Reducing thigh muscle mass?

PikaKnight

Asking how to build muscle is different than asking how to lose muscle in my opinion. But each their own approach.

DavPul

Asking how to build muscle is different than asking how to lose muscle in my opinion. But each their own approach.

agreed. if she asked "how do i shed fat from my thighs" we would have screamed "no targeting!" but at least shedding fat is considered a healthy goal. anytime someone asks how to strip muscle away from their bones the red flags go up. if someone asks for help in an activity that we deem to be detrimental we are not obligated to blindly give advice.

Lyadeia

I'm looking at your other photo. It's still a little hard to tell, but they look fine. What are your measurements?

@Joy_Joy_ My measurements are 27" waist, 32" hips, 37" butt, and 23.5" thighs (around the largest part)

I don't understand what you think is so awful about those measurements. After finishing a recent fat loss challenge and ending up with a lower half that I am very proud of, those are nearly the exact measurements that I had. It would be exact had you said your butt was 36.5", but hey, what's half and inch around the rear, lol?

Are you just trying to squish into a smaller size than you should and getting frustrated? Personally, I like things to fit low on the waist and comfortably on the hips...and I don't buy a bigger size and tack it up with a belt?

I'm gonna have to agree with Joy_Joy_ and ask you to look into body dysmorphia, cause by your standards, I have huge legs too...even though I look at my legs and say, "Wow, I look hot!" :drinker:

Lyadeia

I just checked out your pictures, and I have to honestly say that in those last 2 pictures that are nothing but your legs...

Your legs look gorgeous! I feel sorry for them because you hate them and want them to atrophy. :brokenheart: There is seriously nothing wrong with your legs. At all.

sexymuffintop

IN to nuke another thread where a thin woman claims to have to much muscle and wants to find a way to reduce muscle mass

Yup, I'm with you ^^ ^^ 19, a body like that and you still find something to be unhappy with? There is no hope.....

JeninBelgium

maybe just try a different brand of jeans, or take them to a tailor and have the waists taken in?

JeninBelgium

also I would suggest rowing machine over running but then you might build more upper body muscle,

the same with swimming (and a lot of swimmers have large-ish legs tot)
the problem is getting your muscles to atrophy while maintaining your current active lifestyle and while not building your upper body...
While I understand your desire for smaller thighs I think you will just have to embrace yourself for what you are - a fit, sporty person!

WeeWhiteWabbit

Run, endurance runners have very low muscle bulk and I have noticed my thighs shrink with running (I'm a horse rider too). But you need to build slowly to long distances. Stuff that you can't do fast. You will probably always have muscular thighs but this just strips them down a bit.

Lupercalia

Better to reduce your negative self talk, I think. Your thighs are muscular--be happy and love them! You look strong and sexy, a look many of us here on MFP admire very much.

I get the weirdness with the other riders looking skinny and you feeling big by comparison. But you really can't compare yourself to them.

:flowerforyou:

gabijadc

I also have the same thing. Embrace it that's what I did

ArroganceInStep

Generally speaking, your body is the result of genetics, diet, and the external stresses you put on it.

If you want smaller thighs, stop doing so much leg work and eat at a deficit. Even then though, your genetics might still tell you to go f*** yourself.

The other option would be to come to terms with the fact that while you might not love your body just the way it is (and all that everybody is beautiful disney bullsh*t), it is built in such a way to accomodate the types of things you love doing.

I'm a guy, so I don't have a lot of the societal pressures women do, and I still have a lot of work to do getting stronger and healthier, but the second it clicked for me that I would never be skinny because I liked playing rugby and football and wrestling and being strong in the gym and actually enjoying the meals I ate, I started feeling much better about myself.

MelStren

I'm looking at your other photo. It's still a little hard to tell, but they look fine. What are your measurements?

@Joy_Joy_ My measurements are 27" waist, 32" hips, 37" butt, and 23.5" thighs (around the largest part)

I love your measurements! I am 45yrs old. 5' 1" tall and 127lbs. my measurements are anywhere from 27" to 30" at my belly button, 38" hips and 24" thighs and the only thing I'd like to change is my waist. I'd like to see it stay closer to 27" all the time, and I'd like to have more visible definition on my legs.

I also have a hard time finding jeans that fit right. I haven't yet, but I'm still considering ordering my jeans "made to fit" there are several places on line for that.

BurtHuttz

I think you look absolutely phenomenal.

Unfortunately muscle atrophy is pretty hard to accomplish, and if you're getting there by malnourishment it won't be targeted to your thighs alone.

Edited to clarify: I'm not implying that you would choose malnourishment but the only two ways I know of to reduce muscle mass are to under-eat to the extent that you lose both body fat and lean body mass, or to simply cease using those muscle groups altogether and allow lack of utilization to gradually erode the muscles.

matt2442

Yea you look really good, I see no problem and have nothing to add on to previous posters except:

Are you really 19?

Single?

:flowerforyou:

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

Your thighs are fantastic. Don't hate them.

just_fur_luck

It's the curse of the equestrian. Do you, by any chance, ride Hunter Jumper? All that posting and two-point...! I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, but I've learned to love mine. They give the appearance of curves where Mother Nature did not give me any. :grumble: I guess you could do more bareback work or ride from your core a bit more. I know I've ridden proper dressage when my abs are sore the next day.

I do ride hunter! It bugs me how I can be so curvy muscular wise yet there are other riders who are twigs! The curse of the equestrian is right, thanks for the tips!

In for more bareback work.

Jacwhite22

Your thighs don't look big. I think you should learn to love yourself.

FlaxMilk

Your body is beautiful. I'm not sure how you could reduce the size of your legs without also risking sacrificing the hard work you've put into the rest of you. If they bother you, play up the other parts of you. You are in such great shape that you will have no issues drawing attention to whichever part of you that you choose to play up. I understand the annoyance with clothing though. I have to buy to fit my waist and then everyone accuses me of buying my clothing too big because the legs are baggy. It's annoying, but I think many people have a zone that they consider a little out of proportion. Just genetics.

AllonsYtotheTardis

Your legs look fantastic - I want mine to look like that.


But I understand what you're saying about jeans, as I've always had the same issue (even when I was tiny and underweight). Please KNOW that this is a problem with the jeans, and NOT a problem with YOU. I live in Montreal (a very fashion-conscious city) - it's damn near impossible to find jeans that are not 'this week's trendy cut'. If your body type doesn't fit the current 'trend', you're pretty much SOL. It requires a lot more shopping around. A lot. Also, you many be used to shopping in 'teen' clothing stores, where the jeans will be cut differently from 'women's' clothing stores. Try the latter - it helps (and no - it doesn't mean you have to buy 'mom jeans', ahhah!)

Good luck - I hope you can start to see that your legs are beautiful.

BeachIron

Another teenage girl with self esteem issues. smh

OP - seriously, you look incredible and anyone that says differently is full of ****. Girls with muscle mass age better, embrace that young and you'll be in that bikini for many years to come.

plzlbsbegone

Umm, you have a fantastic body, thighs and all. But, if you are unhappy with your body, I would like to offer up a trade. You take mine, and I will gladly take yours

rvaug031

Yea you look really good, I see no problem and have nothing to add on to previous posters except:

Are you really 19?

Single?

:flowerforyou:

Daww thank you for the flattery as it happens I do have a wonderful boyfriend!

rvaug031

Girls with muscle mass age better, embrace that young and you'll be in that bikini for many years to come.

Really? I didn't know that! Thanks for the help

rvaug031

I'm a guy, so I don't have a lot of the societal pressures women do, and I still have a lot of work to do getting stronger and healthier, but the second it clicked for me that I would never be skinny because I liked playing rugby and football and wrestling and being strong in the gym and actually enjoying the meals I ate, I started feeling much better about myself.

I definitely need to work on accepting my body, because I know my muscle mass will never actually diminish. I think what I was hoping for was a way to exercise so that in the long run it would promote leaner leg muscle as opposed to bulkier.

- and with that said all the other comments have given me some great ideas for horseback riding and running! I am NEVER one to stop exercising and barely eat just so my muscle mass goes down. That isn't reasonable!

SoDamnHungry

Unless you stop working the legs, you won't reduce the muscle there. Just enjoy them. Women with flabby thighs are jealous of muscles like yours.

cjh022

@Joy_Joy_ My measurements are 27" waist, 32" hips, 37" butt, and 23.5" thighs (around the largest part)

Exact same measurements here! Those thighs serve us so well in our riding! :happy: I also tend to think I have HUGE thighs but I have learned that my body image is somewhat distorted too, everybody I know says they look great and are nowhere near being huge... As long as they are strong and firm why hate? I have a few brands of jeans I need to avoid because of them, but its really only a few, I don't think anyone can fit into all brands... At least H/J breeches stretch, western chaps are sometimes another story...:laugh: Good luck!

ETA: just checked out your profile, I'm graduating next month with a degree in Biology. Yay for horseback riding biologists lol

dmpizza

My wife always had very very strong legs. Attractive and strong.
She would do a hip sled workout regularly, in addition to heavy cardio, etc.....
Her knees "went" and the hip sled is too painful.

Odd thing is, her legs look dynamite now, really awesome.

CharRicho

For what it's worth, I think you have killer legs.

I have naturally "big" thighs too (even my mom does and she's a twig everywhere else), and I'm hoping that when I get down to goal weight (or beyond, here's hoping!) my legs go back to looking like yours!

ilovedeadlifts

be happy with your nice legs.

/thread

jajnn

just have your pants altered?