Thigh help?

scg17 · May 2016

So, I know this thread happens all the time, and the intro is long, but I'm honestly looking for input. And I know this is vanity, but it is getting really hard to find jeans that fit!!! I'm 5'5", female, with shorter legs (long torso), weigh in the low 130's lbs, size 4 (36-26.5-33, with 23in thighs at the widest point). I've been weightlifting for two years, but my progress has been slow due to numerous injuries and surgeries. I have pretty large thighs (competitive horseback rider for 14 years), and I'm told they are mostly muscle (Long story short, I asked about liposuction and was told I wouldn't be a candidate--not enough fat).

Anyway, I'm finally in the triple digits and making steady gains for all my major muscle movements (bench, squat, deadlift, etc), and I'm stoked about not needing to baby my back or hip or anything else I've damaged in various horse accidents, and I'm finally getting a good butt! The thighs though, have grown about an inch in the last few months (so has the butt though). I don't understand how though, as I eat at a small deficit (weigh and measure food too). I'm not expecting to lose major weight, but I also thought you couldn't get more muscle on a deficit...though I'm trying hard to get at least .5g protein for body weight, and really trying for as close to 1g as I can get. I think genetically I put on muscle pretty well, I'm showing ab definition that I wouldn't have expected at my current weight.

So...if I keep adding weight to my deadlifts and squats, will my thighs eventually get smaller if I stay at the small deficit (I'd like to weigh about 128lbs as my end goal)? I've seen threads saying that you need to focus on engaging glutes versus thigh muscles for these exercises for a slimming effect, but that is anecdotal. I have also seen that running can "break down" muscle for a leaner look, again...anecdotal. I don't know if these are possibly the "newbie" gains people talk about, where it is actually muscle swelling with water (I also added creatine a month ago to my diet)? I know the whole "the only way you can shrink your frame is muscle wastage" thing, and obviously I'm not going to stop working out and riding, but I'm convinced I can at least get back to my one inch smaller thighs of a few months ago. My only cardio really is hiking and hula hooping, though I'm hoping to get back into vinyasa.

So...if anyone can help (especially anyone who has really worked those areas for figure or bikini competitions [not my goal, but I really respect the work that goes in]). Stay the course and work towards lifting heavier (and maybe engage glutes more somehow), work more on distance/steady state cardio? Add weighted lunges? Sorry, again I know this is kind of a stupid thread, but if I can get my thighs back to 22 at the widest point, I won't need to have my jeans brought in at the waist, which ends up getting surprisingly expensive.

hill8570 · May 2016

It's hard to put on muscle in a deficit, but far from impossible. And if you've already had the muscle in the past, and it's just gotten flabby (sorry, can't remember the technical term for the effect), strength training will bring it back pretty quickly -- much faster than building new muscle. However, in your case, I'd guess that most of the increase is due to water retention due to the creatine -- that's a well-known side-effect.

While I hate to lecture, you really should be just trying to get the best body that your genetics allows -- if your genetics runs to muscular thighs and butt, you're just going to be frustrated trying to look like some skinny-*kitten* runway model.

Carlos_421 · May 2016

My only advice is to play to your strengths. Be the best you and love what you've got.

Besides, 23 inch thighs aren't big...

SonyaCele · May 2016

you could go to bodybuilding.com and try some of the diets and workouts that the pro figure or bikini models have posted. At your weight /height, you are just fine tuning your figure and thats where you just have to try different things to see what works for you but in the end you just gotta love the body you were given.

scg17 · May 2016

Thanks everyone. I do like my body, especially since I've really started lifting this year, but it would be really nice to get jeans off the rack... The creatine was a suggestion by my brother, who is a strongman and a doctor, and he feels it could help me reduce future injuries...of course, his deadlift at 545lbs is a liiiiiiiiittle bit more substantial than mine. I do feel like it causes muscles to be more visible, so maybe the swelling is just water from creatine? I should probably stick with it if it does have the potential to help with preventing muscle injuries, because I'd rather have big muscular thighs than big fat thighs from time off. And yes, this is definitely my preprogrammed shape--my big brother has a butt like J.Lo from all his lifting. He just buys pants that are about 4inches too big in the waist and wears a belt, but I really want to avoid that. I will check out the bodybuilding.com site SonyaCele posted, I know I'm at the weird tweaky last 5lbs, recomping phase (not complaining, it took such a long time to get down to this after my hip surgery), so I bet they do have some good tweaks and suggestions. Thanks everyone for being kind!

hill8570 · May 2016

Never heard of creatine preventing injuries. It's primarily for extra endurance during lifting (more ATP to the muscles, so you can do more reps before running out of gas) and quicker recovery afterwards.

scg17 · May 2016

hill8570...yes to what you said, but there have been studies that show it helps with muscle and injury recovery. http://www.nutritionexpress.com/article+index/authors/edmund+r+burke+phd/showarticle.aspx?articleid=199

There are also studies that show it does nothing to help, but I think my brother's theory as a heavy lifter and doctor is that I'm not getting as much from my diet (vegetarian), and that it is a more protective supplement than not, and especially given my history of trauma injuries, even having the extra water/cellular transport in the muscle fibers can help with preventing issues. Plus, he just feels like it is a good, safe, well studied supplement.

HealthyBodySickMind · May 2016

More of a fashion tip than a lifting tip, but you might try these: http://barbellapparel.com/collections/women

wilsoncl6 · May 2016

There are designers that make pants for athletic frames, particularly in the quads. For women, the easy fix is to buy a jeggings type material for your jeans. It has enough stretch to fit around the thighs and butt while, accentuates the assets and still fit around the waste. I have the same problems you do, finding pants that fit my butt and thighs while still fitting my waste. I've experienced the same problems as your brother and buying oversized pants just doesn't work for me. Levi's also makes an sport cut jean that gives a little more space in the legs and butt. Sounds like your body is trained to put on muscle in the legs, which isn't a bad thing. I don't know about other guys but I like a woman with nice strong powerful legs with a booty. You should count your blessings in my opinon. As far as creatine is concerned, it will force more fluids into your muscle fibers for recovery and repair causing you to look bigger than you actually are if you were didn't have as much body fluids.

KiyaK · May 2016

I naturally have a bigger butt and thighs in relation to my waist, even when I'm not in great shape. When I'm in shape, the difference between the two just gets bigger. When I buy jeans I always get some that have a little spandex, so they have more "give." (I like my jeans tight) I also buy jeans labeled as "curvy." I used to think that was just a nice term for bigger, but it actually means that the waist is smaller than the hips, so it doesn't gap. And I wear a belt.

But discovering the "curvy" thing revolutionized my jeans buying

good luck!

scg17 · May 2016

Thanks again. I especially like that jeans brand, I'll have to see when they go on sale!

Thigh help?

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