Starting to get quite light but still have very big legs?

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ell_23
ell_23 Posts: 103
in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone else have the curse of the fat thighs? At somewhere around 120-122 lbs and 5'3" you'd think a young girl's legs would start looking quite a good size, if not exactly super slim then starting to look a good normal size. I don't know if I'm seeing them as bigger than they actually are, but they still look like tree trunks.

My shape is just a bit messed up, clearly the weight doesn't really come off my legs much.

My goal is somewhere around 112-115 lbs I think, which is anywhere from 5-10 lbs left to go. That isn't too much weight, but I'm hoping it makes a huge difference finally to the legs, as there's not too much weight left to go from my stomach and arms and chest before THOSE parts of my body start to look quite skinny…yet my legs are still huge.

So yeah.. anyone else experience such problems? Or for others, if you care to share, what's your thigh measurement or your opinion of what slim thighs are in terms of inches? I just want to check I'm not really overestimating their size.

Replies

  • ell_23
    ell_23 Posts: 103
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    bump
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
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    Fat loss is genetics, it could very well be you're just blessed with nice thighs. I think mine are around 21.5" at 5'3.5" 120 lbs. I like mine the way they are, personally. The best you could do is take weight loss very slowly, since you're almost to goal and hope genetics let's you lose a bit more in that area.

    I, personally, wouldn't put too much stock in it. Embrace things you do like about yourself and learn to love what you have.
  • threnjen
    threnjen Posts: 687 Member
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    I have tree trunks and I will have tree trunks no matter how lean I manage to get. Oh well :( Genetics for the loss :( I feel ya.
  • ell_23
    ell_23 Posts: 103
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    Fat loss is genetics, it could very well be you're just blessed with nice thighs. I think mine are around 21.5" at 5'3.5" 120 lbs. I like mine the way they are, personally. The best you could do is take weight loss very slowly, since you're almost to goal and hope genetics let's you lose a bit more in that area.

    I, personally, wouldn't put too much stock in it. Embrace things you do like about yourself and learn to love what you have.

    Surely genetics only really controls where your weight sits, where you lose weight first/last or put on weight first/last. I.e. if it got to the point where there wasn't much fat even left on my upper body then it would have no choice but to take fat from the lower body.I

    Also, I don't consider my legs nice at all, and probably never really will. I do love a lot of other things about me, though. Namely, everything except my legs!

    Don't get me wrong I have lost weight off my legs. But I went from an hourglass to a pear shape, as the weight has rapidly come off my top. I think I measured my thighs at 24-25 inches when I first started my journey. Now they are 20-21 inches. I can't remember which one it is now.
  • Nekrachael
    Nekrachael Posts: 74 Member
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    Are you developing the muscle in your legs? I have huge thighs, but they look MUCH better since I started doing resistance training and running and walking almost daily. I'll never look good in pencil jeans, but I really like how I look in just normal jeans now.
  • Maquillage_
    Maquillage_ Posts: 194 Member
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    I used to be called Thunder Thighs when I was younger! My weight always went straight to my thighs, and even when I lost my first 20lbs, nothing happened with my legs! I then started following Blogilates on youtube, and I swear by the leg workouts (and all the rest of the workouts!). Search "Blogialtes Legs" on Youtube and you'll have a huge selection of pilates workouts to try. Some of my favorite are "Perfect legs workout", "Butt Lift and Slim Thighs", "Perky Butt and Long Lean Legs" (this one is intense, gets my every time!), "Beginners Inner Thighs Invade London." There are so many more than that, they are just my personal favorites :) They all really helped me! I do Blogilates every day and have 2-3 leg days a week and I have noticed a huge difference in my thighs and calves.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    LIFT LiFT LIFT!! And embrace them!
  • RUNNING_AMOK_1958
    RUNNING_AMOK_1958 Posts: 268 Member
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    My legs became more shapely after I started running. I couldn't believe how they changed, and I didn't start running until I was 53.
  • Mariachicat
    Mariachicat Posts: 311 Member
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    Genetic. It's just where the weight sits. If you get into the ring with Mother Nature on this one, you will start to go crazy so you need to accept your basic shape. It all goes back to the myth of "spot reducing".
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    I have a lot more to lose than you do, but I hate my thighs! I know they're smaller, but the bottom 80% has lost more than the top 20% and they just look gross.

    My abdomen is gross, too, but it keeps shrinking in a fairly uniform way, so it's gross all over and improving. The thighs, though? They piss me off. Then toss in the loose skin and...ugh!

    I'm starting to think they will never look good and trying to come to terms with that.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,393 Member
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    We should open a legs group :) I', at around 66kg @ 169cm. Good weight I think (maintaining now) and I lost serious inches here and there. but my legs are still 58.4cm at their widest, around 23 inch. I did lose 7.6cm though, thus that's a big success for me. I'm sure there are parts of your body you love! I have a rather flat stomach I'm really happy about.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    Fat loss is genetics, it could very well be you're just blessed with nice thighs. I think mine are around 21.5" at 5'3.5" 120 lbs. I like mine the way they are, personally. The best you could do is take weight loss very slowly, since you're almost to goal and hope genetics let's you lose a bit more in that area.

    I, personally, wouldn't put too much stock in it. Embrace things you do like about yourself and learn to love what you have.

    Surely genetics only really controls where your weight sits, where you lose weight first/last or put on weight first/last. I.e. if it got to the point where there wasn't much fat even left on my upper body then it would have no choice but to take fat from the lower body.I

    Also, I don't consider my legs nice at all, and probably never really will. I do love a lot of other things about me, though. Namely, everything except my legs!

    Don't get me wrong I have lost weight off my legs. But I went from an hourglass to a pear shape, as the weight has rapidly come off my top. I think I measured my thighs at 24-25 inches when I first started my journey. Now they are 20-21 inches. I can't remember which one it is now.
    It's genetics. You are already at a lower weight and only have about ten pounds to lose. Rather than lose more weight after you've shed the last of it, I would start heavy weight lifting and doing some body recomp right now. Look at the book "New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women".

    You don't get to choose where the weight comes off, even after you've lost the most weight you can and still be healthy.

    Love your body and accept your genetics. :smile:
  • jeansuza
    jeansuza Posts: 148 Member
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    Genetics, again. I have legs that look like sticks, really, but no waist to speak of. Quite square looking! That's life!
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
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    Another vote for genetics. Unfortunately, we don't get to choose where our body likes to store fat. If we could, I'd surely have left some up in the boob region and taken a little more out of the thighs.

    But that's the way it goes. I'm more of a 'pear' shape as well, and my thighs are proportionately the largest part of me. At first I wasn't too fond of it, but I'm starting to like them more and more as I continue with weight lifting. They may be big, but they're also strong and powerful, and they will be shapely and voluptuous when I'm done with them! For reference, I'm 35" at the bust, 27" at the waist, 40" at the hips, and each thigh is about 23".

    I say just focus on finding a weight/body fat percentage that lets you feel comfortable in your skin and helps you live the kind of lifestyle you want. Think of all the things your legs can help you do, and maybe you will begin to love them more. :smile:
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,393 Member
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    Another vote for genetics. Unfortunately, we don't get to choose where our body likes to store fat. If we could, I'd surely have left some up in the boob region and taken a little more out of the thighs.

    But that's the way it goes. I'm more of a 'pear' shape as well, and my thighs are proportionately the largest part of me. At first I wasn't too fond of it, but I'm starting to like them more and more as I continue with weight lifting. They may be big, but they're also strong and powerful, and they will be shapely and voluptuous when I'm done with them! For reference, I'm 35" at the bust, 27" at the waist, 40" at the hips, and each thigh is about 23".

    I say just focus on finding a weight/body fat percentage that lets you feel comfortable in your skin and helps you live the kind of lifestyle you want. Think of all the things your legs can help you do, and maybe you will begin to love them more. :smile:

    Woohoo! Our legs are similarly strong and we have a similar bust!
    Though my waist is bigger at 29 and my hips smaller at 37 inch. I have wide shoulders, though. They are the widest bodypart I have :D
  • ukaryote
    ukaryote Posts: 874 Member
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    ell_23 said:
    Also, I don't consider my legs nice at all, and probably never really will. I do love a lot of other things about me, though. Namely, everything except my legs!

    Bold emphasis is mine.

    That might be body dysmorphic disorder. It can only be diagnosed and treated by a therapist or psychiatrist. If so, all the exercise in the world will not resolve it.

    For example, I have never had a strong upper body. I am improving but doubt that I will ever be one of those men tapered from top to bottom. I am OK with improving.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
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    I have big legs, but they're mostly muscle. Muscle is good.
  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
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    There may be more than fat in the equation here. I have very thick legs. I know I'm not a woman but now that I've lost most of the weight they are STILL really thick legs only they are thickly muscled. Tense your leg muscles and feel around in there. You might find that more of that than you think is muscle. It's a common phenomena with those who have been overweight a long time and are used to being on our feet and have a decent protein intake. We are making our legs weight lift just walking about. And in a calories surplus with enough protein. That's going to grow some big legs. Of course without restraint most of it will be fat. But for me i was an awesome silver lining hat once I shed the fact I had better more muscular legs than most of the men at my gym XD Working hard now that I am healthy to keep them.
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
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    Yes. I have big thighs, even when I'm at a lower weight. Nothing makes my thighs smaller, lifting weights would only make them bigger.

    This is genetic. My cousin is 110-115 lbs and she has thick thighs, calves etc and people comment on it but she is healthy, does yoga, runs and is a beautiful young woman!

    That being said, no matter your size embrace your body shape. It's not going to change drastically. If you carry more muscle in your thighs, then even lowering your body fat percentage isn't going to give you model-like legs. It just isn't. I have learned to love my thighs, and it has truly been a journey in learning acceptance in things I simply cannot change and simply being the healthiest me I can be!

    Good luck :):flowerforyou:
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    I love mine... I can crush walnuts with my thighs. :tongue:

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