thighs!

[soitis]

Just wondering if anyone can recommend exercises for the thighs - I have been jogging, walking and doing a couple of classes a week and I feel great - while I don't think I have lost any weight - I have definitely toned up and feel better about myself.

I went shopping today and tried on a pair of jeans (my normal size) and couldn't even get them up - I am gutted! Is there any exercises I could do so specifically work my thighs - or do you think what I am doing is making my thighs bigger?

Appreciate any advice!!

Squats and split squats. Sorry. (I hate squats)

Yes to squats but they'll only really get smaller if you lose weight... spoken from bitter experience as someone with thunder thighs

Squats will tone and strengthen your thighs but probably not make them smaller (possibly the opposite as you will be using the big quad muscles a lot). I'd suggest Pilates moves to tone the smaller muscles and lengthen the bigger ones.

I do spin classes and I wondered if that would be making them bigger? I am on a new year healthy eating plan and was thinking of yoga along side my other efforts - would that do the same as pilates - must have a look to see if any pilates courses in my local gym.

also thought swimming might help tone and lengthen?

Thanks for your replies.

Ballet bar is supposed to be good for this - but seriously hurts the next day!

Yoga would be good, no the same as pilates but would be good for stretching out. Swimming good too.

Spin classes will bulk up the muscle if you are doing bits where you have to stand up on the pedals then sit down. Horse riders tend to have large thighs for the same reason (very toned and strong but large!)

there is a lot of up and down with the spin - I will try some Pilates and swimming - I only spin once a week so i am sure that combined with other exercising would help with toning without too much bulk? I enjoy spinning as I am so wrecked after I reckon it must be doing some good!!

Oh I didn't mean to suggest you should stop the spinning. If it's once a week it's not going to give you horse rider thighs and it's great for low impact cardio.

At the end of the day having toned and strong thighs is far more important than having smaller thighs anyway.

yeah - strong and toned would be good! And I don't suppose I can change my natural body shape that much.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Unless you produce an unusually high amount of testosterone exercise isn't likely to give you noticeably bigger thighs, just stronger ones.

Carry on with what you're doing and make sure your food intake is right and you thighs will slim down eventually.

thanks Barbara

I think it is just something I am more aware of now that I have managed to flatten my tum and ton my bum a bit

I'm pear-shaped so cross trainers and bikes only bulk my thighs up more. The only thing that helps my thighs is running and HIIT eg Insanity.

Another one that's pear-shaped here and after years of cycling (to and from work) I ended up with thighs that without a word of a lie looked like Chris Hoy's! Definitely not the look I was after and very disheartening never being able to wear mini skirts or look good in a pear of jeans.

I've now given up the cycling and took up running a year ago and focus more on my hamstrings when lifting weights and like the poster above also do a lot of hiit. The difference is amazing! But it has been hard work. I have also lost the 10lb that was stubbornly clinging on through the running which has slimmed down my thighs a lot.

The real injustice is that you can't spot-reduce fat or choose where it should come off first .

Every time I go on a cut, my boobs shrink before my tummy. Every. Single. Time.

Mother nature is a twisted fucker.

far more likely that the particular style or brand of jean don't work for your shape than your thighs have got bigger from some classes.

Totally agree that losing weight overall is the only way to decrease the size of your thighs as you can't spot reduce fat.

Embrace your stronger legs and carry on exercising. Buy a different brand or a bigger size. I like jeggings as they stretch.