Getting fatter in your Legs?

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Helloitsdan
Helloitsdan Posts: 5,565 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Any women find that you get fatter in your legs as you lose weight?
I've been helping my wife lose weight but she complains that her legs look and feel fatter!

Anyone else having this issue?
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Replies

  • Phrak
    Phrak Posts: 353 Member
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    I was hoping this wasnt a respected poster so i could troll a bit...

    But i cant :(
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    what does the tape measure say?
  • LesterBlackstone
    LesterBlackstone Posts: 291 Member
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    Any women find that you get fatter in your legs as you lose weight?
    I've been helping my wife lose weight but she complains that her legs look and feel fatter!

    Anyone else having this issue?

    If she's losing weight, she isn't getting fatter in her legs. She's losing fat elsewhere, so her legs look bigger by comparison.
  • 2bFitNTrim
    2bFitNTrim Posts: 1,209 Member
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    Fatter? No, but I do tend to carry more weight from the waist down than I like, and it is the most stubborn fat for me to get rid of. :grumble:
  • trophywife24
    trophywife24 Posts: 1,472 Member
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    Any women find that you get fatter in your legs as you lose weight?
    I've been helping my wife lose weight but she complains that her legs look and feel fatter!

    Anyone else having this issue?

    If she's losing weight, she isn't getting fatter in her legs. She's losing fat elsewhere, so her legs look bigger by comparison.

    Exactly that.... if that's where she keeps most of her weight anyway, the smaller her waist gets, the bigger her legs will look until they melt away, too... which of course will be last. I'm currently in the same boat, it's annoying.
  • sam2674
    sam2674 Posts: 55 Member
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    I feel like my thighs are getting fatter. I walk the treadmill for 30 minutes everyday, push 105 lbs on the leg press 100 times, plus do the 30 Day shred everynight. Not losing weight and my capri's are getting tighter in the thighs! I feel her pain!! :sad:
  • LesterBlackstone
    LesterBlackstone Posts: 291 Member
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    Any women find that you get fatter in your legs as you lose weight?
    I've been helping my wife lose weight but she complains that her legs look and feel fatter!

    Anyone else having this issue?

    If she's losing weight, she isn't getting fatter in her legs. She's losing fat elsewhere, so her legs look bigger by comparison.

    Exactly that.... if that's where she keeps most of her weight anyway, the smaller her waist gets, the bigger her legs will look until they melt away, too... which of course will be last. I'm currently in the same boat, it's annoying.

    Don't be annoyed. Big butt, small waist is sexy - the opposite, not so much.

    (See also: JLo, Beyonce).
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,565 Member
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    I'm just researching this and came across....

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-is-stubborn-fat-stubborn.html


    "Years ago I remember some women claiming that while their upper bodies leaned out, they swore their legs were getting fatter. I dismissed it as nonsense at the time but the above physiological facts lend support to that idea. A woman might be mobilizing fat from her upper body fine, yet storing some of that fat (or incoming calories from meals) in lower body fat later in the day. Upper body gets leaner, lower body gets fatter."

    Theres more to this than simply "Calories in vs calories out."

    More research!


    I feel like my thighs are getting fatter. I walk the treadmill for 30 minutes everyday, push 105 lbs on the leg press 100 times, plus do the 30 Day shred everynight. Not losing weight and my capri's are getting tighter in the thighs! I feel her pain!!

    Sometimes some people find that cardio hinders fat loss.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/too-much-cardio-followup.html
  • natika33
    natika33 Posts: 154 Member
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    Of course I can't find it when I need it, but I read an article a ways back that talked about hormones and how it plays into weight loss in women. According to the article, some women did indeed develop larger fat deposits in their legs temporarily during weight loss. Apparently, your body signals that you are trying to lose weight and shifts as much of the fat on your body to what it considers the safest area for storage.

    Since I can't find the article, I make no claims as to whether any of that is scientific or if I'm even correctly remembering.

    The other possibility of course is that she's gained muscle in her thighs.
  • natika33
    natika33 Posts: 154 Member
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    ha ha! I think that was the article. You posted it as I was in the middle of writing to you.
  • LesterBlackstone
    LesterBlackstone Posts: 291 Member
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    "Years ago I remember some women claiming that while their upper bodies leaned out, they swore their legs were getting fatter. I dismissed it as nonsense at the time but the above physiological facts lend support to that idea. A woman might be mobilizing fat from her upper body fine, yet storing some of that fat (or incoming calories from meals) in lower body fat later in the day. Upper body gets leaner, lower body gets fatter."

    Theres more to this than simply "Calories in vs calories out."

    Good point, but I still think my original response is more likely. The only way to tell is by taking measurements.

    As far as what to do, the answer is the same - keep losing fat and she'll eventually slim down there as well.
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
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    Mine did once I started on the treadmill/running/walking every day. I never imagined my "skinny jeans" would get so tight in the legs, but the *kitten* is getting looser. But whatever...I just ignore it and hope it goes away haha Thought it would be the muscles holding water?
  • gogophers
    gogophers Posts: 190 Member
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    As far as what to do, the answer is the same - keep losing fat and she'll eventually slim down there as well.

    This. It doesn't really matter whether or not she's getting fatter in her legs, there's most likely nothing she can do about that specifically, she just has to keep going. Although, the scientist in me wants to know if this is actually happening. I feel like women have an easier job covering up fat on their lower body than upper body, but I could be wrong.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    I was hoping this wasnt a respected poster so i could troll a bit...

    But i cant :(

    has to be a trick or a ruse
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
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    Well I certainly hope mine goes away eventually, cause I wasn't too happy when I expected my jeans to get looser in the below my knee area, when in fact they actually got bigger. The fact that I wear "skinny jeans" is the reason I noticed it first of all....and the fact that my socks are actually making an impression in my skin that is noticable when I take them off?
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    Often times when I am doing really good working out and eating well, I will feel pretty bad about my legs.

    Tape measure reveals that I lose serious inches in the waist, bust, and general upper body area - yet the hip, bum, and thigh area stays exactly the same. Because the bottom area is not shrinking at the incredible rate the top is, it does make it seem like they are getting bigger. My legs though, are the same size, just now bigger in proportion to the rest of me.

    Eventually I do lose the inches on the legs. Just gotta keep pushing through the annoyance of body shape deciding where to choose fat. :)
  • trophywife24
    trophywife24 Posts: 1,472 Member
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    Any women find that you get fatter in your legs as you lose weight?
    I've been helping my wife lose weight but she complains that her legs look and feel fatter!

    Anyone else having this issue?

    If she's losing weight, she isn't getting fatter in her legs. She's losing fat elsewhere, so her legs look bigger by comparison.

    Exactly that.... if that's where she keeps most of her weight anyway, the smaller her waist gets, the bigger her legs will look until they melt away, too... which of course will be last. I'm currently in the same boat, it's annoying.

    Don't be annoyed. Big butt, small waist is sexy - the opposite, not so much.

    (See also: JLo, Beyonce).

    lol my other half is definitely not complaining. :)
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    what does the tape measure say?
    This, I know a lot of people complain that they' fatter places when they're not. Alas, fat days.

    That being said If you went from sedentary to seriously using your leg muscles I guess it could happen,depending on your makeup?
  • skydivelife
    skydivelife Posts: 83 Member
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    Any women find that you get fatter in your legs as you lose weight?
    I've been helping my wife lose weight but she complains that her legs look and feel fatter!

    Anyone else having this issue?

    Hey Dan :-)

    Most 40-something's and up complain about this and there is at least a partial answer.

    1. Quads and hams are major stores for distorted testosterone and estrogen imbalances. supplemental DIM, ZINC, cutting out beer (hops is estrogenic) and alcohol and checking gut health has helped some of my clients dramatically

    2. Ever price how many women who cycle or sit for long periods of time have more fat store on hips? There's a reason...stop doing those.

    3. Lower body muscle is great for burning fat but it gets big, fast.

    4. Check skin folds on quads, not tape measure. That will tell you if it's fat or muscle.

    5. Stress and abnormal sleep patterns mess with adrenals, liver, GH, etc. etc, etc. fix it!


    Dunno if this helped at all, but in my experience, these have been very effective


    Good luck!

    Nate

    Wellfitlife.me
  • hotlilteacher
    hotlilteacher Posts: 35
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    I am one of those tiny waist, big butt girls. Yes, not a bad look at all ; ) but I would rather have the shape of a teaspoon than a ladle.

    I find when I do too much cardio on the machines I do bulk up. So many people, including a weightlifter friend tell me I am crazy and that the only way to lose fat is cardio. I call BS.

    I have waaay more success with Pilates and Core Fusion type workouts. I burn fewer calories, but in terms of recompositioning, lengthening while strengthening is the best for me. In very little time I see cellulite reduced, legs are hard and leaner. and I have have lost inches.

    30 minutes a day of the most intense strength building using your own body? Sold!

    I highly recommend the Core Fusion DVDs and Crunch Fitness Pilates DVDs. At the gym, I take boot camp and pilates classes. Nothing else.

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