Hourglassed shaped women report!

Also hour-glass - when I put it on it goes all over (I still have a waist and stay in proportion, but have to keep upping the dress sizes :ohwell: ).

I also have problem knees - they crackle like breakfast cereal when I do any knee movements - and when I started I found walking was the best. I still can't run (not just knee problems) but the pain has eased as I've lost weight. The absolute BEST thing however has been zumba - not only is it a great cardio workout but it really builds leg muscles though all the different movements. I do a class once a week and Wii Zumba 2 in between.

I have also had great benefit from Rosemary Conley exercise DVDs - she does a number of floor exercises which target thighs (lie on your suide with the lower leg bent and raise your top leg for outer thigh, swap and raise lower leg for inner thigh), or try standing raising your leg sideways to work the outer thigh, or bring your leg across diagonally (leading from the ankle) for the lower leg - hold onto a chair or pole for support.

ETA No, you can't spot-reduce, but working problem areas in conjunction with losing weight WILL improve things.

I have the exact same problem, I'm all bum and thighs, weight just falls off my stomach and waist which I think makes my hips look even wider lol. Would love to be able to wear a nice paid of leggings or skinny jeans, but not at the moment!! Haha

Have you tried strength training lower body?

No, I haven't. Is this where I would squat with weights? Or use the machines at the gym? I don't strength train other than using hand weights.

Can you or someone else point me in the direction of what strength training exercises I can do?

Thanks!

I'm in the same boat. I used to say I have an hourglass figure with too much sand in both ends! I'm 5'8" and started at 188; now I'm 167 and in much better shape due to a mix of cardio (spinning, power walking) and weightlifting (machine and free weights).

With bad knees, I can't run or do squats/lunges. I wrote a blog about my trainers' alternative lower body workouts. You need to add some weigh training to really impact your body shape. Hope this helps. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/dstevens19

I have an hour glass shape and same as you thighs and butt girl! The best advice I can give is strength and cardio train. To get proper form, go see a trainer for a session or two. Then just keep doing it. I definitely notice a difference when I slack on the squats and lunges.

You can't spot reduce.

5'11 hourglass

I only do strength training and just watch my diet - that seems to work great for me.

Check out my most recent before/after: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151651113497158&set=t.512397157&type=3&theater

"What do you guys do"

we get fat on the gut and handles and the rest of the body stays fat free so i dont think we ll be much help !!!

Not sure how many " hour glass" glass ladies will turn up on a diet forum !!!

Yikes. Ermmm...well anyway, I have an hour glass figure just too much of one for my liking. I'm here and still working on it...so bumperoo!

I think of my thighs as my trouble spot. My thighs aren't big, but they are bigger for my small size. I don't have skinny legs. But, I just work on the muscle by following the Strong Curves Program by Bret Contreras. I like keeping my legs and booty muscular, it's the best way to maintain my youthful shape and fitness. I also do not gain weight in my waist/belly/mid section, and when I lose I can get very very slim in the waist (23 inches right now) and have visible abs, even when I still have a shapely booty and thighs. I just embrace my shape and appreciate it. I don't try to have a figure that isn't mine (otherwise I would get way too slim on my slimmer areas). Nothing wrong with having some curves. I just work on keeping them firm and muscular through my fitness. People are posting height, so I'm petite.

I am built this way as well, I am 5'4" and 3 weeks ago had a 14" difference waist to hips, I haven't measured recently.

I like exercising and being active but my thigh fat was pretty stubborn.

I lost all of it in the last two months. Here is what I did

I started to work out once a day 5-6 days a week 30min-2hrs whatever I had time for, I do a large variety of things to work out from weights to Zumba to running to climbing to swimming to hot yoga, it doesn't seem to be a big deal what it is but that I put a lot of effort into what I'm doing and not just "get through it", if that makes sense.

Then I went to a 1200 cal diet and stopped eating sugars and ate mostly vegetables and lost some of my thigh fat (I was never hungry, I was always full and had trouble getting my 1200 in)

Next under the direction of a nutritionist I switched to 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein. When I made the switch to higher fat/protein it dropped off very fast, I could see a change in a couple weeks and I have always been what people call in good shape.

I struggle with blood sugar swings (not diabetic but reactive hypoglycemia) and tiredness and the diet of high veggies, protein and fat has helped that too.

Hopefully that's helpful.

On the bright side, men love the curves and I have learned after many years to love them too. I used to hate my body due to my legs and thighs. I am thankful now that I will always have curves and look female from every side no matter how much thigh fat I drop!

For me, I've done running and sometimes with an incline becausw it will help Brun the fat there and you'll muscle instead. I've also done cardio classes unlike other people have said lunges and squats help a lot too.

I love my legs in general ever since I began long distance running.
It's the best thing for them in my opinion and personal experience.

Running outside, barbell squats etc in the gym, low body fat or thighs will bulk!