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Old 07-19-17, 10:38 PM  
muffins135
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
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blueskies, I would also appreciate knowing your diet for fat loss. Please PM me if you can
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Old 07-19-17, 10:51 PM  
flight301
 
Join Date: May 2011
I'm interested too blueskies
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Old 07-19-17, 10:52 PM  
beyond.omega
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Thank you all for the feedback, I really do appreciate the kind words and advice! It really put it into perspective that I have come very far and I am being a bit ridiculous about this imperfection I perceive I have. I've always hated my thighs, and I realize I can probably never get them as thin as I want, but I have always hoped that I could improve the overall shape and thickness so they are less blobby and tree trunky (you can't tell in those exercise pants, I have very little definition, and they are like one shape up and down), that's really the part I don't like. I have no desire to be super skinny at all, I just want nicely shaped legs, and I will keep trying to get them. I'm not chasing perfection, because the rest of my body isn't perfect looking or super toned; I settle for reasonably shaped. I think I am a bit delusional and always hoping there is some magic solution I have just not discovered, which is unlikely. Acceptance eludes me yet.

I didn't think I was overworking my legs because I've been focusing on mostly pilates/floor work (which I always thought aimed to 'lengthen' and pull in), and I thought it would help improve my thigh shape; I didn't think these types of exercises contribute to building muscle. I guess I've been going a bit overboard. I'll have to force myself to lay off and do them less (which shouldn't be too difficult...).

I'm really disappointed to hear that Callanetics is not recommended for just targeting the thighs/butt area... I don't think I can ever get myself to do the full workout . I hate suffering for body parts that are already ok shaped, and I have a hard time doing exercise routines that last more than 20 minutes. Blah. And blueskies, that's odd that inner and outter thigh work has that effect, now I'm paranoid. I don't think its really done much for my legs, they look the same to me. There are Ballet Beautiful bridge series (which I hated and therefore avoided), and others that involve lifting the leg behind the body, so perhaps I may switch to those.

Ladies, thank you so much again for all the feedback, I take everything under consideration! If I do find anything that works, I will update.
Hi Flight,

I'm glad to hear you are working toward acceptance. I think you thighs will appreciate it. You certainly have gotten a lot of great ideas on this thread. I just wanted to add a few thoughts to what others have said.

1) In regards to Callanetics, I learned in taking classes that the secret to making it a slimming exercise is actually the stretches. It's not clear if you were doing them after the legs section, but also the stretches in the Callanetics 10/10 are a little...challenging. In class, we used to do classic lower body stretches - lying down hamstrings (maybe with a strap) and standing quad (holding a barre for balance if you need it.) 20-30 seconds of stretch for each one (either one stretch, or splitting it up.) Those after the Legs section.

Blueskies mentioned working glutes - that is what the classic Pretzel exercises targets - the gluteus medius, which is on the "Hips" section of the 10/10 DVD. (Note, In class, we followed those exercises with the "4 stretch" and another outer thigh stretch.) When you do any/all of the stretches it is important to really gently relax into it rather than forcing it - for slimming and safety. In addition, the "Bellydance Exercise" in the cool down section also targets the hips and the legs.

So, by doing just the legs section you weren't quite getting all the lower body exercises. If you still want to try Callanetics, you could get the Quick Callanetics DVD's that target the Hips and Legs and alternate. Each DVD is about 20 min. That might fit your schedule better and you can be sure you are getting your stretches in too. Maybe you can get it from the library to save money. However, you also said you don't really like it, so I agree with others that maybe this just isn't for you.

2) Looking at the photo you posted, since you posted the side view, I noticed you have a bulge on your upper front quad. That can be associated with a tight psoas, or your psoas kicking in involuntarily when doing other exercise. I'm not sure that is it since you said you have strong abs, but I wonder if for some reason your psoas is just kicking in anyway when you are targeting another muscle. If this is it, it certainly can be challenging to get your psoas to settle down. One effect of targeting the glutes (especially with the Bridging exercise which stretches the psoas while contracting the glutes) is to give relief to the psoas.

An extremely tight psoas is a problem I experience and the exercises I was given was Constructive Rest Position, which is very boring but also soothing, and a gentle stretch. But you may need to pay attention to them even when you are exercising.

3) This might be a little out there for you, but I once got the best legs I ever had by doing a 10 minute sitting T-Tapp workout. I am not exaggerating. I always have had an issue with my inner thigh from knee to groin, and for the first time ever the pudge was gone replaced by a shapely shape. It is the Chair routine on the T-Tapp More workout. It is actually a total body routine, but I think the pushing into the ground with knees out targets the inner thigh in a way that you can't when doing a standing workout. I got results very quickly - a couple weeks. I didn't actually lose any weight. I really don't mean to sound like an infomercial . If this is something you might want to try, T-Tapp has a 20-minute chair routine as a digital workout for $20. I have never done it, but it probably is similar. (BTW, YMMV)


But most of all, I still wonder if your legs really are a lot nicer than you think, and maybe you just need to find a different brand of pants that fits you better.
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Old 07-20-17, 12:30 AM  
beyond.omega
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Originally Posted by flight301 View Post
<snip>

I have been exercising consistently 6-7 days a week for 2-3 months now. I do Windsor buns & thighs, Ballet Beautiful inner & outer thigh workouts that are on youtube, and I have started doing callanetics too out of desperation (I modify the original and only do the exercises targeting the legs and thighs because thats all I can tolerate - and the rest of my body looks fine so I don't care to work abs/arms). I do 2-3 videos a night for the most part since they are only about 15-20 min each. I am less consistent with cardio, but I was consistently hiking 2 hours a day 2-3 days a week (not easy hikes, difficult uphill hikes) and that did not make a dent. My thigh measurements have not budged!!!

<snip>
(my emphasis added)

Ok - I just reread your original post, whoa, and seriously, I wonder if you just need to put away all the workouts and just do some daily stretching.
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Old 07-20-17, 01:54 AM  
Betty Boop
 
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Hi Flight, . . . 3) This might be a little out there for you, but I once got the best legs I ever had by doing a 10 minute sitting T-Tapp workout. . . .
I just explored YouTube and found this T-Tapp workout she calls "Thread the Needle - Waist to Knee Spot Reduction. What do you think? https://youtu.be/7iqaQuRf0F0
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Old 07-20-17, 06:24 AM  
Lannette
 
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I'm really disappointed to hear that Callanetics is not recommended for just targeting the thighs/butt area... I don't think I can ever get myself to do the full workout . I hate suffering for body parts that are already ok shaped, and I have a hard time doing exercise routines that last more than 20 minutes. Blah.
Please know that I'm not saying that Quick Callanetics or the Leg emphasis WO on the newer Express DVD absolutely won't work. They take you through beginning to end and include the all important stretches that I think Omega mentioned.

What won't work as well is throwing an isolated set of Callanetics Pelvic waves or plies at your body. The warm ups, exercises and stretches work together to reshape the body. Also you mention suffering. The relaxation aspect of Callanetics can't be over stated. It's soooo important. All that said, if you hate it ditch it. Life is too short......
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Old 07-20-17, 07:15 AM  
cherimac
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
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As far as cardio and length of time spent working out, my legs look their best now with Pilates and walking. I'm doing a bit of "easy" cardio with Gin Miller on the Ramp this summer because temperatures in the 90s with near 100% humidity mean I don't enjoy walking as long outdoors. But my Pilates practice is usually 20-45 minutes daily. That's it. And I do get plenty of stretching in my week. When I worked out FAR longer, my legs didn't look as good as they do now. Go figure.
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Old 07-20-17, 07:35 AM  
agatha
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Blueskies, please pm your diet to me as well
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Old 07-20-17, 11:00 AM  
flight301
 
Join Date: May 2011
Wow blue.omega, thank you so much for all the information! I'll do some research on psoas stretches. I wonder if that could explain the bulk in front of my thighs.

The portions of Callanetics I am skipping are the warm up section/abs/waist/arms/lower back stretch - I keep the warm up stretch exercise after the waist stretch in which you bend over and pulse against the legs. I do all the leg and hip exercises and I do all the stretches that are leg-centric. So I am doing most of the stretches. I only start doing Callanetics in the last week, so I have been under-stretching most likely. I like that Callanetics has a lot of stretching, I just really don't look forward to the pelvic exercises and the tip-toe leg exercises. I don't mind the floor work so much. I'll look into the T-Tap exercise.

Again, thanks for all the advice and feedback, I have read over it all and really appreciate.
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Old 07-20-17, 11:10 AM  
toaster
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Originally Posted by beyond.omega View Post
2) Looking at the photo you posted, since you posted the side view, I noticed you have a bulge on your upper front quad. That can be associated with a tight psoas, or your psoas kicking in involuntarily when doing other exercise. I'm not sure that is it since you said you have strong abs, but I wonder if for some reason your psoas is just kicking in anyway when you are targeting another muscle. If this is it, it certainly can be challenging to get your psoas to settle down. One effect of targeting the glutes (especially with the Bridging exercise which stretches the psoas while contracting the glutes) is to give relief to the psoas.
Omega, this was particularly interesting to me, b/c I've always thought that in addition to having a large derriere, I have a bulge to my upper front quad too. I've never thought about that being connected to my psoas, although I know that my psoas is tight--a previous LMT told me that that this was probably connected to some low back pain I experienced about 5 years ago. I have tried to stretch the psoas regularly, but I will try to give it even more attention; I know that the constructive rest position is supposed to be helpful. Were you saying that bridging is good also? I just did Butt Bible today, and there was plenty of bridging in that.
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