Toning outer thighs and hips?

[dana82]

What is best for that area?

[minime]

hi dana

not only is it tough to isolate muscle groups when building muscle ('toning') but your outer thighs and hips are not muscles that will adapt well to growth! Therefore to 'tone' them, as you wish, will probably be a case of losing body fat.

As far as working on your legs with weights - i would suggest some compound lower body work - squats, lunges and stiff leg deadlifts are what i currently do for my thighs. Sure they dont target those areas that u specifically worry about BUT building those up will help u burn fat (and so help you towards your goals)

I dont know what your current weight or bf% is so of course I am only giving general guidelines.

good luck!

[Lady C]

Minime is right. Working the legs will eventually get you where you want to be.
You can work specific muscles by putting your feet in different positions while doing squats. For example, do a workout with a wide stance one workout, do narrow stance the next workout, and do toes out (sumo style) the next workout. You will feel the difference. I rotate between these to make sure I get a well rounded look.

[standAPART]

I agree with Minime. You have to just burn off total body fat...I would conentrate on cardiovascular exercise like the stepper or crosstrainer, with maybe 2x a week of weights. Don't just work lower body! Work everything. The thighs and outer hips are mad eup of large muscle groups encompassed by a large tendon called the iliotibial band. becaue of this your hip circumference will lose a few inches or none. This is determined by your body fat.
Unfortunetly, the toes in and out example on squats that someone mentioned, doesn't work. That puts emphasis on certain muscles becasue of something called the "stretch-reflex" and can exacerbate hip problems.

[CF-OC_gal]

Learn to love your body!

You haven't posted much about what you do already or really what you have noticed about training yourself. All we seem to do is fire general guidelines at you! I'm not picking on you but really, your questions seem to be the kind that any shallow answer will satisfy. We can't tell what you are like or how committed you are.

Subjective goals like tone outer thighs and hips have to be put in context. Maybe to me your thighs and hips are already toned! We have no way of knowing :confused: . Maybe you have a picture in your mind of a body type that just isn't you! Maybe your eating politics (vegetarianism) conflicts with your appearance goals.

That's why I say learn to love your whole body. Pick a SMART goal, not one that is subject to moods and opinions. (Specific Measureable Attainable Realistic Tangible)

[Mary98]

My hips have really been looking great since I've started lower body exercises and yoga. I think it has more to do with the former, though.

[dana82]

@ Brat as far as what I do now I just do cardio but I used to do weights total body 3 times a week but I never got the look I wanted through that so I stopped. I wanted to try something different because that never got me to where I wanted to be.....
I feel mt hips are bigger then the rest of my body and I want them smaller! I want them to be about 35-36 inches...they are 37.5 and my waist is 26.5 which I'd like to be 25. So I'm not sure if its unrealistic or not :confused: I do have a picture in my mind! This is what I want to look similiar too ( and don't get the wrong idea!)
http://www.forplaycatalog.com/store/...ersFPJPR4?Args=


The vegetarian part isn't because of political views I just don't like the taste of red meat I only like chicken and turkey but from everything I've read about health in general ( not necessarily fitness) it says to stay away from animal protein...so I was trying to find a happy middle between the two .....but yes I have been eating mostly carbs for the past few months

@Mary thanks! What did you mean by former? I've never tried yoga I'll have to look into a dvd to start...

[Lady C]

I think that is where you are a bit confused. You cannot be something your genetics don't want to be. First of all you don't eat enough protein to gain muscle (yes, you do want that). Second only doing cardio will make you a smaller verision of what you are now. No more tone or definition.

I recommend you return to doing those 3x per week weight workouts. Eat protein in EVERY meal and stick with it for at least 6 months. You will see changes that I'm sure you will be happy with. If the hips get wider it will not be because of the weights - it will be genetics.

As far as the animal products thing goes. There is tons of hype surrounding it. I don't see that it is necessarily as bad as some say. Fish is really good for you. Pick something and stick with it for 3-6 months before changing.

[CF-OC_gal]

ThanKs for the further info Dana. That picture is really not helpful at all. It only reinforces my comment about wanting to be something unrealistic. You are only talking about losing 1.5 inches in the waist and hips!! That is not even detectable visually by someone other than yourself. Why would you beat yourself up over that(or rather get anxious over that) ? You already have great proportions (waist 10" smaller than your hips)

Like Lady C said go back to full body workouts. Dropping the resistance training is the worst thing you can do.

Also about the meat. I don't know what sources you read but I can find an opinionated article pro and con meat in the diet. Some people do better with meat and some do better without. Rather than slam red meat, try to go a step beyond in your decision-making and look at the source of your red meat. grain-fed animals and free range animals (often organic raised beef) are much better choices. It's the same thing with poultry. It may mean you have to change where you shop but find a place you can trust then move on with your program. There would be an awful lot of sick, rundown, anemic women if it wasn't for meat.

Do you know what your daily protein/fat/carb ratio is ?