[Thighs Be Gone]

Thigh help needed here, hence my name.

Hi Ladies. So many of you have helped me along my path these last months. I am here asking again for additional help and advice. I have lost (as you can see) about 85 pounds in the last 18 months. My body has come along nicely with the exception of my upper thighs--particularly in the back thigh and inner thigh area. The front is pretty tight and toned.

I would like these areas to become tighter and more toned. It is a combination of loose skin and flab. It is disguised well underneath clothing--even in the tightest pants, it looks okay. However, it's another story in a swimming suit or lingerie. Besides that, I want it to look nice and fit for ME when I stand in front of the mirror.

Currently I am a runner--about five miles daily at this point. I run about a nine minute mile--not fast and not really slow either. It seems to me RESISTANCE might help. I do not *think* I want to go the weights route. I have no place to keep weights and refuse to join a gym. With Christmas here, I have asked my husband for a bicycle. Do you guys think a bicycle will offer resistance? I know of course it is cardio. I have also wondered about the exercise balls? Are there activities you have used to tone these areas I am having difficulty with? I love my run so I will continue my daily run and incorporate my new stuff with it. Please offer specifics as to how often, how many minutes I should be doing these things for toning.

Thanks ladies.

ETA: Please do not limit advice to just bicycle or ball exercises. I am interested in hearing your regimen!

[nelie]

Well initially I would've said look at the "New Rules of Lifting for Women" as it talks about the fact that women tend to have developed quads but underdeveloped hamstrings and the program is designed to correct that somewhat. Runners also tend to have that problem so it seems like you have 2 strikes against you. You'd really only need a few things, mostly dumbbells if you did want to try the program.

If you don't want weights (including dumbbells), you could look into getting resistance bands and a ball might help.

do you do squats? lunges?

Of course I'd probably suggest a kettlebell which you can do so much with, doesn't take a lot of time and doesn't take a lot of space. You can do deadlifts, squats and swings. Kettlebells can give you an overall workout.

[daniela]

Hey Thighs! I've been working on the same "trouble area" with a trainer the past 4 weeks and I've noticed some nice improvements. Mind you I workout in a gym and I do lift heavy but he got me doing some new stuff that SUCKS but is working. When we train together it's 30 min of ****, hehe why do I pay for the tourture, fast circuits of about 3-5 exercises with a mix of plyometric exercises.

For example:

One circuit repeat 4 times
-Squats 8-10 reps
-Jump lunges 30 seconds
-Single leg press (just started these, killer but effective) 8-12 reps each leg
-Squat jumps (straddle a bench, squat till your butt touches the bench, then explode and jump on to the bench, repeat) 30 seconds
- Deadlifts

Some other stuff I think has helped:
- Romanian split squat
- Step ups (hold weights in hand and step up on to a bench, squeeze glutes at top) 10-15 each leg
- The stair stepper!!!!!!!! Not the stairmaster but the machine that looks like an escalator. I do 20min interval training, alternate by taking single steps and then two steps at once then repeat, single/double
- Same interval training on the treadmill walking at a steep incline, then lower, repeat
- Hill sprints outside, find a hill run up it, jog down, repeat


I've also started to carb cycle, two days low carb around 75g (you need to keep both low days around the same amount), then a high day double carbs to 150g. This has made a HUGE difference, one that I could see in just 10-14 days.

I got down to 143 and a size 2 Old Navy Sweetheart jeans, (I know crazy) but I'm taking a break for the holidays. Still eating right and working out but I need a break from "hardcore diet" mode. If it takes me another month to reach my goal so be it I need to stay sane

Hope some of this helps :-) Wishing you a very happy and healthy holidays!!

ps. The hill sprints would be easy to add to your runs. And instead of the single leg presses you could do single leg squats. If you wanted to try some stuff with weights you can get some cheap dumbbells (doesn't take up to much room). Start with some 5, 10, 15, 20lb weights. You could use the 20lbs to do sumo squats (another nice move), you just hold one weight between your legs as you squat.

[beerab]

I also suggest squats and lunges and kettlebells

One thing that does help that isn't exercise related is to massage with lotion the areas daily- 5-10 minutes a day. And no need for any sort of expensive stuff- any lotion with vitamin E I believe will do. I buy the cheap stuff from walmart with the pregnant woman silhouette on it.

I remember reading somewhere that the daily massage helps with cellulite and overall makes the skin look better- so if you don't lotion up- try it! I did and noticed a difference after a few weeks- now I just keep my lotion on my nightstand and every night before bed rub it in for at least 5 minutes. I'm amazed at how the cheap $4 bottle of lotion has improved the look of my legs and butt

[jamsk8r]

Daniela said what I was going to say, as far as hills, stairs, squats to even out the development of the hamstrings/glutes/back muscles. There's a lot you can do with bodyweight, a swiss ball, gymnastics type moves, or if you're not opposed to weight training but just don't have room, a set of adjustable DBs and some plates, or if you can afford it, there are the new adjustable DB sets.

[Shannon in ATL]

Hm. I have inflexible, somewhat underdeveloped hamstrings as welll... I do use a ball a lot - I always feel loose and nice after the 'swissball bridge to hamstring curl'.

[Thighs Be Gone]

Hey Everyone. Thanks so much for the help. You have all given me things to consider. I love stair climbing and the step ups are definitely doable. I would love to incorporate hill running but have no hills for miles around. I am thinking to go over the high school and run the bleachers now. The step up thing is definitely doable for me. Thanks for the help everyone. Lets hope I can reign in these inner thighs!

[JulieJ08]

Originally Posted by Shannon in ATL

Hm. I have inflexible, somewhat underdeveloped hamstrings as welll... I do use a ball a lot - I always feel loose and nice after the 'swissball bridge to hamstring curl'.

Geez Louise! It's amazing the exercises you had no idea existed

[Mel]

Ditto to what everyone else said. I think less cardio oriented work and more weight or body weight work would be your answer. Running bleachers is MORE cardio. Squats, lunges, hamstring curls, box jumps, bench straddle jumps,even....power yoga or pilates!

Mel

[pintobean]

I also recommend squats and lunges. You can do variations to make it more challenging. Here's a nice read on doing step ups the right way and not using the other leg to push yourself up - Peg-Leg Step-Up . It works . It helped me a lot in correcting my form.

[sacha]

Thighs are the worst area for women to work on (even worse than the tummy), just because of fat distribution.

I know you are opposed to weight training, but I think that is exactly what will give you the results you are looking for. You need to build muscle in the thigh area in order to "tone it" (there's no real such thing as toning - you either build muscle or burn fat to show any muscle you have).

I think a modification of your running routine can help. You are running distances at a steady pace, right? Good for cardio but not for building muscle.

See this:


The difference between steady-state running and sprinting has an impact on muscle over time. Now, sprinters also include a solid weigh training regiment in their programs.

Perhaps you might want to consider sprinting intervals and plyometrics. Still resistance training is really going to give you what you want - I think you should try and consider it.

[Thighs Be Gone]

Thanks again for your help everyone. I agree with about the intervals--I have gotten away from them recently but have been working on increasing speed. I am going to reconsider the weight thing.

[Rif]

Running and cycling are mostly going to work your quads. Incorporating sideways movements into your workouts would help. When I run on the track at the gym I often mix in some lateral running and carioca running, use lateral walking bands and I also do lateral walking up the stair climbing machine. You might google the "Freethinkers Workout" for some ideas.

I wonder also, if you put more work into your hamstrings and glutes if that wouldn't tighten things up a bit. We tend to overwork our quads and underwork our backsides.

Martial arts also involve a lot of use of these muscles. I take a mixed martial arts class which involves a lot of different kicks (round house and crescent kicks especially) which employ these muscles.

I fear however, that the loose skin is not going to go anywhere without surgical intervention.

[luckymommy]

Sorry in advance for my generic response, but I think there are dvd's out there that target specific body parts. I'm sure someone here can tell you better than I (sorry, I've got a bad migraine) but I think it's The Firm? Anyway, I also agree about Pilates and using resistance bands. Some of the dvd's use the resistance bands and they can work wonders. You will do this! I'm so impressed with how far you've come!!! It's truly inspirational!

[Thighs Be Gone]

Thanks ladies. I will take both of your advice and search The Firm and Freethinkers. You mention the martial arts--that very much appeals to me and I have never considered it. Thanks for the ideas Ladies.

p.s. LuckyMommy thank you! You are doing wonderfully yourself!

Rif, I hear ya on the loose skin. I am going to go the surgical route for breasts and tummy but nope--not doing my thigh area--enough is enough in the surgery dept. I will do my best with the advice from 3FC however.