How can I reduce my thigh size?

T

tater

Member
I've gained quite a bit of size/muscle in my thighs, and as a result, my jeans are way to tight in the legs! I did a month-long rotation that consisted of alternating cardio one day and a Pyramid or Gym Style workout the next day (both upper and lower body workouts), and using pretty heavy weights for the leg workouts. I have more definition on the tops of my quads and in my hamstrings, but I sized myself out of my pants!

Can anyone give some advice on how to reduce the size? Should I focus on reducing the fat-layer on top, or can I "lose" some of the mucsle/bulk by doing more cardio or a different kind of weight training?

Thanks!
 
The only thing that has ever worked for me to reduce my thigh size is running and reducing my weights. Now, there are a lot of theories as to what works for different people. So, you may have to experiment and use a lot of patience. Some women on the forums say that using more weights works for them. I'm not one of them. One thing that everyone agrees on is clean eating. That's the only thing that seems to be very universal. So, for sure, if you aren't already doing this. Clean up your diet, not as many processed foods and refined sugar.
That's the best advice that I can give you. I'm sure others will chime in with what they think will work. There will be a lot of good advice given. Good Luck!

Kathy
 
I just wanted to say that I have been running for the past 10 years. I used to do about 45 miles a week (before getting married and having a baby). I average about 30 miles a week, but my thighs are not getting any smaller from running. In fact, DH commented that my thighs are so muscular/big most probably because of running. I am also trying to figure out how I can make my thighs smaller. So, if Cathe can please comment...
 
This is a question I have been wanting an answer to for a long time...please Cathe...help! I would like to be toned from the hips down but don't want my thighs and butt to become an entity of their own (sadly, it has already started to happen)! I would like to see long, lean muscles..not bulky ones.
 
Now I realize this is going to be an incredibly unpopular response, but I recently decided to see what would happen if I really, really paid attention to my diet. See, I too have always been plagued by the size of my butt and thighs and tried everything under the sun to get results.

Anyhooo...I did a strict twelve week (BFL) program where I ate clean all the time (except for one cheat meal a week) and WOW, WOW, WOW did my body change. I got down to 13.5% bodyfat and even got that cute indentation in my butt that dancers have.

I lifted VERY heavy for my upper body and my lower body work consisted of plyometrics, sprinting and tons of walking lunges. The results were incredible.

Just my two cents.

Editing to add that I also did really tough power yoga classes twice a week.
 
Letswork - I would like to know more about your leg routine - did you use any weights - heavy or light? Could you give me more details about your exact leg routine? I would really like to try it!

I have had some success working my legs every day alternating floor work and standing work. I do not go over 35 lbs on weight work and do mostly high rep workouts. I will go 40 when I feel the need to do so. When I get to 50 lbs my thighs start to really bulk. Variety in leg work has been the key I think. But I would like a little more definition and would like to see my upper thighs look a little better. I am always searching and trying things for my legs. I am an hour glass but not a real curvy one. I have seen much improvement in my glutes due to really concentrating on my glute muscles when squatting and lunging - funny that the heavy weights work best for it but not for the legs!!!
 
Hello. Here are examples of the workouts I used during my twelve weeks. I can't give you an exact rotation, because I really tried to mix it up from week to week.

Intense Power Yoga classes twice a week. I always felt extremely sore in my hamstrings the next day. I think yoga did a lot for my entire body.

One day at the track. I created this evil walking lunge/sprint workout at my local high school track that I do every Sunday. I SPRINT one stretch, recover around the bend and do walking lunges the other straight away. I go around six times. OUCH!

One day of plyometrics. I used Plyo X (from the p90x series), a mish-mosh of Cathe Imax/Boot Camp blasts and Intense Moves (from Gin Miller)

One day of lower body...Leaner Legs, Legs & Glutes, Pyramid LB or Gym Style legs.

I mixed these workouts with heavy weight work for my upper body using the Slow & Heavy series, Gym Styles and workouts from the p90x series.

While my workouts were intense, I found that changing my diet was the biggest factor. I ate 100% natural...nothing processed. I ate small meals every 3 hours and I was sure to get a lot of quality protein at each. My cheat meal sometimes was only a cheat treat...like a trip to Dairy Queen. I love those darn Peanut Buster Parfaits.
 
Letswork - thank you for sharing - I appreciate it! That Sunday does look evil but I think might be doable for me!
 
Diet.
High-rep, low weight (or NO weight) leg work.
Stationary biking at a LOW tension (high tension can actually build quads)
Kickboxing

Alternate a leg day with a lower-body based cardio (stationary biking--again, low tension), kickboxing (some people seem to get larger thighs from stepping, but YMMV).

This is similar to a program called "Freestyle Training," where you work the lower body almost daily using very little resistance, to prevent hypertrophy (muscle growth) and encourage body fat reduction. There are several books about this method, by George Snyder and/or Laura Dayton.
 
>I just wanted to say that I have been running for the past 10
>years. I used to do about 45 miles a week (before getting
>married and having a baby). I average about 30 miles a week,
>but my thighs are not getting any smaller from running. In
>fact, DH commented that my thighs are so muscular/big most
>probably because of running. I am also trying to figure out
>how I can make my thighs smaller. So, if Cathe can please
>comment...

hi i just wanted to say a big "ME TOO!" to this post lol.. i currently run 30 mpw and have seriously muscular legs.. yeah it's all about clean eating to get that body fat down..
 
I recognize you from the firm thread. you have had great success. I wish i could just lose 10pds and cant even do that no matter what I do. I workout 5xweek for an hr and I am stuck . you inspired alot of people. how long have you been doing cathe? i just started working out with her but only once a week since I currently do bootcamp 2x week at the ymca and spin 1x week and run the other 2 days.
 
Laura - thank you! I have been doing Cathe about 2 and a half years now and I love it! I know you can lose the 10 lbs - the last 10 are very difficult!
 
I think a lot of this is genetic. Some of us just have big muscular thighs. I am trying to learn to love mine and the power that they have. That said, I do plenty of leg work and clean eating (I am on a new plan right now and lost 7 lbs so far!). I want them to look as good as possible! But I will never be willowy in that part of my body. C'est la vie.
 
Tater!

No weight, high rep lunge cycles done daily will help reduce your thighs!

If you get a chance, check out a thread we have going about the freestyle training method (lots of great info there) If you have any questions, ask away, a fellow freestyler will help ;-)

IMHO, The book, simply, is a woman's MUST Have!

heres the link to our thread

http://69.0.137.118/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=4&topic_id=243752&mesg_id=243752&page=2


here's the book

http://www.gsnyderproductions.com/home3.htm

PS if anyone has any freestyle suggestions, ideas or rotations , please add them to the thread! TIA for sharing!
 
RE: Tater!

I have a question, and it may be a dumb one, but I would like an answer. I too have large hips and butt....my peers have told me that it's maybe because I'm using too heavy of weights but I don't buy it. To me they look plain fat. Can you build muscle over fat?? I thought you would lose fat before you gained muscle???
 
RE: Tater!

no you gain muscle no matter what but in order for you to see the muscle "pop" out so to speak, you have to lose overall body fat with aerobics.more lean muscle mass also means more calories burned at rest but it doesn't mean it burns more fat. you need both aerobics and weights

kassia



When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be
disappointed to discover they are not it -- Bernard Bailey
 
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