Fat Thighs!!!!!! Help!!!!!!!!!

miniminx

Hi,

I've been working on my terrible thighs for well over 6 months now with little success. I workout 6 days a week; Using a 10kg fly wheel cross trainer (fat burn programme) 30 mins 3 days a week. Davina Super Body DVD (super fit session, which is kick boxing really) with wrist and ankle weights 3 days a week. Also squats session from Davina DVD 6 days a week. Each day workout time totals 50 to 60 minutes. Puting my all (and plenty of sweat and tears!) into every session - Thighs still flabby and horrible!
Any tips? Please Please Please!

Thanks!

barura

What's your diet? "You can't out train bad eating" and all that is probably relevent.

DARCHA22

I would think its your diet. post it up so someone can help you

miniminx

Well daily diet generally goes like this:

Mornings
Cross trainer day
6am - Tea, low fat yoghurt
Workout
07:30 - Protein shake
10:30 - Porridge made with water (40g serving) & coffee
11:30 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk

DVD day
07:30 - Tea
09:00 - Low fat yoghurt
Workout
10:30 - Protein Shake
12:00 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk

Afternoons
13:00 - Salad bowl or homemade veg soup, apple
14:30 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk
16:00 - Apple
19:00 - Dishes as follows or similar:
Fish with steamed veg & boiled new potatoes
Grilled steak with salad & boiled new potatoes
Spag bol or similar (100% homemade by my boyfriend)
Homemade chicken soup or veg soup with a brown roll
Grilled chicken with salad
Grilled meat (chicken or beef) in pitta bread with salad
20:30 - 2 squares 80% dark choc
21:00 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk

Plus water, 2 litres min. throughout the day.

Saturdays I drink white wine with my boyfriend and Sundays I eat what I feel like (but dont go mad!). Boyfriend is from Yorkshire so Sunday generally is roast dinner day!

DARCHA22

cant see you dong much wrong to be honest. How long have you been working out for?

Maybe just some patience and a positive mind set will help.

Remember you cant lose fat from just one area, your body decides where to use fat stores from.

Replace tea with Green tea maybe that might add a little extra to fat loss.

I am dubious about these celeb workout videos, did they really get that way from what they are showing you on the dvd?

Or did thay get that way with surgery, expensive personal trainers, nutritionists etc.

WalterMitty

Women tend to exxagerate their size and fatness but given that Caveat I think you arent getting enough protein into your diet. Between your morning protein shake and your dinner you aint getting no protein. Add a shake or something like tuna at lunchtime. Also look into doing more High intensity cardio and squats with dumbells and full body weights workouts.

Vegeta

How are you tracking the progress?

Weighing yourself weekly?
Measuring tape?
Body Fat Callipers?

Often weight loss and gain is so gradual that it is hard to notice it.

Get a notebook and record lots of info about yourself
Weight every friday morning after you get out of bed
Get a measuring tape and measure around various parts of your body once a week, chest, waist, hips, thigh at it's widest, bi-cep, just above the knee etc etc

Record the results in a repeatable manner for a month and if you haven't changed a single bit then you have to work harder on your eating habits (most important for controlled weight loss) and on the workouts.

Your diet looks decent and while your exercise choice is not optimal you should be seeing some weight loss if even the diet is right.

Kimia

I'm not an expert but I would have thought that your diet looks like it's too low in calories and fat and that you're probably lower than 1200 cals a day? If thats the case your body is in starvation mode and you will find it almost impossible to lose weight. It's like you're doing low fat, low carb and low calories all at once which is literally impossible. You must be miserable!

miniminx

DARCHA22 wrote: »

cant see you dong much wrong to be honest. How long have you been working out for?

Maybe just some patience and a positive mind set will help.

Remember you cant lose fat from just one area, your body decides where to use fat stores from.

Replace tea with Green tea maybe that might add a little extra to fat loss.

I am dubious about these celeb workout videos, did they really get that way from what they are showing you on the dvd?

Or did thay get that way with surgery, expensive personal trainers, nutritionists etc.

been working out like this since january. yeah the way the body works regarding fat loss can be a little frustrating sometimes! good tip on the green tea, thanks will give that one a go.

i was thinking about substituting the DVD for something else. but it needs to be something i can do at home. tried running but it really hurt one of knees, which i appear to have a problem with. any ideas what i could do? would i be better off just using my cross trainer? thanks!

miniminx

Vegeta wrote: »

How are you tracking the progress?

Weighing yourself weekly?
Measuring tape?
Body Fat Callipers?

Often weight loss and gain is so gradual that it is hard to notice it.

Get a notebook and record lots of info about yourself
Weight every friday morning after you get out of bed
Get a measuring tape and measure around various parts of your body once a week, chest, waist, hips, thigh at it's widest, bi-cep, just above the knee etc etc

Record the results in a repeatable manner for a month and if you haven't changed a single bit then you have to work harder on your eating habits (most important for controlled weight loss) and on the workouts.

Your diet looks decent and while your exercise choice is not optimal you should be seeing some weight loss if even the diet is right.

i weigh myself once a week and also use a tape measure. the rest of my body is responding but the good old thighs are hanging in there! little unsure to what part of my thigh to measure though.....? tend to measure my upper thigh. the problem really is with the front and inner thigh. back doesn't seem too bad.

any ideas on a work out plan that might be better? i'll do anything at this point! planning on getting back into horse riding this week, so will be doing that 2 to 3 times a week.

miniminx

Kimia wrote: »

I'm not an expert but I would have thought that your diet looks like it's too low in calories and fat and that you're probably lower than 1200 cals a day? If thats the case your body is in starvation mode and you will find it almost impossible to lose weight. It's like you're doing low fat, low carb and low calories all at once which is literally impossible. You must be miserable!

perhaps, i had considered this and amended my diet for a while with more calories. but i just ended up putting on weight! did it for 2 weeks. maybe i didn't keep it up long enough to let my body respond? im finding that my energy levels aren't great and my concentration and memory are poop! not sure how to tackle this to be honest. feels like a case of 'damned if i do and damned if i dont'!

TommyKnocker

Hi mniminx

I have heard that of the fitness DVD's on the market, Davina's is supposed to be one of the best.

However if you keep doing pretty much the same workouts each week, then your body becomes accustomed to it and it is no longer challenged by the workout. At this point progress slows down or stops completely.

So you really need to keep changing things around to keep your body challenged.

Have a look at kettlebell workouts. You will get lot's of ideas on Youtube.

This is just an example

Another plus with KB's that that they don't take up too much room to store. They are really good for conditioning and firmimg up.


Best Regards,

M

DARCHA22

miniminx wrote: »

been working out like this since january. yeah the way the body works regarding fat loss can be a little frustrating sometimes! good tip on the green tea, thanks will give that one a go.

i was thinking about substituting the DVD for something else. but it needs to be something i can do at home. tried running but it really hurt one of knees, which i appear to have a problem with. any ideas what i could do? would i be better off just using my cross trainer? thanks!

You could use the cross trainer and maybe do some extra cardio excercises, like these which can all be done at home

http://exercise.about.com/library/bllowimpactcardioblast1.htm

You should go to www.fitday.com its free, track your diet etc

Shows calories eaten, calories burned etc.

You enter your food, activites etc(prob good to do to see if you are consistant)

You will see if you have a cal deficit, along with the excercise, then you should get to where you want to be.

Good luck and just have patience.




(my earlier posts were removed )

miniminx

DARCHA22 wrote: »

You could use the cross trainer and maybe do some extra cardio excercises, like these which can all be done at home

http://exercise.about.com/library/bllowimpactcardioblast1.htm

You should go to www.fitday.com its free, track your diet etc

Shows calories eaten, calories burned etc.

You enter your food, activites etc(prob good to do to see if you are consistant)

You will see if you have a cal deficit, along with the excercise, then you should get to where you want to be.

Good luck and just have patience.

(my earlier posts were removed )

kool, i'll have a look at that website. sounds like it could be really useful.

thanks for all the advice, i'll definitely keep at it!

Red Cortina

miniminx wrote: »

Saturdays I drink white wine with my boyfriend and Sundays I eat what I feel like (but dont go mad!). Boyfriend is from Yorkshire so Sunday generally is roast dinner day!

I think that I read on this forum somewhere (probably something g'em said??) that while men can tolerate/see progress with cheat days, that women generally need to stick to one cheat meal per week to see results. I know that this has certainly rung true for me.

Kimia

miniminx wrote: »

perhaps, i had considered this and amended my diet for a while with more calories. but i just ended up putting on weight! did it for 2 weeks. maybe i didn't keep it up long enough to let my body respond? im finding that my energy levels aren't great and my concentration and memory are poop! not sure how to tackle this to be honest. feels like a case of 'damned if i do and damned if i dont'!

When you amended your calories what kind of food did you eat? I know, it's so frustrating when you feel like you're undereating now (and getting nowhere) and then someone tells you to eat more which you've tried (and got nowhere).

It all depends on what you're eating. Here's what you are eating, and what you probably should be eating (in bold). Try low carbing for 2 weeks and see how you get on. Track what you eat on fitday.com or sparkpeople.com and they'll give you your totals for the day.

Mornings
Cross trainer day
6am - Tea, low fat yoghurt - Tea with double cream, Hard boiled egg
Workout
07:30 - Protein shake
10:30 - Porridge made with water (40g serving) & coffee - Bacon & eggs
11:30 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk - Handful of nuts/lump of cheese/slice of ham

DVD day
07:30 - Tea - Mint tea
09:00 - Low fat yoghurt - Egg muffin/Handful of nuts/Cheese wrapped in ham
Workout
10:30 - Protein Shake
12:00 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk - Handful of nuts/mint tea

Afternoons
13:00 - Salad bowl or homemade veg soup, apple - Salad bowl, lots of meat, cheese, olive oil dressing, square of 85% choc for treat
14:30 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk - Coffee with double cream
16:00 - Apple - Nuts/Cheese
19:00 - Dishes as follows or similar:
Fish with steamed veg & boiled new potatoes - Fish with steamed veg
Grilled steak with salad & boiled new potatoes - Grilled steak, veg, butter
Spag bol or similar (100% homemade by my boyfriend) - Spag bol over aubergines
Homemade chicken soup or veg soup with a brown roll - Veg/chicken soup then another meal with lots of protein / veg
Grilled chicken with salad
Grilled meat (chicken or beef) in pitta bread with salad - No pitta bread
20:30 - 2 squares 80% dark choc
21:00 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk - Coffee with double cream

If you're going low carb don't be afraid of fat. Low fat has pervaded us all to the point where when I started low carbing I was terrified of eating full fat anything, now I eat loads and already my hair looks better, my skin is clear and my nails are strong and don't break anymore. And I've lost half a stone (in 2 weeks). Best of luck.

live4life

The only thing that tones up my thighs (and this is always the one area that I find hardest to tone) is the leg weight machines at the gym... especially the hip abduction/induction ones, although they are all equally important....you notice a difference straight away by building up the weight every couple of weeks... I combine this with cross trainer OR running and I also find the stairs brilliant for toning my hips...

Transform

mother of god thats the last thing i would suggest - lunges, step ups, straight leg deadlifts, deadlifts, split squats are the most important exercises for any woman to do.

Here is a client of mine doing some split squats and there is not an adductor machine that will come close to any of the exercises she and any of my other female clients do -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A2RBsYpzUU

and some deadlifts also -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2oq-j9X6do

train with the exercises that give you a big bang for your buck not the insignificant exercises that are grand every now and again

bigbadbear

Kimia wrote: »

When you amended your calories what kind of food did you eat? I know, it's so frustrating when you feel like you're under eating now (and getting nowhere) and then someone tells you to eat more which you've tried (and got nowhere).

It all depends on what you're eating. Here's what you are eating, and what you probably should be eating (in bold). Try low carbing for 2 weeks and see how you get on. Track what you eat on fitday.com or sparkpeople.com and they'll give you your totals for the day.

Mornings
Cross trainer day
6am - Tea, low fat yoghurt - Tea with double cream, Hard boiled egg
Workout
07:30 - Protein shake
10:30 - Porridge made with water (40g serving) & coffee - Bacon & eggs
11:30 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk - Handful of nuts/lump of cheese/slice of ham

DVD day
07:30 - Tea - Mint tea
09:00 - Low fat yoghurt - Egg muffin/Handful of nuts/Cheese wrapped in ham
Workout
10:30 - Protein Shake
12:00 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk - Handful of nuts/mint tea

Afternoons
13:00 - Salad bowl or homemade veg soup, apple - Salad bowl, lots of meat, cheese, olive oil dressing, square of 85% choc for treat
14:30 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk - Coffee with double cream
16:00 - Apple - Nuts/Cheese
19:00 - Dishes as follows or similar:
Fish with steamed veg & boiled new potatoes - Fish with steamed veg
Grilled steak with salad & boiled new potatoes - Grilled steak, veg, butter
Spag bol or similar (100% homemade by my boyfriend) - Spag bol over aubergines
Homemade chicken soup or veg soup with a brown roll - Veg/chicken soup then another meal with lots of protein / veg
Grilled chicken with salad
Grilled meat (chicken or beef) in pitta bread with salad - No pitta bread
20:30 - 2 squares 80% dark choc
21:00 - Decaf coffee with skimmed milk - Coffee with double cream

If you're going low carb don't be afraid of fat. Low fat has pervaded us all to the point where when I started low carbing I was terrified of eating full fat anything, now I eat loads and already my hair looks better, my skin is clear and my nails are strong and don't break anymore. And I've lost half a stone (in 2 weeks). Best of luck.

I'm definitely not a nutrition expert but i always think that when your changing your diet to lose weight its good to try enjoy doing it. otherwise you'll end up with a big Chinese in front of you when you feel tired or down.

That said, I am amazed at your diet above and how you aren't losing weight.

I'm thinking of you as overweight in general. I'm wondering are you fairly slim just with larger thighs than average or are your portions HUGE. A habit I have recently overcome is eating what ever is on my plate even after i'm full.

Can you tell what age you are and how overweight are you (if at all)?

sfag31

Dont mean to be glib or anything but that is a hell of a lot of meals.
I count 14 times that you put something in your mouth.
You must never be hungry.

Personally I've had more success at weight loss with few meals and going a bit hungry between them than I've had with the small regular eating plan than so many seem to like.

Dont be afraid to drop exercise if you are tired and eat less accordingly.

Fish oils - lots of em, and vit pills are your friend.
Ditto for gree tea shich supresses the appetite.

sfag31

miniminx wrote: »

Hi,

I've been working on my terrible thighs for well over 6 months now with little success. I workout 6 days a week; Using a 10kg fly wheel cross trainer (fat burn programme) 30 mins 3 days a week. Davina Super Body DVD (super fit session, which is kick boxing really) with wrist and ankle weights 3 days a week. Also squats session from Davina DVD 6 days a week. Each day workout time totals 50 to 60 minutes. Puting my all (and plenty of sweat and tears!) into every session - Thighs still flabby and horrible!
Any tips? Please Please Please!

Thanks!

Jaysus, mary and joseph - thats some workload. I've only just read it.

Toooo much.
If your goal is fat loss then work out less and eat less.
To firm up the muscles then do weights session - 3 times a week for as little of half an hour each time will suffice if you go hard enough.
Weights should be all body parts - incl legs.
Meat with every meal.
Go a little hungry approaching the next meal.

live4life

Transform wrote: »

mother of god thats the last thing i would suggest - lunges, step ups, straight leg deadlifts, deadlifts, split squats are the most important exercises for any woman to do.

Really this is very new news to me?? I always incorporate some core exercises or lunges and squats with dumbbells but I really find the machines tone me for longer..... Hmm, maybe im off the mark here or i do too much. Can i ask why this would be the last thing you suggest?

Transform

live4life wrote: »

Transform wrote: »

mother of god thats the last thing i would suggest - lunges, step ups, straight leg deadlifts, deadlifts, split squats are the most important exercises for any woman to do.

Really this is very new news to me?? I always incorporate some core exercises or lunges and squats with dumbbells but I really find the machines tone me for longer..... Hmm, maybe im off the mark here or i do too much. Can i ask why this would be the last thing you suggest?

its the last thing because the machines only work such minor muscles that overall matter very little and are hit much better with the aformentioned exercises.

I have (as you can see) clients do the right exercises that give a bigger bang for your buck plus many of them can be done from home with very or no equipment.

twedledee

Miniminx, as someone who had large thighs until recently I would take transforms advice and do those leg exercieses it really is all that will change their shape. Diet helps reduce weight but the leg exercieses are the only thing that change the shape. Try some walking lunges and static squats they really make you feel it even without weights. Good luck.

Transform

twedledee wrote: »

Miniminx, as someone who had large thighs until recently I would take transforms advice and do those leg exercieses it really is all that will change their shape. Diet helps reduce weight but the leg exercieses are the only thing that change the shape. Try some walking lunges and static squats they really make you feel it even without weights. Good luck.

cheers for that and i have never worked with any female client that did not significantly improve their legs from doing all mentioned leg exercises

nak

I am finding it difficult to lose body fat too, is it worth drinking protein shakes? I don't have a lot of protein in my diet, do about 10-12 hours a week of cycling, and eat around 1700 calories per day (all meals cooked from scratch, no takeaways and not much alcohol). Can't ditch the carbs, as need them for the longer rides. Weigh 59kg, 5'4", female and have lost about 3kg in 3 years of this routine.

Looking to lower body fat, not that fussed about weight. Had knee surgery 2 months ago, so have been doing very little exercise and haven't gained weight. Doing squats and lunges with small weights at home as part of rehab to build up wasted quads. Can't afford a gym membership.

Mellor

nak wrote: »

I am finding it difficult to lose body fat too, is it worth drinking protein shakes?

Only if they replace something else in your diet.
If you take them on top of a regular diet, then they are just extra calories and will wipe out a deficit

Transform

agreed and keep the starchy carbs to around bike training times only i.e. right before and after

nak

Thanks, tend to eat small portions of carbs, mainly porridge before a ride with seeds etc, and brown rice or pasta with meals after training/racing.

Have tried to work out calories burned, and seem to be eating a few hundred less than burned each day, Will give the shakes a go.

I'm always amazed at the carb-fest the people I work with have for lunch, especially the girls, most of them are skinnier than me and do little or no exercise. Different body types I guess, the only thing I'm missing out on is the ability to fit into skinny jeans