Where to go from here? Leg exercise suggestions, please!

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erinkeely4
erinkeely4 Posts: 408 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started on MPF about two months ago, weighing 120 lbs (I am just under 5'2"), and for the past week I've been in the 111 - 109 lbs range. My initial goal was 110, and when I got there I decided to lower it to 107... but now I've decided that's a bad idea, and instead I will maintain my current weight.

The reason I wanted to go to 107 is because of proportions, not overall weight. I have the body type that puts more in my thighs. From past experience I know that if I go below the weight I am at now I can thin out my thighs to my liking, but everything else becomes too thin, especially my face and arms (which makes me look older, unhealthy, and kind of scary!!).
The times when I was at the lower weight in the past my friends have expressed concern for my health... :/

So, I will be maintaining current my weight, and focusing more on fitness -- particularly toning up my legs. Do you have any suggestions for leg exercises that tone and visually "elongate" legs? I have heard there are exercises that help with this, and I would like to learn of as many as possible so that I can have a good bank of various leg exercises to pull from.

Thanks!! This is a great, supportive community. I'm happy to be a part of it :)

Replies

  • pambaldwin
    pambaldwin Posts: 18
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    There are some great sites of you google thigh, inner thigh and then calf exercises. They will even show you how to do the exercises through YouTube. That's what I do.
  • FitJami
    FitJami Posts: 1
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    I don't know which exercises will give you what you're looking for, but I love to use http://exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html to find exercises for any muscles. They have simple videos of each one as well. Picking the ones your want is the hard part, though. Good luck!
  • woja9640
    woja9640 Posts: 450 Member
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    One word........ PILATES!
  • tross0924
    tross0924 Posts: 909 Member
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    You can't actually elongate your muscles. Genetics and where the muscles attach to your bones determine their overall shape. You can burn off the last of the fat there which is what it sounds like you're doing when you get down to 107, but if you're unhappy with your upper body at that weight, you'd be better off leaving your legs alone and working on building muscle on your upper body to get in the proportions that you want. If you do it right your legs will look like they do when you weigh 107, but your upper body will look healthier and fuller and your weight will go up some.

    Google upper body workouts and you should find some good things.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    walking lunges and lunge-squats certainly do a lot for me - just plain walking (FAST, use your arms and your whole body should be sort of twisting, I think it is called race walking) has also done wonders - especially for the fat above the knee on my legs.

    Also really good has been dance central - I assume any kind of dancing where you are lunging/squatting/going up and down on your toes is good.

    I feel your pain, my upper thighs are where the fat is and I think I just have to resign myself to it.

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