Pear Shaped Ladies!!!

Drkchyld
Drkchyld Posts: 63 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm 5'5" and losing lots of weight but it seems like the more weight i lose the wider my lower stomach, thighs and hips seem. I cant do too much about my stomach because it agitates my chronic pelvic pain. So for my thighs im doing leg curls, squats, and using the seated hip abduction machine.
My waist is but it has this roll that hangs over it so it hids my waist. For that im doing side sit-ups but it feels like its missing the part where the roll is. Looking for some help.
What strength training exercises are work best to shape your waist, hips, thighs, and butt???

Replies

  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Not a lady or pear shaped but the basics of fat loss are the same for everyone. There is no exercise or workout program that can target fat loss in any particular area. You can eat in a deficit and do all sorts of leg workouts and lose fat in your face. Didnt do a single face exercise though. :happy: That is just the way its works.

    What the strength exercises you are doing will do is retain the muscle that you have underneath while you continue to lose body fat. Squats, lunges, dead lifts, bench presses, shoulder presses are all big compound strength exercise that target lots of muscles all at once and will give you the best results for the energy. Find a strength/resistance program that you like and keep pushing yourself. Eat enough protein and eat at a moderate deficit and you will get results.

    Most women hold fat in areas like the hips and thighs until the end. It sucks but as long as you are prepared for it, and stick with it eventually it will come off.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    By the way, congrats on the progress so far.
  • eggsmilkbread
    eggsmilkbread Posts: 184 Member
    I'm not sure what good exercises are for your lower half, except squats. :P But I totally relate with what you're saying! I'm a pear and my hips and thighs just look bigger, lol. But I've heard that thigh and hip fat is the last to "let go" off your body. But I think some good old cardio would do you good on losing it!
  • GiGiBeans
    GiGiBeans Posts: 1,062 Member
    My hips were 6" bigger than my bust line (pic in profile). I do HIIT or interval training 4x a week. I'm in shoulder rehab so I can only do light upper body resistance but as soon as I'm cleared I plan to go heavy and build upper body mass for more proportion. I run stairs, do squats and step ups for lower body. There's a 2.5" difference now so it's working. Good luck!
  • mimy1984
    mimy1984 Posts: 5 Member
    Well said. :)
  • LadyRuhon
    LadyRuhon Posts: 8 Member
    I am pear shaped and use to really focus on my lower body during my workouts. I recently learned that one of the best ways to combat the pear look was build the top up a little bit. I started working my shoulders, arms and back muscles with as much focus and really began noticing a mega change in the shape of my body. I am much more "hour-glass-y" now even though my bust to butt ratio is the same size. I did not "bulk-up" my shoulders. They are very firm when I flex them, but still have a very feminine soft look to them. I am loving the way my body is looking!
  • rbeckner711
    rbeckner711 Posts: 135 Member
    I'm 5'5" and losing lots of weight but it seems like the more weight i lose the wider my lower stomach, thighs and hips seem. I cant do too much about my stomach because it agitates my chronic pelvic pain. So for my thighs im doing leg curls, squats, and using the seated hip abduction machine.
    My waist is but it has this roll that hangs over it so it hids my waist. For that im doing side sit-ups but it feels like its missing the part where the roll is. Looking for some help.
    What strength training exercises are work best to shape your waist, hips, thighs, and butt???
    I'm an apple, but walking sure helps me.
    Congratulations on you loss so far! I have many pounds to go. Good luckk!:happy:
  • LadyRuhon
    LadyRuhon Posts: 8 Member
    Also, cardio is amazing at burning the fat from the total body. I am looking forward to starting Insanity, but won't be able to begin it until July. I have done P90X with EXCELLENT results and look forwart to doing that program again soon, too. They are both a bit pricey, but even just doing interval training on a treadmill or outside (free!) will really melt the fat off. I stress interval training because it really keeps the body guessing.
  • Nutella91
    Nutella91 Posts: 624 Member
    I am pear shaped!! I spent all my life thinking that i'm apple shaped. but no, i'm pear.
  • Drkchyld
    Drkchyld Posts: 63 Member
    Ty everyone. Really started this cause i know there's lots of pears out there feeling the same way.
    Yes, everybody is different but if I'm doing shoulder presses my thighs wont get toned. If I do squats my bust line wont change. So sharing wat you do will help someone who might need ideas working on wat you're working on.
    Keep working hard I know I will.
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
    I am a pear shape and as I lost weight, my waist and bust got thinner and thinner so my hips looked bigger!! But, finally the hips started losing and toning. I am careful what cardio I do as I found the elliptical made by butt bigger - do not want that. So, I do treadmill at lower incline as the higher incline was making butt muscle also!! I do squats and lunges but be careful if you build muscle fast NOT to do too many glute exercises.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I'm a pear.

    Squat, lunge, and repeat.

    As long as you are eating in a deficit, you will NOT gain muscle and will lose fat.
  • trophywife24
    trophywife24 Posts: 1,472 Member
    Squats, lunges and PILATES.
  • Jill4165
    Jill4165 Posts: 50 Member
    I'm a fellow pear and I agree with the above: Squats, lunges! I know they suck but jump squats I think have really helped me with the outer parts of my huge thighs :)
  • justkiesh
    justkiesh Posts: 7 Member
    "I'm 5'5" and losing lots of weight but it seems like the more weight i lose the wider my lower stomach, thighs and hips seem."

    That's because as a pear, weight loss is more significant in the upper body, especially at first. You'll notice a smaller stomach and thighs as you lose more weight.
  • kmpublishing2
    kmpublishing2 Posts: 55 Member
    This may sound strange, but I am definitely pear shaped (and always have been!) and I saw the biggest difference in my hips and thighs when I did Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. I lost inches out of my thighs and hips within the first week! It's a whole body workout, and I did see changes everywhere, but those areas lost the most.
  • skinnylynnie74
    skinnylynnie74 Posts: 154 Member
    Check out the book "Fit + Female" by Geralyn B. Coopersmith. She develops different workout plans for different body types. She shows you how to build up your upper body to look more in proportion (without looking like a bodybulider), while making your bottom half look lean and sinewy (her words!) it's a great book!

    P.S. we pear shaped women will outlive others during a famine...I'm trying to look of the bright side!
  • sPaRkLiNgLYFE
    sPaRkLiNgLYFE Posts: 609
    Try Tae Bo
  • jenafer22
    jenafer22 Posts: 26 Member
    I call mine muffin top! Leg raises help me loose that muffin top over my jeans.
  • super_J73
    super_J73 Posts: 257 Member
    If you look in my profile you'll see how big my thighs were, I started brisk walking, jogging and 8 months later I joined a gym. I'm a pear shape. I went from a size 20 to 8. I do lots of squats and lunges as well, they suck, but you're thighs and butt will thank you.
  • AuntieMC
    AuntieMC Posts: 346 Member
    bmp
  • ahmommy
    ahmommy Posts: 316 Member
    I'm pear shaped and I'm at goal weight. Unfortunately, my upper body is too skinny and I'm still holding on to extra fat in my belly, butt, and thighs. I'm doing lots of push-ups and upper body exercises, as well as squats, lunges, and crunches. My arms are looking pretty good already. Hopefully I will develop some decent pecs to cover my ribs so I don't look too skinny, and then I can try to shed more fat to reveal the muscles I have in my lower half. I just need to be patient and remember that this is a long process and the results won't come overnight.
  • theCarlton
    theCarlton Posts: 1,344 Member
    25508_1358600760733_3148994_n.jpg
  • ami5000psu
    ami5000psu Posts: 391 Member
    I'm pear shaped and I've found that dead lifts, squats, lunges, and working my upper body a little more has definitely helped. I'm still holding onto weight there but it's coming off a little at a time. Congrats and great work on your progress so far!
  • penguinlally
    penguinlally Posts: 331 Member
    bumping for when I have time
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    Congrats on your loss thus far!

    Unfortunately, there isn't anything we can do to target specific areas for fat loss. That just comes with time, patience and a steady (realistic) calorie goal. You can make muscle gains, by targeting large muscle groups though! Skip the hip abductor and do some weighted squats, lunges, deadlifts and kettlebell swings (not all on the same day.) All my favs for lower body work.

    I'm a pear too but consistent training has really changed my body composition. I'm still mostly hips and butt, but at least they're muscular and shapely now =)
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    Squats, deadlifts, bench press.. all you need for life. I found running seemed to make my thighs smaller (less fat, more visibly stronger)

    Doesn't hurt to workout other areas of your bodies (the answers about spot reducing make me want to go :explode: ) but don't expect to lose fat from your stomach just by doing a bunch of crunches or ab stuff. Working that area along with other muscle groups and a bit of cardio will get you a long way.
  • mrsjoyw
    mrsjoyw Posts: 80 Member
    I'm a 5'2 pear also. Someone hit the nail on the head with their reply along the lines of "losing weight in your face without doing face exercise" LOL!! So true! I lose from the top to the bottom. My shoulders look tiny so I hope to build them up while toning down my mega hips. Although I've just started exercising and joined MFP last Monday, I'm doing total body workouts, too soon to see any results. Fingers crossed!
  • nay038
    nay038 Posts: 5 Member
    Cardio will give you overall weight loss it does not discriminate your bottom half will soon start to shed as well as your top half
  • JDBLY11
    JDBLY11 Posts: 577 Member
    I'm 5'5" and losing lots of weight but it seems like the more weight i lose the wider my lower stomach, thighs and hips seem. I cant do too much about my stomach because it agitates my chronic pelvic pain. So for my thighs im doing leg curls, squats, and using the seated hip abduction machine.
    My waist is but it has this roll that hangs over it so it hids my waist. For that im doing side sit-ups but it feels like its missing the part where the roll is. Looking for some help.
    What strength training exercises are work best to shape your waist, hips, thighs, and butt???

    What I plan on doing is doing regular weight training and as hard aerobics as I can and just letting my body lose weight as it will and then focusing on reshaping my body when I get to goal. From what I have read here you cannot gain muscle while you are on a calorie restriction but it helps with fat loss. When I was thinner years ago I did find that running helped me lose from the lower body better than any other type of exercise.

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