Wat is the best type of workout or video for toning / trimming thighs?
 

I have jiggly wiggly thighs and want to tone them up quick. In your opinion, what works the best and quickest? Aerobics? Walking? Strength training? Running? Lunges and Aquats? Pilates? Ballet?

Thanks for your opinion.
Michelle Christine

Anything that you enjoy and that you can stick with is fine. Personally, I enjoy aerobics and there are some great walking videos. Remember, you cannot "spot" reduce; you have to work the whole body. If you could spot reduce, people who chew gum would have thin faces.:dizzy:

Best of luck with whatever you choose.

Well...I have to agree and disagree both on that point...you may not be able to spot reduce totally-in other words make slim firm thighs while the rest of your body stays exactly the same size...but you can reshape and firm targeted body parts through weight training and other exercise that targets certain areas...but your body will look best if you go for a total body strength training workout...I recommend that you alternate weight training/resistance training for your entire body and some form of aerobic activity...so you can get benefits of both kinds of exercise.
You also need to think about what aerobic activities stimulate what parts the most when choosing what you want to do...walking gets the buns, and mostly the front and back of your thighs-while you would need rollerblading to target the inner and outer thighs...bellydancing targets your hips, abdominals, shoulders, back and thighs....(I am a bellydancer), and step aerobics gets a lot of your buns and the backs of your thighs...to get them equally worked all the way around-it is best to do strength training to get each part...aerobic activity won't get it all...but it will burn lots of calories to make your entire body smaller.
Aphil

A question I can relate to!

I must take up roller blading. I tried it once, for about 5 min. and felt uneasy. I think I will try it again - in the name of thinner thighs.

I've always had heavy thighs not matter how thin the rest of my body was.

Caledon - I hear ya on that remark...always having heavy thighs no matter how lean the rest of me is :(

The thing is...the way that most women store fat - it generally goes to the thigh/hip area first, then to other areas of the body. And when you lose bodyfat...generally speaking...it is a matter of 'first on, last off'. Unfortunately, you can't decide WHERE the fat is going to come off first - it's systemic - your body will burn the MOST ACCESSIBLE fat first, and (again generally speaking) the most accessible is the fat that was most recently stored.

My favorite analogy of fat storage and burning is this: picture a garbage can, packed with garbage...like at the back of McDonald's or somewhere like that. They generally use a compactor so they can smush the garbage down and fit more in a smaller space. So...the new garbage on top is going to be easier to remove than the stuff that's down in the bottom that's been there for awhile...being compacted and stuck to the container.

THAT is the fat that is really going to take a lot of work-and TIME - to remove (and I hate to admit this, but 70-80% of this fat removal is through DIET...calories in/calories out...although exercise IS important - especially when maintenance is concerned). Losing bodyfat isn't especially a 'quick' or 'fast' thing to do - and the thighs (for women that is!) are the most stubborn at holding on to their fat.

For instance - back in my 265-pound days...when I started losing weight - the first place the weight-loss 'appeared' was in my face (losing chins, cheekbones making an appearance) then in my boobs, arms, back, tummy...the thighs have always been my most stubborn body part.

Last summer...when I was making my journey from a size 6 to a LOOSE size 4...and was FINALLY able to fit into those itty bitty short-shorts from the Macy's Junior Department...staying on a strict competition diet...lifting heavy...lots of cardio...along with horseback riding and cycling...I STILL had saddlebags and jiggly thighs. They were proportionately smaller, but they were there :( despite all my work. I've done enough research and reading to know that you get to a certain point where those stubborn fat deposits - no matter how much you exercise or how clean you eat - are just not going to go away (of course, the extra fat cells are there to stay).

That's when I decided to go the surgery route...and had liposuction in February of this year (you can read about it in my journal). I am NOT advocating that EVERYONE run out and get plastic surgery - but it IS an option that is available and worth researching...if you find yourself close or at your goal weight and still have fat pockets that you can't get rid of and they BUG you.

Just my two cents - off on a tangent as usual... :lol:

I started excercising in January doing some cycling, stepping power walking and some weights and I have lost no weight at all but gained a few pounds due to the binging afterwards but my clothes already are fitting me better. I think it is because by muscles are toning up a wee bit but I feel a lot better in myself for it.

Oh and I just started my diet (or cutting out the sweets etc) this week, so I hope to start loosing some weight soon.:)

hi all,

I started working out at the gym in march mostly 3 days a week.

Workout consists of 20 mins on bike and 20 mins on treadmill and 30mins doing resistance (weights) workout for arms, legs, chest and abs.

The trouble is I've only lost about 4-5 pounds and feel that I should have lost more by now.

I am not following a strict diet of any sort just trying to eat healthy.

Shouldn't I be losing weight faster and more of it by now? What am I doing wrong?

I feel like my weightloss has stagnated before it has even really begun.

You don't want to focus totally on the scale...if you are overweight you do want to lose some weight in pounds, but most importantly, you want to build muscle mass and lose fat-which results in a firmer more defined body.
You have been working out for 2 months-and a 5 pound loss on the scale is not a bad thing at all-you are doing great, keep it up. When you work out regularly and include weight training-you will build muscle mass and lose body fat-and unless you are getting your body fat checked or are measuring, you are not going to see the results of that-because the scale does not show it.
What I would recommend is that you do a couple of things...first, start taking your measurements. I do this once a month, and record them. Use a soft sewing type of measureing tape, and measure your bust at the fullest point, your natural waist (where it naturally is the smallest-not where your pants go up to), the fullest part of your hips...and if you want to-the fullest part of each thigh, calf, and around your bicep. Write these down and compare the measurements each month-if you continue working out, you are going to see a much better measure of your progress this way than by the scale.
I had a slow month on the scale a while back...I had only lost 2 pounds in over a month...but when it had come time to take my measurements-I had lost 1/2" off of each thigh...and a 1/4" off of each bicep...which are the areas I had really wanted to improve-so I was thrilled.
Another thing you may want to do is take a picture of you in workout wear-like shorts and a sports bra...and take another picture each month-of front, side, and back view each time and compare. Keep them togehter with the dates they were taken on the back of them. This is where you are really going to visually see the improvements in your muscle definition, etc. When you see yourself in the mirror every day, it is hard to really see how much you are improving. My husband doesn't really notice all that much, until we get pictures back from somewhere, or he sees a video of me a few months back or my driver's license-and then he is like "Wow!"
Your weight loss is going just fine...regular exercise that includes strength training and cardio, and eating a clean diet of lean protein, fresh fruit and veggies, and complex carbohydrates instead of junk is the best thing you can do for your body.
Good luck!
Aphil
:D

Dear Aphil,

thanks so much for taking the time out to reply to my post. You are so encouraging! I will definitely take my measurements and photos - what a great idea!

I am very dedicated to workingout right now, it's like if I miss my gym day I start to feel agitated.

You are so welcome! I love taking my pictures each month or two and comparing them...and seeing the results each month from my measurements. Congrats on the dedication to exercise...it is so wonderful for you!
Aphil