How can I shrink my legs?
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mollypink
Posts: 8
Hi All,
I have steadily lost weight over the last year and I am now 5 stone down (from a UK 24/26 to an 18) which I am really pleased with. I am now aiming to lose another 4 stone to get down within a healthy BMI range.
The weight has come off steadily and I have been going to the gym (3 x weekly) and playing badminton (1x weekly) my problem is weight doesn't seem to be coming off my legs in proportion to everywhere else. my legs are really big to the point I am struggling to fit into smaller trousers although they fit my hips/waist because they are far too tight on my legs.
what can I do to help? would running help? open to any suggestions on exercise changes I can make
Many thanks
I have steadily lost weight over the last year and I am now 5 stone down (from a UK 24/26 to an 18) which I am really pleased with. I am now aiming to lose another 4 stone to get down within a healthy BMI range.
The weight has come off steadily and I have been going to the gym (3 x weekly) and playing badminton (1x weekly) my problem is weight doesn't seem to be coming off my legs in proportion to everywhere else. my legs are really big to the point I am struggling to fit into smaller trousers although they fit my hips/waist because they are far too tight on my legs.
what can I do to help? would running help? open to any suggestions on exercise changes I can make
Many thanks
0
Replies
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Perhaps give some leg toning a try, lunges and whatnot0
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Sorry I should have said what I am currently doing:
4 x 20 sets of squats
4 x 20 each leg of lunges
3 x 2 minutes of squats on the power plates
Plus 40 minutes of walking/jogging (trying to build up to running) or bike
This just doesn't seem to be doing anything, I look very out of proportion and I am dying to wear dresses but my legs are like tree trunks0 -
you cant spot reduce. if your weight isnt coming off proportionally then odds are it was never on proportionally (ie you're a pear shape).
just keep doing what you're doing and your body will keep reducing its fat stores. the general rule of thumb is the first place you notice weight gain is the last place you notice weight loss.
just keep at it. also as someone with thick thighs i dont understand why you arent able to wear dresses? dresses and skirts are pretty much the main things i can wear that will fit me0 -
I don't know what it's worth for you, but when I trained, my trainer refused I do any full strength exercises for my tights.
I was a figure skater and they were already gotten bigger, and as he said, I dont want them to grow even bigger.
He said I could do some of the back-kick weight bench to tone the butt but no big weight, only lots of repetitions so it will only tone up and not grow. Otherwise, I only did cardio or weights for the waist and up.0 -
You may never be able to fit into some of the fashions. I have always had strong, muscular calves, and even when I was very slim, they didn't fit the "skinny" fashion or most boots. It had little to do with working out too much. My daughter in law, who is an accomplished athlete, a strong skier and runner, has a problem finding boots skinny enough. However, if you keep at it, work out and lose the fat, you'll have shapely, strong legs, which is quite attractive even if they don't fit the rather skewed ideas of fashion designers.0
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Just be glad that you're naturally pear shaped instead of apple shaped!
The fat will slowly come off of your entire body. But it will come off of your body the way it wants to, not the way you want it to. It may be that in your case, the legs are the last place it will burn off of (but once again, that's much better than your stomach). As previously mentioned, you can't spot reduce. Don't be afraid of continuing your squats and lower body exercises. You're definitely not going to get huge bulging quads unless you're taking steroids. Just keep slowly and steadily losing weight and exercising.0 -
Are you using weights on your squats and lunges?0
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My lower body has always been larger than the rest of me, but a few months ago I started running and now I have the opposite problem! My legs are slimmer than my torso! LOL
Currently, I run about 12-15 miles per week.0 -
Running+weight training+eating at a deficit=slimmer legs.
Worked for me. 0 -
Get one of these bad boys
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I've been doing couch to 5 k and now that I'm progressing through it (been at it for 10 weeks), my legs are getting noticeably leaner and slimmer. I've always had big legs, and probably always will, but running has reshaped them.0
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Sorry I should have said what I am currently doing:
4 x 20 sets of squats
4 x 20 each leg of lunges
3 x 2 minutes of squats on the power plates
Plus 40 minutes of walking/jogging (trying to build up to running) or bike
This just doesn't seem to be doing anything, I look very out of proportion and I am dying to wear dresses but my legs are like tree trunks
Keep up with the walking/jogging, after a while you'll do more jogging than walking and I find that it gives the legs a slimmer shape, with longer less bulging muscles at the calves and thighs. Go for endurance on the jogging part, less speed and longer distance.0 -
mine seem to be getting somewhat smaller as i go, and i use the elliptical and go for walks with my doggie, HOWEVER, even when i was a teenager with the metabolism of a god and weighed a scrawny little 95 lbs, i still felt like my thighs were big compared to the rest of me. But i look at my other family members and the way they are built and realized everyone in my family has big booties and thighs, sometimes it's just the way u are made0
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Thanks for all the replies. I am trying to be patient I promise but was getting disheartened that the legs are just the same as before, I need to try and concentrate on all the other positives though and hopefully my legs will start improving soon.
I am a pear shape you are right, even when I was smaller I had a 12 top and 14 bottom so it makes sense the fat clings to those areas I suppose. going to try and up my cardio and push myself a bit harder to jog more0 -
Not using weights for the squats and lunges, I do them using a system at the gym (sorry gym dunce here not knowing the name of the equipment - straps hanging of a triangluar structure which I use to counterlever myself!) would weights help?0
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Weights will increase your muscle size, so they will give your legs a larger appearance, even after the fat finally burns off.0
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Weights will increase your muscle size, so they will give your legs a larger appearance, even after the fat finally burns off.
false0 -
omg this thread is so full of .....
seriously just keep losing weight with diet mainly. Oh, and don't UNDER EAT!0 -
I just lost 20 lbs. I am 5'7" and weigh 129. Seems like a good number to me. But my thighs are still bigger. They have gotten smaller but are still bigger in proportion to the rest of me. I've struggled with it since I was a teen. I don't think I necessarily need to lose more weight. I'm coming to terms with the fact that some people just have the body shape they have. I don't want to diet myself to a ridiculous low and unhealthy weight. I'll keep working out and trying different things. I've always hid under long shirts but now it is time to just be happy and buy those cute little tops I always skip past in the stores and enjoy life!0
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Huh...true!Weights will increase your muscle size, so they will give your legs a larger appearance, even after the fat finally burns off.
false0
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