Body shape and body image

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Prismapencils
Prismapencils Posts: 154
edited October 2014 in Motivation and Support
I am currently the thinnest I've ever been. I eat okay. I don't work out or jog anymore due to school. However, I've always had legs that just don't look like the ideal. I look like this drawing...hope it's not graphic...can I change this or do I need to change my perception of what beauty is?because no legs that are supposedly great looking look like mine.sy6m01qau46p.jpg

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  • Prismapencils
    Prismapencils Posts: 154
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    Crap drawing of the ideal leg in my head j1bfd9kpl8zt.jpg
    Also I had no idea where to post this
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    I don't see anything wrong wth the legs in the drawings or in your profile picture. What is it you want to change? Longer? More muscular? Skinnier?

    (Longer is pretty much not an option)
  • Jitteryspork
    Jitteryspork Posts: 550 Member
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    I don't see anything wrong with your legs. If you are trying to compare them to those that you see in the magazines etc, then stop. Your legs look just fine. If you are worried that they look a little lumpy or curvy etc, then maybe just spend some extra time doing some leg firming exercises.

    BTW: I love the faint shadow of "the finger" lol.
  • chalk_and_chaturangas
    chalk_and_chaturangas Posts: 21 Member
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    Hi! The legs in that drawing look good to me (in a non-weird way). You look pretty healthy from this drawing. What is it that you would change to consider them "great looking"?
  • Jitteryspork
    Jitteryspork Posts: 550 Member
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    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    I don't see anything wrong wth the legs in the drawings or in your profile picture. What is it you want to change? Longer? More muscular? Skinnier?

    (Longer is pretty much not an option)
    Unless you can find some country that still practices the "stretching" torture... Although I doubt that legs would be of any use once they disconnected from the knee..

  • iheartinsanity
    iheartinsanity Posts: 205 Member
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    Sounds like you just need to love yourself a little bit more. I have a large frame and have always hated my legs up until a few years ago when I got into body building. There are so many women who body build who bust some serious booty to get big calves that I have well...naturally. Yes, we all have our problem areas but things could be a whole lot worse. At least you're in good health, right?
  • Prismapencils
    Prismapencils Posts: 154
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    I laughed hard at longer is not an option--nope, I'm 5'3 and I have no desire to pay money to have my legs broken and resectioned to promote growth for cosmetic reasons
  • Prismapencils
    Prismapencils Posts: 154
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    Skinnier I suppose but I don't know how to do it--I already have changed my diet :/ I'm 20 lbs lighter and still see bumps that no one else does or doesn't care.
  • Prismapencils
    Prismapencils Posts: 154
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    Hehe I wanted to keep the finger but then realized how horribly my attempts at hands usually go
  • iheartinsanity
    iheartinsanity Posts: 205 Member
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    Bumps? Are you talking cellulite? More water and diet should improve it over time but sometimes it's just genetic.
  • Prismapencils
    Prismapencils Posts: 154
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    See the lumps near the knees--I'm knock knee'd. How it's wavy around the knee cap? I hate that. I like images of women with thighs that taper at the knee. And yes maybe I do need self love since everyone thinks they're okay. I'm glad that it's just in my head then.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,711 Member
    edited October 2014
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    I don't think you need to, but you can change the shape of your legs, but it would take pretty drastic dietary and workout changes. You may need to go low-carb and start heavy lifting, as an example. I don't know your personal stats or current status. As we see from body builders and such, major changes are doable, but is it really worth all the work? Something to think about.
  • Prismapencils
    Prismapencils Posts: 154
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    What percent of intake should be carbs if wanting to build? Then again I really don't have time now but after I graduate maybe
  • Prismapencils
    Prismapencils Posts: 154
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    You guys are very sweet.
  • scg17
    scg17 Posts: 88 Member
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    I have the same legs as you (strong thighs and knock-kneed), and I understand how you feel. I have a muscle lines and everything, but it is hard not to want the long, slim, thighs. I don't think going low carb and heavy weight lifting is a good idea, but you could try adjusting your macros more towards 40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fat. There are macros calculators that would let you pick your ideal set up. I'm trying running to see if it does something the yoga, horseback riding, and weights can't do.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    edited November 2014
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    the only way to evolve the shape and ability of your body is by exposing it to actions that will force it to change - and even that is a slave to genetics.

    if you dont workout, dont jog (as you mentioned) and don't weight train, there is no way to have lean muscular legs, which is what that second picture is.
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,288 Member
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    Your leg shape is highly dependent upon what exercise you do and how much of those exercises you do, as well as genetics. To really accentuate long lean legs, you have to just cut down on the amount of body fat and adjust your leg workouts (strength training) to build muscle in the areas you want more musculature. It's going to take some time so you have to be really patient. Cardio, cardio and more cardio is going to be the name of the game or HIIT. I have always seen the biggest changes in my legs from running. If you're not doing any exercise at all, you will eventually see some change in your legs if you eat less calories than you burn but if that's where you retain most of your weight, it will take a while.
  • VelveteenArabian
    VelveteenArabian Posts: 758 Member
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    It kind of looks like your ideal legs are muscular. If that's the case, you can see why this is a problem for you if you don't exercise.

    You CAN slim them through just a loss of body fat, but they still won't look like what you want. I think you just need to make time to work out. You have the time for exercise, you just have to look for it.

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