Sick of Thick Thighs? Me too! (pear-shaped women)

I too am pear shaped. I've had large butt & thighs at 104lbs and even larger butt & thighs at 204lbs. It is the way I am shaped, I have worn a size 6 on top and still need a 12 for my hips and tighs! I get your frustration. Three children and 20+ years of marriage only made it worse. That said, my weight loss goal was also to glorify God with the body He gave me, that other would see His Spirit in me and NOT my FAT!

Your question, what has helped? I have only recently had great success with 'spot treating'. I walk longer distances as opposed to running. I do Pilates stretches to lengthen the muscles. I have been having regular (monthly) massages to stimulate and move toxins (cellulite) from that area. And I have added compression shorts to help blood flow in that area.

For the first time in my life my hips & thighs are begginning to look 'normal.' I'm not there yet, but they are not nearly as out of proportion as they have been. I have also used weight training to build muscle on my upper half to even out my overall appearance.

I do hope this helps, I'll be interested to see other's solutions!

I have the exact same problem. I started lifting about 4 months ago, and I lift heavy (to become stronger and build more muscle). I'm losing weight, and my pants, around the waist, are huge. But they are actually tighter in my thigh area now.

I spoke with a trainer, and he said to lift light. Stop trying to build muscle mass and work on sculpting. He said to go ridiculously light, and then do no more than 4-5 sets with 10-15 reps per set. So I've been doing that.

I also do lunges as well as walking and biking.

I really don't think there is much we can do in regards to having a larger lower half. I'm a size 6 in my waist, and a 10 in my butt and thighs. Maybe I'm wrong, but I've been dealing with this issue my whole life. Even when I was tiny (size 2 tiny), I STILL had a big butt.

God made each of of differently and unique. I think as long as you are eating healthy and exercising, maybe you should give up the dream of the "perfect" body (because really, what is that?). I have chosen to love my shape. Yeah, I wish I could look like a Victoria's Secret model. But I don't, and I get tired of feeling guilty because I don't.

At least you know you are not alone in the "Sisterhood of the big booty." ;-)

No - I have never found the "magic bullet" for thin thighs (I'm 50+). Even at my lowest weight 106 lbs (5'5") I still had big thighs. I exercise for my health .... and tell myself it has to be enough.

As far as getting bulky, that is not the "norm" for women .... but there are exceptions (Mary Lou Retton).

Some women swear by THIS exercise..... other women swear by THAT exercise ..... you would think if THAT really was the "magic bullet" .... every woman would have the same answer. Answers vary .....so NO magic bullet (IMO).

I would try 30 day shred. I did lose 2 inches of my thighs and about 3 inches off my butt and 3 inches off my waist. I going for round 2. Its intense but it does work.

IKR! Being built like this sucks. I used to weightlift before I had kids and my thighs just got out of shape and stayed huge.

Ok, so I'm beyond the looking ok in clothes point. I workout for me, to be a good steward of the body God has given me, and to please my wonderful husband by offering him a wife who cares about satisfying him.

I get the skinny jokes. I'm the "don't the turn sideways or you'll disappear skinny". I'm the "you must way 100 lbs" (I DON'T) BUT... if I wear shorts or if I'm in a bikini.... my thighs are massive!

I'm not talking "big to me". I'm not talking "I'm anorexic and just self-conscious". I'm saying they're noticably large. My husband recognizes it. My family recognizes it, and I'm kind of self-conscious about it. I've got a bony upper body and legs that are way too large for my body. I know people call that pear shaped and I know that's a part of life genetically.

My question is:
If I weight-lifting, am I going to build bulky muscles on my lower half? I got these huge legs 1) horseback riding 2) just benig a pear and I'm afraid of them gaining in size as I work out. I know cardio is supposed to help, but I run about 20 miles/week (just ran 12 miles on Saturday training for a 20k).

Any help would be wonderful. I know I can't "spot treat" but what have you found successful?

What some people do not "get" is that BODY TYPE is an Immutable Characteristic. What does that mean>>>It is YOU, it is "GOD given like your skin color, eye color, hair color (you can tan, bleach or dye, but it is STILL the same naturally.) You can lose weight but your Body Type will remain, learn to accept it and enjoy it, there's nothing wrong with it.

Yes, embrace it!!!! A-line A-line A-line. Dresses, skirts etc. not much you can do wearing shorts, but for the nights out or anything else you can "dress' for. A-line is the most flattering for pears I get frustrated too, but I was a fat pear and now want to be a skinny pear....but I'm always going to be a pear

I have a problem with exercising because I have a bad back. I also have problems with both of my arms and if I push them I can't even lift my 2 year old. There are more things I can't do than I can. I'm 205 at 5'1 right now. I'm trying to eat healthier but I only have so much money to spend on food for me and 3 kids. (The older 2 won't eat most of the healthy stuff I fix)

just stick with it. at least you know where those last 10 pounds are :laugh:

just stick with it. at least you know where those last 10 pounds are :laugh:

The point of this thread (I believe) is that for some of us .... this is where the 10 pounds will FOREVER be. Some people don't get it. It's like telling a really busty woman "with diet & exercise she can achieve an average figure."

As stated before, I have weighed 106lbs (I'm 5'5") and had fat legs. The logic of your statment .... If I weigh 96 pounds, I would then have thin thighs? I get where anorexia comes from.

wow you fail and you completely misunderstood me, obviously didnt read what i wrote previously about once a pear shape always a pear shape.

i didnt say you're thighs would be thin, just that they would be slimmer. i'd never use the work "thin" because thin is relative so what i consider thin might not be considered thin by someone else. you will almost always have the same shape, but that shape will be slimmer.

besides that you seem to not understand that weight has very little to do with your body composition. if you have "fat" thighs and are underweight then you obviously need to work on developing some muscle. plus if the issue looking imbalanced then exercise can also help with that (ie weight training to develop shoulder and more of a v shape to your back)

and gee i had no idea i had that much power to make people develop anorexia :noway:

While I do complain about my thick thighs at times, I am proud to be a pear shaped woman. My husband loves my ample booty and hips. But the more weight I gain, the more out of control it gets to me. I have a magic weight/size and when I'm there my body is as close to proportional as ever. That is around 6 or 4. At that size, I can go to a store and buy a size 6 suit for work and both pieces fit, now I'm about an 8 at the top and 12 or 14 at the bottom.

Even though I have thick thighs they are pretty muscular, I think the important thing is to avoid exercises that will bulk. Running is great for leaning. Also embrace what you have, most men find butt and thighs very attractive

I totally know what you mean; even at my lowest weight I still had substantial thighs! I think different things work for different people, but running has helped slim and tone my thighs a bit.

Texas Thighs. I haz them.

I don't want them to go away, I want them to be toned and sexy. Stairstepper (intervals) and running (intervals) and squats have helped. I have thigh muscles like rocks. When I get bored, I start punching them for fun.

I spoke with a trainer, and he said to lift light. Stop trying to build muscle mass and work on sculpting. He said to go ridiculously light, and then do no more than 4-5 sets with 10-15 reps per set. So I've been doing that.

I also do lunges as well as walking and biking.

^^YES...lift lighter to work that part of the leg. Unfortunately, it is part of the BODY TYPE that will cause issues with losing here but, lifting lighter for awhile and increasing VERY slowly helps tone and build muscle underneath any extra "insulation" we may have. Yes, you will always be pear shaped but, there are some things you can do to help with HOW muscle you will be different.

I am Hour glass and the hips are a problem for me as well!

Weight training/strength training will NOT bulk you up!
Lifting heavy weights will actually make you lose fat cells and add muscle mass at the same time.
Please do a forum search on this topic...so many women have asked this same question and it's just not in our genetics to
"bulk up" so to speak. TONS of photos of women with drastic, amazing results from ONLY doing lifting.

I guarantee if you start doing heavy lifting (like a MAN'S lifting regime) you will see the results you are wanting. No one can guarantee that your legs/thighs will get any smaller - that is your body type - but I can guarantee that your thighs will no longer be "thunderous" or "dimply" but you will replace it with lean defined muscle. You have to stick to a serious training program though.

I'm built the same way. I find running to be the best cardio to lean out my legs - combined with sqauts and lunges for definition. Also, I'm told doing upper body weights to 'bulk out' top half so you appear more proportional will also help. That said I hate doing upper body work and have learned to love my thighs, they ain't going anywhere.