I've heard that the best way to decrease the size of your thighs is to use the exercise bike? or is it better to do any kind of cardio and then thigh exercises? any insight is greatly appreciated

The best way to lose overall weight is to do cardio and watch and journal carefully what you eat, IMO ... You must burn more calories than you take in, in order to lose weight there is no such thing as spot reducing. I really don't think that cycling is better than running or running better than an aerobic class. All are good cardio workouts and burn fat. What I do find, and what works for me, is that when I increase my intensity on any cardio that I lose weight more than when I just do a longer easier workout, but this is just me, so do what works for you. The hips, butt and thighs tend to be the trouble spots for most women therefore will be the last place for us to lose the fat.

thats what I figured, that you can't spot reduce .. thanks so much!

I've always known that you can't spot reduce but it still makes me feel better to work those areas that are my trouble spots. I guess I think that at least once the fat is (mostly) gone, they may turn into my best spots. My gym has 2 machines - I call them the gyno machines so if you've seen them you know the ones - that work the adductors/abductors for your legs. I think doing some ankle weighted leg lifts on your side would probably have about the same effect. Underneath all the jiggles in my inner and outer thighs, I've got some rock hard muscle under there from using those machines.

Julia -- You know what I've heard about those machines? It's that if you work your inner and outer thigh on those machines,the muscles get bigger and if you have fat on top of those muscles your thighs will look BIGGER... I heard this a couple of years ago and I haven't done those machines since ....

Now Ilene, isn't that what a lot of people say about any weight training Said in a really whiny voice: you'll get all bulky.

In my gym they situate them so that your legs are pointing out toward the wall BUT they're next to the spot where the indoor track opens up so anyone running on the track suddenly comes upon you with your legs in a rather compromising position. When a man comes around the track and sees someone (i.e. me) using them they look away so fast they almost trip sometimes.

I love, love, love those machines. When I'm doing them I hold onto my legs just because I'm getting to the point where I can really feel the muscle throught the fat and it feels soooo good. I'm going for a "dancer's dimple"...now if I could just get rid of those cottage cheese dimples...

''Bulky'' is my pet peeve !! I lift heavy as possible everywhere else

Julia - I think those machines are called Inner/Outer Thigh machines. My gym has them also and I do it three times a week......I also do cardio...I don't think they are getting any bigger.....
I know they say you can't spot reduce but Michael Thurman swears you can sculpt your body to your liking = by doing certain weight bearing exercises. I would agree with him on that....

They are called adductor and abductor machines. You can hit most of the same muscles doing weighted lunges and squats. Try doing dumbbell or smith machine squats with your toes pointed out in a plie position.

You can't spot reduce, but you can spot build or "sculpt". It's all a matter of how you train.

Mel

on the placement of the machines, Julia! In my gym they're facing a mirrored wall! Funny, you never see a guy using them. I use them sometimes when my knees are acting up and I don't want to stress them further with squats.

What's a dancers dimple?

It's a "dip in your hip" -really the side view of your glutes- when your upper thighs/glutes are flexed. Ballet dancers (men more so than women) have them a lot, hence the name.

Ah, I see! Thanks Julia!