How do I slim down my thighs ...

vstraughan

.... apart from general weight loss? I've always had large thighs, some down to my frame and some down to building a lot of muscle many years ago.

I'm not looking for any miracles and they'll never be matchsticks .. but I'd like to know if anyone has any good exercises to tone my thighs up and streamline.

Any thoughts, suggestions, guesses are truly welcome! :-)

anniemarianas

My brother is a gym junkie and I asked him what exercises I could do to work out my thighs.
His reply was 'none'.
I found this a bit discouraging, but I do squats for my bum and the leg press at my gym works out the inner thigh (apparantly) so that's what I'm doing at the moment.
Weightloss is pretty much the only answer according to my brother though (but he doesn't believe in calorie restriction though, he just thinks you should burn more calories than you consume. i don't really care, whatever works best for you is pretty much my motto.)
If you go to a gym try asking one of the people there what you can do to work out your thighs and I'm sure they'll gladly help you.

TavistockToad

squat, and lunge, then squat some more and lunge some more... with a calorie deficit!

emergencytennis

You can't, apart from general weight loss. You knew that already

I am a pear shape myself. Healthy weight and all that, but no bust and good sprinting glutes and quads haha.

The only way I can stop being a pear is to get seriously skinny. My BMI is 21 and if I go below that I get that ladder look where you can see the ribs in my chest. Yuk.

So, I make the most of it. I do upper body stuff so I have some muscles in my arms. The best stuff, though, is couture. A bra with some help. Cowl necks, cross over tops, nice necklaces, to draw the eye upwards. A line skirts.

The most important thing is your health. Healthy weight, healthy heart, the rest is in the eye of the beholder.

skinnyme444

I know there is no such thing as spot reduction but if someone had an answer to this, it would be amazing! everywhere else in my body is changing except my thighs and i'm doing squats and lunges! :-(

TavistockToad

I know there is no such thing as spot reduction but if someone had an answer to this, it would be amazing! everywhere else in my body is changing except my thighs and i'm doing squats and lunges! :-(

do more! with weights!

jcramer1227

Well, I'm no expert and I don't know if this will do what you need/want, but I really like this video.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wjz6lGslo4

Edit just to say that the video is kind of long, but I don't even use it anymore. This just demonstrates the workout. Once I got it, I just did it on my own.

4n6babe

bump

Cr01502

squat, and lunge, then squat some more and lunge some more... with a calorie deficit!

Yup.

Having fat stored in your thighs usually has alot to do with body type. It's difficult to get rid of but far from impossible. Things like squats. lunges, box steps, hill sprints, and squat jumps will preserve the muscle and a calorie deficit will lower body fat. Where your body chooses to eliminate that fat is largely down to genetics. However, keep at a deficit and it will come off.

tonytoo

Hips and thighs are the last to go on women. Stick with the calorie deficit.

SandraStevem

I also have that problem, many years ago i took up kick boxing and ended up with a fantastic figure and my legs were lovely and slim. I have the big thighs again after having my little boy but unfortunately no kick boxing classes near me but why not look into a boxercise class or dvd or even try kick boxing. Good luck

KathleenKP

Running.

I lost two inches (from 27 to 25") in about two months when I started running. I did the c25K progam, running three times a week. It seems distance running is a little better from what I've read. Now I'm getting smaller from additional weight loss. I think I've maxed out the running benefit.

Weight training has toned them so they jiggle much less.

lrichelle

Running. I've dropped a pant size since I've been running consistently.

mazdauk

For the first time ever (well, in about 20 years) I'm almooooooost happy with my thighs! I still have a lot of work to do on my tummy area (2 kids, one c-section) but my thighs are actually fairly firm - slightly squishy in the middle, but not bad. I do a lot of walking, zumba and Rosemary Conley DVDs - sha has a lot which work leg uscles particularly. My big thighs were a legacy of dancing and horse riding, so they've always been big but I've lost at least 2" since joining MFP.

emergencytennis

How do squats slim one's thighs? High reps low weight makes the thigh muscles hard, it doesn't make them smaller. Low reps, high weight makes the thigh muscles bigger. N'est pas?

Weight loss, on the other hand, slims all over.

diadojikohei

I've slimmed down my thighs and calves since September by dong a 40 minute brisk walk each morning, as well as cutting down what I eat. It was the first place I noticed slimming and toning happen. I've lost 2 inches off each thigh.

BerryH

Calorific deficit, run, lift weights, kettlebell swings, lather, rinse, repeat. :flowerforyou:

skinnyme444

Tavistocktoad - I use weights, weel only 2kg ones but I'll do lunges with bicep curls, squats with v flys, squats with rows - all the squats/lunges in Jillian Michaelss DVD's! Would be really grateful if you could mail me please, do I need to get all the fat off them first with lots of cardio??

vstraughan

Wowzer, thanks guys! Looks like I'll be squatting and lunging everywhere! Unfortunately I can't run as I can't take the impact exercise for the sake of my knees and back.

Doesn't sound like I'm far off the mark but probably need to transfer more time to the power plates for squats and lunges.(I'm on the elliptical for 75 mins 3 days a week and spinning 2 days a week, with 15 minutes on the power plates -planks, crunches etc and 5 mins on leg press

I do keep flipping back to 'emergencytennis' comment about squatting making thighs slimmer. I've purposely kept squats & leg presses low (on reps and resistance) for fear of bulking

dimsumkitty

If you're scared of bulking your thigh muscles you should do more heavy weights fewer times, and fewer exercises where you're repeating the same movement lots and lots and lots, like the elliptical and spinning.

Edit: Low reps high weight makes muscles bigger is just wrong. Low/medium weight high reps makes muscles bigger for the same amount of strength gain because you damage them more.

TavistockToad

Tavistocktoad - I use weights, weel only 2kg ones but I'll do lunges with bicep curls, squats with v flys, squats with rows - all the squats/lunges in Jillian Michaelss DVD's! Would be really grateful if you could mail me please, do I need to get all the fat off them first with lots of cardio??

you dont need cardio to get the fat off, a calorie deficit will do that. get heavier weights and keep doing what you're doing!

look at other squats/lunges, like bulgarian split squats, for a bit of a change.

emergencytennis

Wowzer, thanks guys! Looks like I'll be squatting and lunging everywhere! Unfortunately I can't run as I can't take the impact exercise for the sake of my knees and back.

Doesn't sound like I'm far off the mark but probably need to transfer more time to the power plates for squats and lunges.(I'm on the elliptical for 75 mins 3 days a week and spinning 2 days a week, with 15 minutes on the power plates -planks, crunches etc and 5 mins on leg press

I do keep flipping back to 'emergencytennis' comment about squatting making thighs slimmer. I've purposely kept squats & leg presses low (on reps and resistance) for fear of bulking

I don't know anything about anything. What I have learnt from this site is that you can't grow muscle if you are in a calorie deficit. A million squats won't grow hulk thighs if you are eating in a deficit.

On the other hand, squats are not the magic answer to slim thighs. Low body fat is the magic answer to slim thighs, and you can get that in many different ways. For me, it comes with no boobs and ladder chest, so choose your poison.

TavistockToad

For me, it comes with no boobs and ladder chest, so choose your poison.

mwah ha ha!!!

i never had much boob to start with, but i know what you mean.... the little bit of belly is still clinging to me for all its worth though!!!!

frugalafterfifty

I've been exercising seriously for about a month with MFP. I walk and just last week started the 30 day squat challenge. I'm a pear and large thighs are the bain of my exisitence. I divide the squats up equally during the day (and do them everytime I go to the ladies room at work - luckily so far no one has walked in on me). Every group of squats I do, I then do 5 lunges on each leg. I've already lost an inch off of each thigh. Anxious to see how this works out when I have to do 200 squats a day! ~ Terri

emergencytennis

Yah, it is ok in mufti clothes, but in sport bras I look like my 13 yo son.

LoraF83

squat, and lunge, then squat some more and lunge some more... with a calorie deficit!

Yup.

Having fat stored in your thighs usually has alot to do with body type. It's difficult to get rid of but far from impossible. Things like squats. lunges, box steps, hill sprints, and squat jumps will preserve the muscle and a calorie deficit will lower body fat. Where your body chooses to eliminate that fat is largely down to genetics. However, keep at a deficit and it will come off.

This. It may take longer than you like, but it will happen. Calorie deficit + squats, lunges, deadlifts and other leg exercise + time = smaller thighs.

Smashleighjayne

Yoga and Pilates have been working for me. :-)

shalecefiack

SPIN CLASSES! Serious outer thigh and butt melter! 45 min twice- three times a week should do the trick. Beware, spinning can be very addictive!

alpine1994

You can't, apart from general weight loss. You knew that already

I am a pear shape myself. Healthy weight and all that, but no bust and good sprinting glutes and quads haha.

The only way I can stop being a pear is to get seriously skinny. My BMI is 21 and if I go below that I get that ladder look where you can see the ribs in my chest. Yuk.

So, I make the most of it. I do upper body stuff so I have some muscles in my arms. The best stuff, though, is couture. A bra with some help. Cowl necks, cross over tops, nice necklaces, to draw the eye upwards. A line skirts.

The most important thing is your health. Healthy weight, healthy heart, the rest is in the eye of the beholder.

This is very well said, and I can definitely identify. My BMI is also 21 and you can see my ribs. My boyfriend touches them and tells me he's worried, so I move his hand to my thigh and I'm like...yeah....it's all right there! Don't worry!

Good advice on dressing to draw the eye up. I need to do that!

conniehv40

bump for later! thx for the post

mari213

Good information for my thunder thighs! :laugh: