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Sooo... I've been running 5 nights a week on the treadmill for at least 45 minutes. Yep, believe it or not, with only a few 2 minute "slow-downs" between the long stretches of heart-pumping (seriously, like 178 on the heart rate monitor) spurts of cardio. By the time I'm done, I'm dripping with sweat and I feel like my heart is going to explode out of my face. Gross, but true.
My concern is that I'm not going to get the skinny-legs results that I'm so yearning for. You see, I'm ok with being short (5'4") and having short legs, as long as they are SKINNY short legs. This, my friends, is the main VANITY factor for me to be exercising at this intensity. Health benefits are a big reason too, but push those aside for the moment and that leaves the deep-seeded desire to have thin legs. Sure, my tummy & waist could use some trimming as well, and I know for a fact that THAT is where it will come off of first, but I'm likely to not be able to see the forest for the trees when it comes to this.
My legs are muscular. (but not in a OMG she looks like a pro-body builder kinda way). They always have been, even when I was younger. I guess I have hours and hours of gymnastics in my front yard with friends to thank for that one, and by the time I was 12 years old I had a serious complex with myself. I started noticing that my legs weren't as small as those other girls my age, so I put myself on a diet (YES, at 12 years old! In middle school!) and started doing the Step exercise with a neighbor. OOPS. Probably not the best way to slim down my legs. I just built them up more. Hello genius. *sigh* Ever since then, my weight has been a struggle and at this moment in time, I am EXTREMELY motivated to do this. I'm enjoying exercise for the first time in a long time, but I'm hoping my goal is an attainable one.
I'm counting calories on a daily basis as well, and focusing on more veggies and protein, but because of the intensity of my workouts, I'm keeping them to 1700 - 1800 a day. I'm not doing any strength-training either. Striclty cardio. I don't want any more muscle added to my already bulky legs :(
Why can't I just be one of those tiny girls?
We are pretty much the same hieghth, so I feel your pain lol.
Just remember that it takes a few days to weeks for the results to show, something that I detest lol
OMG, I'm in the same boat as you. I feel as though everything I eat goes to my thighs...I've been walking everywhere in an effort to thin out my legs. I'm about 5'3 and have a small weist and thick legs. I'm hoping that my daily 6 mile walk will do something to thin my lower body out. Goodluck!!!
@ bobbypinpearls - I totally hate waiting for results! Patience is not my strong point!
@ janelyz - It seems like everything I eat stops and permanently camps out somewhere between my belly button and my knees. That is definately where all the pudge is.
Good job about walking 6 miles a day. That should definately get results :)
Don't worry, I'm in the same boat except I'm even shorter. My hips and thighs are enormous compared to my waist and bust. I'm going gangbusters right now though since I only have seven weeks till the wedding. (And eight till the honeymoon when it really matters). I just want to be a happy weight on my wedding day so I can think back happily when I compare.
I don't think non-cardio exercise is going to make my thighs any bigger, though most of my strength training is focused on my wiggly arms. They're the only part I'm really worried about on my wedding day. I need to learn how to pose with my arms away from my body so they don't look so massive.
Have you had your leg fat measured? I know that sounds weird, but some women have some muscular legs naturally and don't have much fat to burn off. So you can run and run and run, and it'll never budget.
Get measurements though. Same spot every time. That'll tell you if your legs are slimming down.
You could always try adding some other stuff to your regimen, too. I dunno, i've seen runners with really long slender legs and I've seen girls with larger thighs, like soccer players. They just look like athletes! But i never think it's a bad thing! Just make sure your goal is actually feasible.
Here is something to make you feel better. Last night the boy and I started a new exercise plan and I took our measurements.'
I am 5'0, 104 pounds and my thigh measured 19.25 inches
The boy is 6'4, 203 pounds and his thigh measured 22 inches
He is almost a foot and a half taller than me, weighs 100 pounds more and our thighs are almost the same size. Sight :/
I mean this in the most positive of ways, but running may not make your legs thinner. It makes my legs get bigger - solid, but bigger. And I'm way shorter than you. There are days when I don't like it - particularly sitting down when you can't really tell that my thights are like 90% muscle. Meep! But I get such a rush from working out, and now that I play ultimate frisbee and collide into large men all the time (because I am a spaz), having a very solid base is pretty helpful.
Yes, exercise and healthy eating may slim you down some. But we all have our genetic body shapes and there's not much you can do outside of that, barring in some cases surgery. Maybe you'll slim down some, but if you don't, your thighs can hang out with mine. And also my excessively long torso and all those other weird things that I am learning to deal with.
I agree with Entangled that you probably won't see dramatic changes but exercise and diet might help to get it under better control. My thighs are my worst body part too so you aren't alone.
You really should add some strength training in. It's not going to add bulk unless you start taking steroids.
Thanks ladies for your kind words and advice!
@ ejs - I need to start measuring my legs from tonight. I'm really curious to see how much or if they will change at all. I'm sure hoping for the best!
@ babyboo - I know what you mean! My husband is 6'1 and weighs 185 lbs, and freaks out if he hits 190! My thighs are bigger than his and he weighs 25 lbs more than me. It seems like all he has to do to lose weight is substitute ONE bowl of cereal for a meal and walk around the block twice. Poof! Like magic, he's lost 5 lbs..
@ Entangled & MissAsB - Oh noes! That's not what I wanted to hear! I agree though that genetics makes a big part of it.. I'm just going to keep running and try to be the best I can be. Even if I just lost a little on my legs it would be worth it.
I would try other cardio along with just running. That will help with fat burning. I'm not saying that you can't see changes but I just don't want you to feel too down if you don't get to having stick thighs!
I have a thigh problem too. I have been measuring myself for over 6 months and have only lost ONE INCH! Let me know when you find a solution.
LOL @ MissAsB - Don't worry. I know that all the running I'm doing isn't going to lead to tiny twig legs.. I used to do all other cardio EXCEPT for running (well, I did jog several years ago but I stopped) and I got the where I would have to use the extremely intense setting on the elliptical because everything else was just too easy! So now, I feel that I'm really challenging myself with the running. It's totally different from the elliptical & stair-machine, which my body got used to.
That is good to switch it up! I really do not like running at all, I really admire you!
Oh believe me, I don't LIKE running LOL. I'm doing it for results and as a change in my workout routine. I like the way I feel AFTER I run, but the actual running sucks!
Yes but at least you are doing it! I have no motivation to do it at all and just can't!
I wish I had your motivation!!! I have my own battle... with hip fat... God I hate the...
WOWZER! Reading your post totally sounded like me! EXACTLY! Down to the complex as a kid! Been there, I am the same height and have the SAME problem! I have tree trunk for legs I swear! If I were a man it would be awesome, but the fact that I have really muscular legs ( like you said, not like body builder, but you know what i mean) and cant even really wear boots! I totally feel you! I have been doing NOTHING but cardio as well and kicking my butt, counting the calories, and my thigh muscles are getting BIGGER! WTF!!!! Ohhh my dear how I feel your pain! Its a curse and one I feel wont ever go away! IF you figure out a good trick or something let ME KNOW! None the less let me know how your results come! Because like I said, I so understand!
OKqueenbee atleast you are not 5'8 and have thinck legs.. I have been running for about 4 months now atleast 3x a week. On my bad day i do 3 miles on average i do 5 miles on good days 6 miles of running.. Well i realized today that im not losing any weight! i got all depressed and didnt go to the gym today. I hate it.. I always wanted to have thin legs but i dont.. they are not even mascular.. you would think i would tone them by now.. nope..no luck.. Im so irritated.. I dont even know what to do any more :/
Have you tried doing stairs at the gym? Everyone hates doing them but i think that they actually might work to lose weight..
I have had the same problem recently. I have been working out with a trainer, cardio, counting calorie, etc.. all the things that you are supposed to do. Then I borrowed a friends ab circle thing (the one they sell on tv). OMG, I have to have one. My FH came home last night from working out of town, and asked me how my thighs got smaller and smoother....ding, ding, ding, sold! I am so buying one of these for myself.
Also, running all the time will add girth to your legs, you want to lengthen the muscles. Stretching those thigh muscles with resistance and hold before and after a work out is supposed to help this.
@tskjewelry- What ab circle think, pilates ring or other? So want to know what ur talking about! LOL
@KT Williams - that ab thingy you kneel on and swing side to side, you can take the connecter between the knee pads off and your legs slide out and you have to pull them in. I didn't think I was going to be able to walk for the first week, but just that one sentence from the FH made it totally worth every second of pain.
Hi @okqueenbee!! I just wanted to add to @Ilikepink's comment. Weight and strength training vs. Cardio. Because of the state of recovery your body goes into after lifting weights to repair your muscles, you continue to burn more calories when you're finished with your work out than you do with cardio. So as long as you're not lifting like a body builder, few reps should help push your work out to the next level.
Now although I'm 5'1'', under 110, and consider myself to have chicken legs with knobby knees... because of the beach pictures of myself on facebook I have gotten the nickname LLB which stands for "Little Line Backer"!!! Now if that doesn't give you a complex about your thighs I don't know what will!! And I will find that camera that took those pictures and burn it!!!
I hate my thighs too! I've always had bigger thighs, and I feel like nothing I do will fix it! So annoying! :(
Ack. Me too. I'm thin but jeesh I feel like my thighs hold up my pants more than my waist does - it's super annoying - if I buy the wrong type of pants my thighs basically try to bust out whereas the waist just keeps falling down.
If you can run outside it might help, it works even more muscles to run outside since the ground isn't moving for you, which will help with toning. The other thing is to vary your workouts. Have some workouts that are focused on distance, some that are focused on sprinting, some that are a nice little mix, that will help not build one muscle group too much. The weight will start to shed. The other thing is to try to eat soon after working out, nothing big, but to get some fat and protein in, it'll help your body recover faster (making other workouts better) and stave off bad cravings later.
i am in the same boat in terms of muscle mass....i am tall, but i am pretty muscular as well. (my parents have a picture of me in my bathing suit when i was two, and i had those muscle cuts in my arms already...at 2??? serious??!?) lol. but yea, i HATE lifting because i feel like i bulk up soooo much...i have my wonderful dad to thank for what i call "tree trunk" legs... haha.
have you ever thought of mixing your running with Pilates?!?! you can tone and lengthen your muscles and itwill be a nice compliment to your running regimen. (i am also a Pilates instructor and I love my cardio too!!)
You should vary your workouts to include interval training, i.e., both interval cardio training and interval strength training. Any strength training you do for your lower body should be with lighter weights and slightly higher reps - you can create bulk (even without steroids) of a half inch or so, give or take, by loading the legs with heavier weights, so keeping them light, with increased reps and a slighty faster pace can prevent that from happening and help to lean out your legs. And don't neglect your upper body either . . . although you can lift heavier for your arms and shoulders to help balance out your body.
The best piece of advice I can give is that you can't out train a diet that is made up of processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and too much caffeine or soda (even diet). In terms of cellulite and seeing muscle definition, eating clean (whole grains (not just whole wheat), lean proteins, lots of water, and most of your carbohydrates from fruits and veggies) will make a much bigger difference than what you will think. I can not work out for a week, but if I keep my diet clean, I look just as tight and toned as if I had been working out all week.
And one last thing . . . remember the law of specificity, i.e., your body will become efficient at whatever it is routinely asked to do, and as a result, you will see diminishing returns for your efforts if you do not change the demand you place on your body every once in a while. Running the same amount of time for the vast majority of your workouts means that your body is going to become more efficient at running, which means that you will burn fewer calories (because your body has adapted). You would probably see more results if you changed your cardio (intervals instead of mostly steady-state) and added in resistance training. There is such a thing as too much cardio.
I am pretty much your body twin (5'4 with short legs that seem to never slim down to my liking). I run and run and run and it helps a bit, but I find that what helps me is intervals on the treadmall. Short bursts of 30 seconds where you run as fast as you possibly can stand, then slow it back down for two minutes, then up for 30 seconds. You can do this for 20 minutes and it will do more for you than running at the same pace for 45 minutes.
Also, I second the idea for trying pilates, or a dance class like ballet. I know... kind of crazy.. but they lengthen your muscles while strengthening, which definitely helps.
I also like doing resistance training that focuses on the hamstrings and inner/outer thighs (your gym probably has those machines where you sit down and push in or press out with your knees... you feel kind of inappropriate at first but it targets that muscle group). I find that by toning up those areas it helps to get a nice shape to my legs. If you just tone your quads, then you end up with linebacker legs and it's not as pretty.
Good luck! :)
UG. I KNOW! I hate my thighs, the way they make me look in my "professional pants" is like an middle aged women who also has fat thighs. Might just be my pants. And to those of you who are middle aged, you know my aim here, I'm 26 and when I look at my thighs I feel 36!
The ONLY thing that keeps me from weeping is that my FI loves my...thickness. I told him to enjoy it while it lasts!
I run, spin and do the elliptical and have also wanted to find something that would slim my upper thighs a little, not just work them out. I've tried a lot of things and have a lot of muscle tone in my legs, but I wanted to thin them out a little--get more of a long and lean look. I still do a lot of cardio, but I wanted to do something different.
I've actually been doing a DVD that I really like lately that seems to be working. It's by Tracy Anderson, who is a celebrity trainer. She trains Gwyenth Paltrow (among others) and I saw some of her workouts on Gwyneth's website. I have the Mat Workout and a lot of the moves are based on ballet/dance routines. They don't look hard when you watch, but you definitely will feel it later. I've noticed the difference in my thighs and upper arms after just a couple of weeks. It might be worth a try if you're looking for something a little different.
@Jessie- yeah i've tried the Tracy Anderson Method too!! its really good! the only thing that i find its hard to do everyday or every other day because it seems so long to me! but i do feel better afterward!!
ugh, but i feel y'all on the thighs!! my constant struggle!
@krissybee, I agree, it is a LONG workout to have to do everyday (or 4-6x week like she suggests). I've been able to do it now that I'm on summer vacation, but in the past, I've broken it up into parts, like doing the arm series one day and the legs the next.
First of all, congrats on being able to run that hard and that long!! :) :)
Second, have you tried using machines as well to gain tone? I like to do pilates (I like the basic winsor dvds) and the 30 day shred but I also like nautilus equiptment ..they have it at most YMCA's..I prefer it over free weights, it is safer and the work outs can be done quickly (I spend about 20 mins on the machines and then 30 on the treadmill or other cardio). That really helps me tone up my thighs/arms/etc
@Jessie- oo thats a great idea! i'm going to try that. i really like that workout too... i think the music is nice! and she is just too cute :D
@krissybee, I think Tracy is too darn cute, too. My sister thinks she has "the crazy eyes". Btw, I have a great 5 minute Tracy arm workout from Gwyneth Paltrow's website if you want me to send you the link, PM me. I do it everyday, cuz it's only 5 minutes.
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