible, nor does it look too healthy or fun to get to that size- I assuming you deprive yourself regularly. Try and be more sensitive and stop putting crazy ideas in people's heads. Your just as bad as the media that bombards us with pictures of women who look like you (and again, they only look that way because it's in their genes!). Be happy that you got the genes that allow you to wear whatever skinny jeans you want, and realize that other people were not born with those same genes.

Cerrajean, I think you are right on target with a healthy attitude and taking the right approach. Because your taking a more realistic approach, you're much more likely to stick with your plan and continue to see results in the future.

The point of MFP is to support each other towards better health and weight loss. We shouldn't be focusing on such trivial things. Before you let your fingers spew out whatever thought pops in your mind, try and consider if the advice your giving is even helpful.

I'm glad the original poster has taken the time to read and think over everyone's posts, and hopefully will take it to heart as she continues her journey towards fitness.

Oh, and finally, the whole yoga "long lean muscles" is a complete myth. You need resistance to build muscle, and yoga just cannot offer the level of resistance necessary. Do your research.

ymhand

I know its hard ladies, but don't kill yourself working towards goals that are physically impossible. Pick a more realistic goal, like increasing your cardio sessions by 5 minutes or the amount to weight you can squat by 10%. With your fitness goals, you'll also see physical changes.

I think that's pretty good advice.