I am extremely self conscious about my legs, especially my knees. I feel like my knees are especially chunky for someone my size! I don't even mind my bigger thighs, but my knees drive me nuts.
There's this "hump" on the inner side, kind of where my knees meet. It sticks out and makes me look slightly knock-kneed, though I'm pretty sure it's just fat. I bothers me so much that I try to compensate in photos by spreading my feet hip-width apart and turning them in a bit.
About how far along in the weight loss process do these go away? Is it gradual, or do they disappear in a "whoosh" toward the end like arm flab does for some people? Deep down I'm worried that, even at goal, I'll just have smaller knock-knees. My legs hold on to fat probably better than any other part of my body.
The picture attached is me at 166 lbs. It's the only picture I have where I'm not trying to compensate by turning my knees in.
Maybe it's just where you carry weight? I've lost nearly 30 pounds and my stomach still bugs me. My arms are slimmer, my legs are slimmer, etc. but my stomach...it's slimmer than it was before but it's still a pain in my ***. >.<
I've heard people say that problem locations take a little longer to get off, that they slim up towards the end. But I dunno, everyone is a little different.
I think it's how you are built, not that you are knock kneed. Seems your hips are pretty small? and therefore your legs are closer together. And honestly, you probably notice it FAR MORE than anyone else does.
Just keep trying to build muscle in the legs. It's the best approach to making any body part looking better.
berryblondeboys brings up a good point. My trainer mentioned this a few weeks ago, I can't believe I forgot. He said that some people's knees are naturally turned inward more, some not so much. It's entirely possible that it's just your shape.
Omygosh I always wondered that myself, a long time ago I thought because I was overweight all my life and the weight was bearing down my center
Plus I may have flat feet which affects where the weight bearing occurs even more, it also may just be where my fat distributes, because on my legs, it's starting to look more straight
By the way, your legs look normal to me, really - don't worry too much abut it
Oh, I carry some fat there as well- never really thought about it! Funny I think about the size of my thighs I guess we all have different "things" that stick in our minds about how our bodies look. Honestly, I never would have thought twice about your picture there, except to be jealous at how smooth your thighs look
I have an old roommate who was very knock kneed - I think that she started to wear Sketchers shapeups to improve it. I think its more of a bone structure thing? Because I have seen people of all weights with it (far more than yours-I wouldn't look at your legs and notice any condition). Maybe talking to a chiropractor might help.
I agree with AlmostMe. I don't see a thing wrong with your legs.
I know how it is when we pick on something about ourselves that we don't like and we think the whole world sees us like that too, but in the case of your legs, I don't see what you see. All I see is a cute pair of gams, LOL.
I think it's how you are built, not that you are knock kneed. Seems your hips are pretty small? and therefore your legs are closer together.
Actually, I've got pretty wide hips--my current measurements are 38-29-42.5. The shorts in the picture were just a bit tight in the waist band and were giving me a muffin top. But yeah, I'd say my shoulders and hips are on the wider side of the spectrum.
And thank you guys! I guess it's just one of those things that will always bother me, but I'm glad it's not as noticeable to others!
Last edited by kelseyvc; 05-04-2012 at 06:13 PM.
Reason: clarify
It's hard for me to tell in the picture, but you may also have a bit of valgus in the knee, which I found out I had when I developed tendonitis. It's an inward collapsing of the knee (and foot) that's not uncommon in women apparently, because of the width of their hips vs. their knees, and especially heavier women. It's due to the outer hip muscles not being strong enough to compensate for the inner thigh muscles. (Abductors? I think it's the abductors and not the adductors.)
I got sent to a physical therapist who gave me lots of exercises to strengthen them. One is basically a variant on the clamshell, emphasizing using the muscles of the upper/outer butt and especially gluteus medius. (He said "back jeans pocket area" a lot.) If you do the clamshell make sure you are moving only your leg, not rotating with your pelvis. This guy has a couple videos on the clamshell which are long but good: Clamshell exercise for cyclers dude
You can also do the "fire hydrant" where you raise your leg sideways like a dog, and push your leg outward with exercise band stretched between your ankles.
Another good one I learned from the PT involves slowly going up the stairs backwards, sitting far back on your butt each time before you take the next step. It's basically the beginning of a pistol squat, I figured out later. That's where I really noticed that my one knee tracks inwards noticeably compared to the other, so I started concentrating on pushing outwards and it's really improved. You could try that as a test. Over time makes your butt look really good too!
Thank you for all the exercises, bronzeager! I could definitely see my outer hip muscles being weak. Running makes my hips hurt, which leads me to believe that the muscles there aren't really strong enough to support the impact on the joints yet. I will be sure to give the exercises a try!
I call that "fat knee" and I have it too. No matter what weight I've been and how much I've lifted, I've always had more weight right in that inner knee area. Beyonce is a good example of a celebrity with "fat knee" and she rocks it so hard and looks so great that nobody really notices (except me because I notice it in others since I have it lol).
I find that the most flattering looks on me are either very short or over the knee, but nothing that stops right at or above the knee.
Good job on the beyonce pics! Totally true. Your knew aren't dis proportioned with your legs. Like at all. I think it's one of those things that your brain obsesses over, like my TINY roll that appears in my clothes when I wear certain underwear XD I weigh 178 and am about 5 '6 1/2 and my knees look about the same. As you lose more weight your legs will tone up. Just focus on how much you have accomplished. Your legs do NOT look bad. I wear shorts ALL THE TIME. And my legs aren't as sexy as yours! lol Anyways, God bless!
Does the "knock-knee" look ever go away?
My legs hold on to fat probably better than any other part of my body.
I guess we all have different "things" that stick in our minds about how our bodies look. Honestly, I never would have thought twice about your picture there, except to be jealous at how smooth your thighs look 
