Body Composition

I7300
I7300 Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm starting my journey again to venture into the gym... this time round I'm going to get a PT because I am notorious for siging up, going, getting too nervous to use the weights and then just stick to the cardio stuff 🙃.

BUT what I'm hoping is if I stick at the weights long enough will my body fat/muscle actually change around my legs? 😂

I've been consistently working out since January (at home with weights but they're not heavy) and I have seen some improvements but what annoys me is that being 5ft I still look like I have big, out of shape legs! The changes I have seen are all in my upper body, so abs and arms...
I'm only 117lbs! Please tell me my legs might actually be able to lose the rest of the fat which is there!

I understand people think big legs are nice but I've been battling this since I was a teenager, all I want is to get them even more toned/smaller than they are! But I also understand it's probably just my bone structure too!

I need some motivation and reassurance that the working out will pay off!

Replies

  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,755 Member
    Women can tend to hold fat in their legs. TBH, it's the beauty standard right now.... so I don't know how hard I'd try to lose it. That being said, you might have to get to quite a low weight before the fat on your lower body goes away.
  • I7300
    I7300 Posts: 10 Member
    I'm wondering how low of a weight I need to be!
    I'd be more accepting of it if they were more toned, and that's a mission in itself!
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,755 Member
    I7300 wrote: »
    I'm wondering how low of a weight I need to be!
    I'd be more accepting of it if they were more toned, and that's a mission in itself!

    Nobody can tell you that, as it will be different for everybody. Body fat percentage isn't so much about scale weight. You'd have to know how many pounds of fat you're carrying. The reality is you would just have to keep looking in the mirror and keep losing until you reach the point where your legs start losing fat. But I will reiterate I don't think it's a good idea.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    My legs for sure got smaller as I got stronger, at reasonably constant body weight but when I still had a reasonable amount of fat available to lose.

    To build muscle, there are a number of conditions necessary, but a key one is challenging the current strength of those muscles. Legs tend to be pretty strong already, especially (it seems) in women.

    If you only have light weights at home, you might want to look at some challenging progressions of things like squats or lunges (i.e., different ways to do the motion at any given weight, to make it harder). These are easy to find on the web, but I'd suggest putting the word "bodyweight" in the search, since folks who do bodyweight training are especially knowledgeable about increasing useful stress by changing the movement. So I'd suggest searching something like "bodyweight squat progressions", "bodyweight lunge progressions", etc. (You can still add weight to some of those, if you wish.)

    Also, this thread has some great tips from an MFP-er very experienced in weight training, about how to increase the useful stress of an exercise without needing to increase the weight:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10877279/30-tips-to-increase-strength-training-intensity

    Best wishes!
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,222 Member
    edited May 21
    Don't be intimidated by weights. They're the best training tool when used properly.

    As far as big legs and smaller body, that's your genetics so you need to work around it. Some people have naturally more muscular legs and those people need to not try to reduce through weights as that will just exaserbate the issue. If fat is the leg issue then diet and a sensible exercise program is best with a combo of strength and conditioning sessions.

    Sometimes legs that are bigger have a combo of decent muscle mass covered by a layer of fat. When overall fat is reduced the legs will look more "toned". Genetics will determine where the fat comes off first and you may get lucky if that's legs for you.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,217 Member
    tomcustombuilder wrote: »
    Don't be intimidated by weights. They're the best training tool when used properly.

    As far as big legs and smaller body, that's your genetics so you need to work around it. Some people have naturally more muscular legs and those people need to not try to reduce through weights as that will just exaserbate the issue. If fat is the leg issue then diet and a sensible exercise program is best with a combo of strength and conditioning sessions.

    Sometimes legs that are bigger have a combo of decent muscle mass covered by a layer of fat. When overall fat is reduced the legs will look more "toned". Genetics will determine where the fat comes off first and you may get lucky if that's legs for you.

    Yep, this, basically.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,439 Member
    Oh, honey. If I can build muscle, anyone can build muscle.

    I work out both with a trainer a couple times a week, and in the gym. I don’t do super heavy weights and still get good results. My trainer changes it up constantly. I tend to fall into a rut of same old-same old, if left to my own devices, so training is terrific for me.

    Even something as simple and consistent as a Les Mills type cardio/weights class (we call it Muscle Madness at my gym) gets results. I’m amazed the results the ladies who come consistently get. You get to choose your own weight in these classes. I like to try to go heavier as often as I can, or I’ll add dumbells or a barbell to hip bridges, that kind of thing.

    But consistency is key. If you’re only doing it once a week, you’re not going to get the same results as someone who is doing it four or five times a week.

    I also feel like yoga and Pilates also helped me quite a bit, with the focus on stretching, “long lean muscle”, and non-gym but challenging moves there, too. There’s a lot of lower body in both disciplines.

    Be consistent and be patient. I’m almost four years into maintenance and things are still changing, and I’m old as dirt.

    PS- if your trainer doesn’t suit you, find another trainer. My first three sucked, then I got an amazing and inspiring one (retired after a couple years with her), then a male trainer who treated me like grandma when I specifically asked to be challenged. A session or two with him and I gave up on PT.

    A few months later, a new trainer at the gym approached me and asked if she could train me. I told her we’d give it a shot and we clicked. I’ve been very fortunate to find her, as good trainers are rare as hens teeth. Others at the gym saw what she did with me and now she has a waiting list.

    Before signing up with one, ask for a trial period. Watch what they do with others at the gym. Are they a good “mental” fit for you? Do they get results? Do they go too easy/too hard on people? Are they a screamer, derogatory, or encouraging? Do they seem knowledgeable?

    My worst experience ever was at a Workout Anytime. Hubs and I both trained with him. He said he was a retired marine drill sergeant. He screamed, he made fun of, he humiliated us both in front of other gym members, he had both us obese folks doing things that were dangerous and unsafe. We had no idea. We thought training was supposed to be misery. No pain, no gain?

    A good trainer is not even on that plane, no, not even on the same planet. Good training is a totally different experience. Training is an investment. I’d have no qualms now about telling a trainer, “sorry, this isn’t working”.

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