How to get rid of my saddlebags? Ironically I'm skinny.

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Re-post because I'm new here and probably should've posted it in this section the first time since I really need advice. Anyways hello I'm 5'6 and there are two things that are bothering me which I'm looking for motivation and advice from others especially who can relate or had success etc.
One- I have a long waist but short legs
Two- I have saddlebags
I'm wondering if #2 is caused by #1. Sadly I'm the shortest one in my family (my own grandmother is 6 foot)! And I'm the only one with saddlebags! I've seen my female family members in swim suits. They are taller have long legs and no saddlebags. Ironically a couple are overweight (their gut area). I'm not even overweight. I used to be but now I'm a healthy weight (in the mid 120's) yet I still have saddlebags. Though they are a bit smaller, but I still have them. I don't know if this is just a thing that shorter women suffer with or women with long waists-short legs etc. I need advice on how to get rid of my saddlebags. I have a flat stomach, a decent sized chest, slim arms and legs except for where my bum begins. I have a flat bum. My measurements are 34-25-38(the saddlebag area). My goal is to achieve an hourglass figure but I need these things completely gone. Losing more weight is out of the question (too risky). What to do?
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Replies

  • Hollisamara
    Hollisamara Posts: 106 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Everyone carries weight differently,I carry it around my belly, you carry it around your legs... Unfortunately we can't just choose an area that we want to make smaller (I wish we could!) I guess all you can do is up your exercise, have you tried lifting weights? Weighted exercises use might improve the shape of your legs, not to mention it's a great calorie burner and improves your strength. X
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Re-post because I'm new here and probably should've posted it in this section the first time since I really need advice. Anyways hello I'm 5'6 and there are two things that are bothering me which I'm looking for motivation and advice from others especially who can relate or had success etc.
    One- I have a long waist but short legs
    Two- I have saddlebags
    I'm wondering if #2 is caused by #1. Sadly I'm the shortest one in my family (my own grandmother is 6 foot)! And I'm the only one with saddlebags! I've seen my female family members in swim suits. They are taller have long legs and no saddlebags. Ironically a couple are overweight (their gut area). I'm not even overweight. I used to be but now I'm a healthy weight (in the mid 120's) yet I still have saddlebags. Though they are a bit smaller, but I still have them. I don't know if this is just a thing that shorter women suffer with or women with long waists-short legs etc. I need advice on how to get rid of my saddlebags. I have a flat stomach, a decent sized chest, slim arms and legs except for where my bum begins. I have a flat bum. My measurements are 34-25-38(the saddlebag area). My goal is to achieve an hourglass figure but I need these things completely gone. Losing more weight is out of the question (too risky). What to do?

    The only way to reduce them is to lose more fat...
  • ItalianChick90
    ItalianChick90 Posts: 34 Member
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    What is your weight?
    125 lb.
    And how do I lose more fat without losing more weight? My ribs are slightly beginning to show. So is my pelvic bone. I'm hesitant about anymore weight loss.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    What is your weight?
    125 lb.
    And how do I lose more fat without losing more weight? My ribs are slightly beginning to show. So is my pelvic bone. I'm hesitant about anymore weight loss.

    You can't.

    You can do recomp, to add some muscle as you lose fat, but you can't tell where the fat will come off so you'll probably get more bony anyway even if the scales don't move.
  • ItalianChick90
    ItalianChick90 Posts: 34 Member
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    What is your weight?
    125 lb.
    And how do I lose more fat without losing more weight? My ribs are slightly beginning to show. So is my pelvic bone. I'm hesitant about anymore weight loss.

    You can't.

    You can do recomp, to add some muscle as you lose fat, but you can't tell where the fat will come off so you'll probably get more bony anyway even if the scales don't move.

    So I'm stuck with these? :neutral:

  • ItalianChick90
    ItalianChick90 Posts: 34 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Your BMI is 20.5, the normal range is 18.5–24.9, so you really are in the lower normal range, but a normal BMI doesn't equate to looking aesthetic as you possibly can. 114.5 at 5'6 (a BMI of 18.5) is the lowest you can go and still maintain a normal BMI. BMI is a pretty contentious subject in the fitness world anyways.

    To keep you muscle mass instead of eating it away through dieting, you can weight lift, eat 0.68-1g of protein per pound of your bodyweight (for you that would be 85 to 125 grams of protein per day requirement), get at least 8 hours of sleep every night, and do only a 500 caloric deficit from your maintenance calories.
    ok thanks. I'm aware that I'm skinny. I just want the side pouches gone. That's all. Thanks for the advice.

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Your BMI is 20.5, the normal range is 18.5–24.9, so you really are in the lower normal range, but a normal BMI doesn't equate to looking aesthetic as you possibly can. 114.5 at 5'6 (a BMI of 18.5) is the lowest you can go and still maintain a normal BMI. BMI is a pretty contentious subject in the fitness world anyways.

    To keep you muscle mass instead of eating it away through dieting, you can weight lift, eat 0.68-1g of protein per pound of your bodyweight (for you that would be 85 to 125 grams of protein per day requirement), get at least 8 hours of sleep every night, and do only a 500 caloric deficit from your maintenance calories.

    OP doesn't need a deficit large enough to lose a pound a week!
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    If you want to lose FAT, so you have to lift weights! PERIOD.

    Start lifting now.. You will be amazed at how you can transform your body..
  • Timorous_Beastie
    Timorous_Beastie Posts: 595 Member
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    Strength train. Heavy as you can manage with good form.

    I was about 125 lbs at 5'5 and 27 years old in the pink bikini pics. They were taken when I first started dating my husband. I didn't exercise at all then. I took great pride in my slothful ways. That caught up with me when I got a desk job and the boyfriend became a husband and I discovered Ranch dressing. ;)

    In the 2012 photos, I was about 135 and 40 years old, after about a year of strength training. Part of it is having a little less fat on my hips, part of it is having more muscle on my shoulders and back to balance out my hips.

    butt1.jpg

    pinkbikini-copy.jpg

  • Brans34
    Brans34 Posts: 599 Member
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    Strength training! You can totally pick which area you want to focus on. Try focusing on leg exercises, such as squats, lunges, back kicks, side kicks, and dead lifts. You CAN lose fat while not losing weight, and even gaining weight, because muscle is much more dense, therefore, weighs more than fat.
  • ItalianChick90
    ItalianChick90 Posts: 34 Member
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    Strength train. Heavy as you can manage with good form.

    I was about 125 lbs at 5'5 and 27 years old in the pink bikini pics. They were taken when I first started dating my husband. I didn't exercise at all then. I took great pride in my slothful ways. That caught up with me when I got a desk job and the boyfriend became a husband and I discovered Ranch dressing. ;)

    In the 2012 photos, I was about 135 and 40 years old, after about a year of strength training. Part of it is having a little less fat on my hips, part of it is having more muscle on my shoulders and back to balance out my hips.

    butt1.jpg

    pinkbikini-copy.jpg
    Your results look GREAT! Does it generally take that long though?

  • Eudoxy
    Eudoxy Posts: 391 Member
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    Brans34 wrote: »
    Strength training! You can totally pick which area you want to focus on. Try focusing on leg exercises, such as squats, lunges, back kicks, side kicks, and dead lifts. You CAN lose fat while not losing weight, and even gaining weight, because muscle is much more dense, therefore, weighs more than fat.

    But if you recomp and lower your body fat percentage, won't you lose fat everywhere (even places you don't want to lose anymore fat)? This is something I've been wondering about.
  • sunglasses_and_ocean_waves
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    Build up your butt. I'm short with muscular legs and really, the butt does wonders for the shape.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Strength train. Heavy as you can manage with good form.

    I was about 125 lbs at 5'5 and 27 years old in the pink bikini pics. They were taken when I first started dating my husband. I didn't exercise at all then. I took great pride in my slothful ways. That caught up with me when I got a desk job and the boyfriend became a husband and I discovered Ranch dressing. ;)

    In the 2012 photos, I was about 135 and 40 years old, after about a year of strength training. Part of it is having a little less fat on my hips, part of it is having more muscle on my shoulders and back to balance out my hips.

    butt1.jpg

    pinkbikini-copy.jpg
    Your results look GREAT! Does it generally take that long though?

    no...

    if you want to "reshape" your legs, butt, arms, stomach, etc..... again start lifting weights. Being a newbie to weight lifting and assume you will have your nutrition in check you will notice a transformation starting after a few weeks..

    THIS does not happen overnight or in a couple of weeks. You have to make a goal, pick the right program and get your nutrition straight and this takes patience, diligence and commitment..

  • Brans34
    Brans34 Posts: 599 Member
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    Eudoxy wrote: »
    Brans34 wrote: »
    Strength training! You can totally pick which area you want to focus on. Try focusing on leg exercises, such as squats, lunges, back kicks, side kicks, and dead lifts. You CAN lose fat while not losing weight, and even gaining weight, because muscle is much more dense, therefore, weighs more than fat.

    But if you recomp and lower your body fat percentage, won't you lose fat everywhere (even places you don't want to lose anymore fat)? This is something I've been wondering about.

    You may lose a little, but not much. That's why you target specific areas with the weights. Cardio will melt fat all over, but you don't burn many calories lifting. The areas that have more muscle will burn more fat, so if you have bigger thigh muscles, you'll burn more fat from them. And squats will build your booty muscles, which will actually give you a booty.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    If you have saddlebags and are at a lean weight, then it's genetics. Some people can do everything right and still have fat in places that just don't reduce the same way the rest of the body does.
    Try some recomp, but it's not a guarantee to reduce them.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • Eudoxy
    Eudoxy Posts: 391 Member
    Options
    Brans34 wrote: »
    Eudoxy wrote: »
    Brans34 wrote: »
    Strength training! You can totally pick which area you want to focus on. Try focusing on leg exercises, such as squats, lunges, back kicks, side kicks, and dead lifts. You CAN lose fat while not losing weight, and even gaining weight, because muscle is much more dense, therefore, weighs more than fat.

    But if you recomp and lower your body fat percentage, won't you lose fat everywhere (even places you don't want to lose anymore fat)? This is something I've been wondering about.

    You may lose a little, but not much. That's why you target specific areas with the weights. Cardio will melt fat all over, but you don't burn many calories lifting. The areas that have more muscle will burn more fat, so if you have bigger thigh muscles, you'll burn more fat from them. And squats will build your booty muscles, which will actually give you a booty.

    I was given to understand that you can't spot reduce fat. So, while you can spot certain muscles, and lose fat, it seems like the fat would come off all over (or wherever it does). I'm no expert, though, I'm kind of confused about recomp.