Ive lost 12 pounds so far, and Im happy about that, but my legs look worse than they did before and

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maea5040
maea5040 Posts: 36 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
they are a lot more jiggly and cottage cheesy, and I have so much cellulite. Would toning my legs help with this, or are there certain exercises that would help?

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  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Lower body fat, keep eating in a deficit. read this

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/113609/relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner/p1

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Give it time, eat at maintenance get adequate protein and fats and follow a progressive resistance programme

    Bodyweight at minimum
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/
    Read this: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/10/26/how-to-not-suck-at-working-out/

    But ideally a good compound lifting programme
    Structured online programmes
    http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
    https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout
    http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/4-week-guide-starting-strength

    Or a book
    Strong Curves
    New Rules of Lifting for Women
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    alexisharris951 wrote: »
    they are a lot more jiggly and cottage cheesy, and I have so much cellulite. Would toning my legs help with this, or are there certain exercises that would help?

    I'm willing to bet they actually look better. You're just looking at them more critically because you are working to change yourself.

    If I'm wrong, Time will sooner or later tighten the skin, so don't worry, and keep focused.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited October 2015
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    I feel exactly the same way, more grossed out with my legs (thighs, especially) than I was before I began all of this. Everyone says they really look better and logically, they would have to look better. I know they must, but when I look at them, I'm much more grossed out than I was before.

    I kept thinking, "When I lose more, they'll look better to me," but I'm down nearly 100 pounds and they just look worse.

    I think that - although they ARE very gross - it's me. I'm looking at them critically. I didn't do that when I was so very fat. I didn't look much at all. Now, I'm hoping to see me look good. When I noticed I'd started to lose weight and figured out that I could do it, I got this idea in my head that I'd be thin and have a good body. So, I kept looking for progress toward that end.

    If I look at them hoping for gorgeous thighs, mine will always disappoint. I have a lot of loose skin. I'm never going to have a great body. Plus, I still have fat to lose.

    I'm not really comparing them to my old thighs. I'm comparing them to young, fit, toned thighs. So, they come off looking hideous.

    I'm am trying to work on seeing them and thinking. "OK. Good enough!" I just had to let that idea go. Stop comparing my thighs to some 22 year old who was never fat.

    If I could compare my thighs to other people around fifty years old who had carried 100 extra pounds for decades and whose skin hadn't snapped back, I'm sure they'd look quite average. :)

    I don't know if that helps any.

    The toning cannot hurt! Maybe you WILL have hot-looking "American thighs" that people sing songs about. But if you (or I) don't end up that way, that's okay, too. :)
  • galprincess
    galprincess Posts: 682 Member
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    The view you have of your legs isn't the view the rest of the world has. Give it time do leg exercises if you must but losing fat cannot make anything worst
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    Maybe it's losing in that 'squishy fat' way that can look odd until it settles out later? My tummy did that, and it looked weird at the time!

    Of course, you'll want to preserve muscle as you lose weight, so progressive resistance training is important to do for that component of weight loss, imho. That's where you see the difference between weight loss and fat loss, because losing muscle is an unfortunate side effect of losing weight unless we actively work to minimize that.

    I'm not one who thinks that requires a barbell and squat rack, btw. But I do think it does require enough resistance and a progressive routine.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited October 2015
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    Exercise, including progressive resistance, and if you feel so inclined, I'm going to add a recommendation for lots of walking or even running. Both of those have done a lot for my legs.

    If you have more weight to lose, your legs will go through an awkward phase, but hang in there.

    I've lost 70 pounds so far, and mine look terrible, but they've looked worse at some points during this whole process. I'm turning a corner now and they're starting to look better because I'm at the point where some of the muscle underneath the remaining fat is starting to define their shape.

    So, just remember, it gets worse, then, if you're exercising and building lovely muscle under there, it will get better.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
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    Mine looked pretty horrible at about the 70 lb loss mark, and this was for the last year...just in the last three months, with extra work on leg day, and extra weights used as resistance, have I started to notice the shape of my thigh looking more like what I remember (same with my butt!)....give it time, don't give up...have faith, and stay consistent. xo
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    alexisharris951 wrote: »
    they are a lot more jiggly and cottage cheesy, and I have so much cellulite. Would toning my legs help with this, or are there certain exercises that would help?

    Hi Alexis - I started losing weight in April, and this was also the start of gardening season. A few months later, I noticed the backs of my legs were smoother. I just checked again, and they seem smoother still. Several yoga poses would be similar to how I garden, which is straight-legged as squatting can bother my knees. I also practice yoga and walk, and swim in the summer. So, try anything that works your hamstrings.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    I feel exactly the same way, more grossed out with my legs (thighs, especially) than I was before I began all of this. Everyone says they really look better and logically, they would have to look better. I know they must, but when I look at them, I'm much more grossed out than I was before.

    I kept thinking, "When I lose more, they'll look better to me," but I'm down nearly 100 pounds and they just look worse.

    I think that - although they ARE very gross - it's me. I'm looking at them critically. I didn't do that when I was so very fat. I didn't look much at all. Now, I'm hoping to see me look good. When I noticed I'd started to lose weight and figured out that I could do it, I got this idea in my head that I'd be thin and have a good body. So, I kept looking for progress toward that end.

    If I look at them hoping for gorgeous thighs, mine will always disappoint. I have a lot of loose skin. I'm never going to have a great body. Plus, I still have fat to lose.

    I'm not really comparing them to my old thighs. I'm comparing them to young, fit, toned thighs. So, they come off looking hideous.

    I'm am trying to work on seeing them and thinking. "OK. Good enough!" I just had to let that idea go. Stop comparing my thighs to some 22 year old who was never fat.

    If I could compare my thighs to other people around fifty years old who had carried 100 extra pounds for decades and whose skin hadn't snapped back, I'm sure they'd look quite average. :)

    I don't know if that helps any.

    The toning cannot hurt! Maybe you WILL have hot-looking "American thighs" that people sing songs about. But if you (or I) don't end up that way, that's okay, too. :)

    The bolded part makes perfect sense :+1:

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