It’s unbelievable how many girls are asking me how to get smaller thighs!
If I have to pick the most popular question I am asked on my weekly Instagram Q & A, it would definitely be that!
And I understand why this is such a popular question.
I also used to struggle with getting the answer to this myself. I spent 3 years figuring out how to exercise to keep my legs slim and thin… without gaining too much muscle in the process.
Who knew it would be so hard to get this right?
Unfortunately, women tend to store most of their body fat in their hips and thighs.
So it’s no wonder a lot us feel like no matter what we do, we just can’t seem to lean out our legs and to get skinny thighs.
And, since the majority of personal trainers and fitness gurus seem to always push women to lift heavy (or do tons of squats and leg work)…it’s actually no surprise why I see girls constantly complaining and wondering how to make their legs thinner but not muscular.
More and more women are coming to me explaining that they feel like their thighs got too bulky for their own liking (their PTs most often won’t listen to them and claim women can’t get too bulky).
I’ve already written a detailed guide on how to get lean and toned without adding too much muscle overall, but since I know how many of you are struggling with this, I want to focus specifically on how to get smaller thighs in this blog post.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO SLIM DOWN MUSCULAR LEGS?
I know most people go to the gym to build muscle, but many women actually have issues with getting overly muscular legs when they exercise.
Some girls have even told me that their legs get bigger in size with running, barre, yoga and other exercises that you wouldn’t expect to bulk up your thighs.
So, be careful and track your body’s response to different exercises as it is very individual. If you see that a certain type of exercise is growing your muscles, then you should stop doing it if you don’t want to bulk your thighs.
Let me get something straight- there’s absolutely nothing wrong with having strong, muscular thighs.
But, some women prefer to look more slim and toned and they should not be judged for it or told that that’s not a look to aspire to.
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MY THIGHS ARE TOO BIG – WHAT DO I DO?
Everyone’s idea of “bulky” and big is different – I cannot stress this enough. This is something I believe every personal trainer should be aware of.
For some women, having just a little bit of muscle in their thighs might be too much, and for others, it might be too little as their goals are different.
For me personally, when I do weights and HIIT, my arms and stomach tend to slim down but my legs get too muscular and my thighs get too big for my liking.
I don’t have too many examples of photos of me when I’m like this (I didn’t like taking pictures of myself at the time), but here is one so you can get an idea.
On the first one I was lifting heavy and the second one is working out with my Lean Legs Program 1 (after having a baby!)
I’m not saying that one is better than the other. But for me, I feel more confident with my body and just generally happier in the second one. Many other women feel that way too.
So what should you do if you want to get skinny thighs without building muscle?
There are 3 steps you should follow to get slim and toned legs.
HOW TO SLIM MUSCULAR THIGHS IN 3 STEPS:
- LEARN YOUR BODY TYPE – Your body type plays a massive role in how you tend to build muscle and lose weight and some body types are more likely to bulk up. You need to know your body type so you can learn how to train and eat accordingly.
- DO THE RIGHT TYPE OF CARDIO – Do more low to moderate-intensity cardio such as fasted walking. This type of cardio is the key to getting slim legs.
- EAT AT A SLIGHT CALORIE DEFICIT AND FOLLOW A LOW CARB DIET – If you want to reduce muscle and body fat, you should stay in a slight calorie deficit and eat a low carb diet.
Let’s cover each step in more detail.
STEP 1: LEARN YOUR BODY TYPE
Knowing your body type is super important as some body types tend to bulk up more easily in their legs (and in general) than others, i.e. endomorphs versus ectomorphs.
There are three main body types and they all lose weight and build muscle differently.
I’ll briefly cover all three of the female body types, and also link to the articles that explain your body type in detail.
ECTOMORPHS
Ectomorphs are usually naturally slim (like Victoria’s Secret models) and they find it difficult to build muscle.
If you are an ectomorph body type, you probably already have naturally thinner legs. So, your goal here is to maintain (or perhaps lose a bit of stubborn lower body fat) while building lean muscle. This way your leg will get tone and definition and you’ll avoid the skinny fat look.
To find out more about the ectomorph body type, read this blog post on how to slim muscular thighs if you are an ectomorph.
MESOMORPHS
Mesomorphs can be quite athletic and respond quickly to exercise, which means they build muscles easily.
They can lose weight very fast, but can also gain weight quickly too. Usually, they are of average size.
If you are a mesomorph, overdoing workouts like squats and lunges can easily result in muscular legs. So, your goal here is to reduce body fat percentage and avoid exercises that will bulk up your legs in the process.
For more detailed info on mesomorphs, I’ve written an article on how to get skinny legs without building muscle for mesomorphs.
ENDOMORPHS
Endomorphs naturally have a strong build and larger frame. They can build muscle very quickly and it’s slightly harder for them to lose weight. But, it’s not impossible!
If you are an endomorph body type, your goal is to really focus on reducing overall body fat and to completely avoid any workouts that may cause you to bulk up.
To learn more about the endomorph body type, read this blog post on how to slim muscular thighs for endomorphs.
If you are not sure what is your body type, I have created a free body type quiz which will help you determine your body type in just 2 minutes.
WANT TO KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE?
We’ve Created A Quiz To Help You Determine Your Body Type!
- It’s FREE
- Takes Only 2 Minutes To Complete
- You’ll Get 3 Workout & 3 Nutrition Tips For YOUR Body Type
Now that you know your body type and have a general idea on what to do and not to do, let’s go to the next step.
STEP 2: FOCUS ON LOW-INTENSITY CARDIO WORKOUTS
1. START WITH STEADY STATE RUNNING TO SLIM DOWN THIGHS
Ever noticed the difference between marathon runner legs and a cyclist or sprinter’s legs? There is a reason why.
Marathon runners usually have skinny legs because they do long duration steady–state cardio, as opposed to high-intensity sprints and cycling.
When you do long-distance running, your body is using slow-twitch muscles (the ones we refer to as long and lean) and is using fat (and glucose / carbs) as a source of energy.
I would run at a medium-fast pace and aim for 5kms for at least 30-45 minutes. But, longer is better if you’re trying to slim down muscle (ideally around an hour).
For speed, I would recommend somewhere between 9-12 km/hr. You should be able to maintain a conversation on your optimal speed.
And always make sure you’re running on a flat surface. Any uphill running will use your quads more and will contribute to bulkiness.
Also, running long distance is much more effective at slimming down your legs than the cross trainer/elliptical.
I should also mention that if you are very short and are the endomorph body type, your legs may actually get bigger with running.
If this turns out to be a problem for you, I would focus on walking.
2. DO MORE POWER WALKING TO LOSE MUSCLE MASS AND GET SKINNY
Power walking is the best exercise for slimming down your legs and still burns a surprising number of calories, so don’t feel disheartened if all you can do is walk.
The main reason that power walking is so great is that it actually burns FAT as the primary source of energy. So yes, walking will help you burn more fat.
If you want more details or have more questions about cardio, read my Q&A Cardio Post.
RELATED POST: HOW TO GET SKINNY LEGS: WHY YOU NEED CARDIO FOR FAT LOSS AND LEAN LEGS
3. TRY FASTED CARDIO FOR FASTER RESULTS
When you do cardio, your body will burn stored glycogen (carbohydrates) first, and then fat, followed by protein (muscle).
If you do cardio before you eat in the morning, you will have less stored glycogen, and your body will, therefore, burn more fat and muscle.
Less fat and less muscle size equals slimmer legs.
But for this to work, you need to eat low carb (try not to eat carbs for dinner the night before so your glycogen levels are already low), and you need to do cardio for a fairly long period of time (over 60-90 minutes).
I have written a much more detailed blog post on fasted cardio, so have a read of this if you’re interested.
STEPS 3: PROPER DIET TO SLIM DOWN THIGHS
1. EAT AT A SLIGHT CALORIE DEFICIT
Decreasing your calorie intake will help you lose weight overall as well as muscles. Muscles are a metabolically active tissue, so they require lots of calories to maintain.
If you reduce your calories, your body will not be able to sustain your muscle size, and they will atrophy (meaning they will decrease in size).
To work out how many calories you should be eating, read this blog post on how to calculate your daily calorie intake.
Make sure not to eat less than 1200 calories however – this is the absolute minimum to stay healthy and not damage your metabolism!
2. EAT A LOW CARB DIET
If you eat high fat, moderate to low protein and low carb, while staying at a slight calorie deficit, your body will use fat and protein (muscle) for energy, rather than carbohydrates.
This will help you decrease your muscle size much quicker.
Focus on getting your energy primarily from fat, and do not overdo on protein intake as well.
If you follow these 3 steps, your leg muscles will start to decrease. However, it is also important to know what NOT to do.
WHAT NOT TO DO IF YOU WANT TO SLIM DOWN THIGHS
1. AVOID EXERCISES THAT HEAVILY TARGET YOUR QUADS (I.E. HEAVY LIFTING, SQUATS, BURPEES)
As long as you are lifting heavy or doing exercises that put a lot of strain on your quads and hamstrings, you won’t slim down muscular legs. You will still continue to build or maintain leg muscle, even if you are doing cardio and eating at a calorie deficit.
Use it or lose it. It’s really that simple.
Even if you’re doing light weight and high rep, you still won’t lose the muscle. You won’t necessarily build muscle, but you will maintain the muscle that you currently have.
Therefore, I recommend avoiding anything you’re doing that uses your legs heavily, including traditional squats, deadlifts, burpees, and leg weighted machines. Just avoid “leg days” in general.
I would also stay away from workouts such as CrossFit and HIIT routines that have lots of squats, burpees and lunges.
Here’s a no jumping HIIT routine which you can do instead that is suitable for all body types, including endomorphs!
2. AVOID EXERCISES THAT GIVE YOUR LEGS A PUMP
As I mentioned, some women experience bulky legs when they do running, barre, or even yoga.
If you notice your legs increasing in size with a particular exercise, don’t do it! It is very individual, and you need to do what works best for you.
Again, this is the advice for girls who want to drastically reduce muscles in their legs.
If you’re happy with the size of your thighs or you’re not really bothered by it, please, by all means, do all the workouts you enjoy.
On my blog, I do have some HIIT exercises that won’t cause you to bulk up.
However, if you are an endomorph, if you are very short, or very very sensitive to building muscles in your thighs, these exercises still might cause you to build too much muscle for your liking. So, I would do these with caution.
If they work for you, that’s great! If not, don’t do them.
3. DON’T SPRINT TO SLIM DOWN LEGS
Cardio is a good way to slim down legs, but not if you’re sprinting.
Again, think of sprinters vs marathon runners legs. Sprinting engages fast-twitch muscles responsible for fast bursts of energy, especially in your quads.
Your muscles will adapt to the size they are needed for an often performed activity. It’s that simple.
So, make sure your cardio is always done steady-state to lose muscle from your legs faster. And again, make sure it’s on a flat surface (no hills or stair runs!).
HOW TO EXERCISE TO MAKE YOUR LEGS THINNER BUT NOT MUSCULAR
There are still lots of different types of exercises and resistance training workouts that you can do to tone up, without targeting your quads and hamstrings and making them bigger.
ALL of the workouts on my blog are designed to help you tone up without getting bulky, so I would highly recommend giving them a try! :)
- For the lower body, my favourite exercises are pilates-style moves and exercises that focus on toning up your butt, rather than increasing the size of your thighs.
- For the upper body, I absolutely love swimming and boxing for toning up (as well as burning LOTS of calories) without bulking up.
When I lift weights for my upper body, and especially when I do pull-ups and overhead pressing, my back and shoulders get really wide. However, if you still want to do weights, read my blog post on how to do it without getting bulky.
Boxing tones up my shoulders and arms without getting broad. Swimming is also great, but just be careful not to overdo it, or your back might get too broad.
SUMMARY: HOW TO SLIM MUSCULAR LEGS FAST
So to summarize, if you want to get smaller thighs, here’s what you should do:
- Learn your body type so you can understand the best exercises and diet for you.
- Do more long-distance running on a flat surface.
- Go power walking – This type of low-intensity cardio burns fat and is the best exercise for slimming down legs.
- Do fasted cardio – this will help reduce your muscle size and body fat percentage quicker.
- Follow a low carb diet and stay at a slight calorie deficit so your body can burn more fat and protein (muscle).
- Avoid exercises that target your quads specifically – lunges, burpees, squats, etc.
- Avoid exercises that make you bulk up even if they aren’t supposed to. (Some women have told me they bulked up from yoga.)
- Avoid sprinting and stair runs – make sure you run and walk at a steady-state and on a flat surface.
BEST PROGRAM TO TO LOSE THIGH FAT WITHOUT GAINING MUSCLE
I’ve created the Lean Legs Program 1 which focuses on helping you get a lean and toned body (especially legs, as this is a trouble area for a lot of women).
The Lean Legs Program 1 contains the style of resistance training that I have mentioned in this blog post in the form of FULL-LENGTH videos that you can follow from warm-up to cool down.
If you’re looking for a long term solution to muscular legs, try this program out and get skinny thighs. :)
And as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
Love Rachael xx
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It’s FREE
How come I’ve observed, I burn more calories when I’m on incline than flat surface? What is the implication of that especially since I want to burn calories
Hi lovely! You will still burn a lot of calories if you walk or run on an incline. However, since it engages your quads a lot, it’s not very effective for slimming down the legs. That’s why I recommend doing it on a flat surface instead. :)
Hi Rachel. I definitely have a mesomorph body type and I do a lot of spinning, running (5.5 miles), and free weights/ankle weights/squats. After reading your blog, I know I have to decrease my lower body weight resistance and get a new running routine without so many hills. I’m wondering about spinning. I always heard spinning burns a ridiculous amount of calories but I’m wondering if my resistance is too high. The spinning rides that a do are typically tabard rides. Any advice about spinning would be great. Thank you!
Hey hun! If you are a mesomorph, you may or may not be able to get away with spinning. Some mesomorphs are OK with it, while others aren’t. However, either way, I would still only do it 1-2 times per week maximum because overdoing it with spinning will most likely make your legs bigger. It would be best to stick light-intensity cardio like power walking. :)
Thank you so much ma’am you helped me a lot i can say all the things you said was right and im glad im not the only one to have this problem and i didnt regret visiting this page Thank you
Hi lovely! You’re very welcome! I wish you all the best on your fitness journey <3
Hi rachael. Really glad i found u. I have really bulky and muscular legs . They’re big and i hate them. I found some workouts on your blog; im talking about these https://www.rachaelattard.com/category/workouts/ . Will my muscles reduce after doing these ?
Hi lovely! This workouts are designed to help you slim down your legs without any unwanted bulkiness. But to get the best and fastest results, you will need to incorporate the right type of cardio and adjust your diet for weight loss(eating at a calorie deficit). To properly address your concern and find the right plan for you, you can reach out to us at info@rachaelattard.com and we will help you achieve your fitness goals. :)
I’ve always been a very athletic individual. I did cross country and track in high school and my legs never seemed to be super big but my calves did bulk up a bit which I always hated. Now they’re so big and I hate them. I’ve been trying to lose my calf muscle for years and I just can’t seem to be successful. I do cardio frequently (walk around 4-5 miles 3-5 times a week) and do leg slimming exercises as well as eat pretty clean. Is the constant power walking causing my calf muscles to not shrink because I’m still using them? I’m scared that if I stop the walking then I’ll have no chance at slimming down my upper thighs. I feel like it’s a constant battle and I don’t know what to do.
Hi lovely! Calves are a bit tricky because genetics is a big factor. We often get these questions so Rachael wrote a very detailed blog post about it.
I think you’re going to find it very helpful :)
And if your calves got bigger from training or you’ve gained weight, I’m happy to tell you that my Lean Legs Program could help you with that :)
You can find out more about it here.
If you need more help or tips, feel free to reach out to us at info@rachaelattard.com
Tone legs with out losing muscle
Hi lovely! If you want to slim down and tone your legs without any unwanted bulkiness then I suggest that you check out our 3 Steps To Lean Legs Program. This plan is designed to help you achieve your fitness goals by following the right type of workouts and diet for your body type. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at info@rachaelattard.com
Hi Ladies, question i have just started cardio Tennis and am following this program, will i bulk up doing cardio tennis 3 times a week im a meso body type ?
Is the Train Like a Model course, especially Day One, helpful for Mesomorphs to get slim, toned legs since they’re not body specific? I can’t get your program yet, though I really want to, and I am trying to get through the best I can right now with the free workouts. There’s so many of them that I’m doing pretty well (thanks so much, Racheal!) but I was just wondering how those ones in particular would affect me. :) Thanks for your help!
Hi there :)
I just wanted to know whether skipping using a rope could bulk up the thighs and/or calves for a mesomorph? Also, would stretching afterward prevent the legs from bulking up due to the tension from skipping? Thanks :)
Hi lovely! Skipping is great cardio but can’t be a substitute for walking and running because it won’t slim down your legs. It does burn a lot of calories which is great, but the motion uses your calves heavily. Skipping will most likely contribute to bigger calves and can make your legs bigger all over. Stretching won’t really prevent your legs from becoming bulky but it will help relieve muscle soreness and tension. If you have other fitness concern, feel free to reach out to us at info@rachaelattard.com :)
Hi lovely! Skipping is great cardio but can’t be a substitute for walking and running because it won’t slim down your legs. It does burn a lot of calories which is great, but the motion uses your calves heavily. Skipping will most likely contribute to bigger calves and can make your legs bigger all over. Stretching won’t really prevent your legs from becoming bulky but it will help relieve muscle soreness and tension. If you have other fitness concerns, feel free to reach out to us at info@rachaelattard.com :)
Hello, I would like to take your pack too much but I practice dancing 5 hours a day so I am a little lost I would really like to lose my thigh muscles for modeling but I do not know what to do if it can prevent the reduction of my muscles
Hi lovely! This really depends on what type of dancing you are doing and how much you’re doing. If you’re dancing for really long periods every day, then your legs may increase in size, regardless of what dancing you’re doing. Overusing your leg muscles can cause bulkiness. Our programs were designed to help you slim down your legs but it would still be best if you try to do other type of activities like dancing in moderation. Even if you follow the right type of workouts, doing such activities will still engage your quads a lot and might even lead to overtraining. I would only start the program once you’re done with your classes. I hope this helps. xx
Will walking at an incline bulk my legs up? For example walking at an incline of 12, speed 3 for 30 minutes. Or is it better to just walk at a speed of 4 on a flat surface? It doesn’t burn as much as incline walking
Hi lovely! Walking on an incline will engage your quads a lot and this can possibly cause some bulkiness. If your main goal is to slim down your legs, always make sure that you power walk or run on a flat surface. If you need more help or tips, you can reach out to us at info@rachaelattard.com
Hi!! I just broke my foot so have to wear a moon boot for 6 weeks so can’t walk or run!! I’m mesomorphs/endo and am so worried about bulking more without walking. What exercise should I do?
Hi lovely! I’m so sorry about your injury. :( I highly suggest that you avoid any type of workouts and wait until you’re fully recovered. I know that you’re excited to achieve your goals but your safety should be our main priority. In the meantime, it would be best if you put more focus on nutrition. <3
If i do swimming 2x a week instead of running, will it bulk up my legs?
Hi ^^ I was just wondering would doing something like dancing (hip hop) x3 a week make your thighs bulky?
Hi lovely,
This really depends on what type of dancing you are doing and how much you’re doing. If you’re dancing for really long periods every day, then your legs may increase in size, regardless of what dancing you’re doing. Overusing your leg muscles can cause bulkiness.
If your style of dance requires lots of jumping and moving from sitting to standing, then it may cause bulkiness. But again, this depends on your body type too. :)
will i lose my butt ? how to maintain it while losing muscle and fat in my thighs ?
Hi lovely,
Spot reducing isn’t really possible so in the process of slimming down, losing fat in other areas of your body is unavoidable. But you can still keep them toned and perky by trying out workouts that are focused on your glutes. :)
Hi there! For someone who is in between a Mesomorph and Ectomorph build (75% Mesomorph, 25% Ectomorph according to other body type quizzes), should I stick primarily to the nutrition and fitness guidelines for Mesomorphs? I have more of a natural hourglass figure and I’d love to slim down my arms and legs without shedding too much weight.
Hi lovely,
Each body type has a different ideal macros breakdown. If you’re a mix of both then it would be best to follow the mesomorph guidelines to achieve the best and fastest results. :)
Hi there :)
I’m a mesomorph, and a few weeks ago, I decided to change my workout routine from power walking to running. I started running 5km in 30 min, 3 times per week. However, my thighs have bulked up enormously, and I can’t fit into some of my pants anymore. I read on other fitness sites that bulking up initially is normal when you start running and that my legs should become slimmer over time. I was wondering if this is true or if I should stop running altogether? I’m extremely petite, so I am very concerned about having bulky legs. Walking seems to be the best type of cardio for my mesomorph body + short height, but running is much more efficient in terms of time. I would really appreciate any advice you may have!
Hi lovely,
Running is great cardio that can burn a huge number of calories. However, it also engages your quads a lot and can make you gain unwanted bulkiness if you overdo it. I would advise that you only run at a maximum of 20 mins a day, 2-3x a week. If your goal is to slim down your legs, it would be best to stick to light-intensity cardio like power walking. Try to aim for at least 10,000 steps a day and make sure that you do it on a flat surface. :)
I hope that helps. xx
Love,
Len
Hi there :)
I have been bulking from December to mid April. After that I started cutting. However, I’m noticing that my thighs look quite big/too muscular to my liking. My actual goal is to be lean and toned while having longer-looking legs instead of bulky ones.
During the bulk I ate 2300cals at the maximum, and currently I am eating 1600 cals. (Height 1.73m, weight 63.9 kg)
While I’m planning to adjust my training and do more cardio and body or low weight trainings, I’m stuck whether I should continue to decrease my calories even further or if I should bring up my calories again to around maintenance. (Especially because I also want to work on making my abs more visible)
I’m hoping to achieve my lean legs in max 2 months.
Any tips would be so much appreciated!!
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out!
I completely understand how you feel and I’ll do my best to help! :)
If your goal is to slim down your legs, there are 3 steps you should follow – do the right type of cardio, do bodyweight resistance training and adjust your diet for weight loss.
I have a very detailed blog post that will help you learn how to slim down your legs so please go give it a read
It will definitely help! :)
Also, you can check out our 3 Steps to Lean Legs Program. It was designed specifically for girls who are struggling to slim down their legs. :)
If you have any other questions, feel free to email us at info@rachaelattard.com! xx
Hi! Your blog post about the skinny fat body type really helped me and made me start going to the gym for resistance training. I had to stop though due to a covid spike and i’m just doing home workouts but really not feeling like it’s going anywhere. I do prefer the home workout setting but i’m in need of proper guidance. I would like to ask if there is a difference in the program for those who want to slim down muscular thighs and those who want to lose the fat but keep the muscle? I’ve lost a lot of muscle mass from extreme dieting, and i don’t want to lose what little gains i’ve made from my first 6 weeks of resistance training😅😅😅.
Hi! I’ve known about Rachael’s program for a while and was considering it once before because my thighs have always been an issue for me, yet I ended up finding a coach last year and started focusing on her plan. I am an endomorph and have a good amount of muscle definition on both my arms and legs now, however, I am finding that my legs look bulkier than I want them to be and they aren’t changing shape. My current diet is a carb cycling one, which I feel has been the best for me since its given me the freedom to not feel trapped and not completely avoid carbs. At the moment my training program follows my diet, so if I eat high carb that is a weight training day (3-4x a week, which involves both upper body days and just leg days), if it’s a low carb day, then that’s fasted cardio or HIIT. On an extra low carb day I eat carbs between 20-25% range, which is a rest day for me.
Do you think this is what’s causing my legs to stay bulky, the carb cycling, other than my current workout plan?
Thank you! Alx:)
Hi lovely,
Because the endomorph body type does better on a low carbohydrate diet, we recommend this macros breakdown: 20-25% carbohydrates, 45-50% fats, and 30% protein. If your legs get bulky easily and you want to avoid building more muscle, the best exercises to avoid are those where you can feel your quads burning. This includes squats, deadlifts, lunges, and overdoing it on the HIIT exercises including burpees, jump lunges, jump squats, and box jumps. Here are some general guidelines for the endomorph body type. :)
If you have more questions, feel free to email us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Hi there! I read through what you have recommended and would love to try the 3 step process but I am now pregnant. I am early in first trimester with my 3rd baby. I’ve been able to get back down to normal weight of 115 but I swear about 10lbs rests in just my thighs and I HATE it. I want leaner thighs so they don’t rub and no crazy flubber. I obviously cannot do the fasting before cardio and running kills my knee….any recommendations with these limits would be greatly appreciated!
Hi lovely,
The 3 Steps To Lean Legs Program hasn’t been tailored for pregnant women. I’ve had women say they’ve done the program while pregnant with some modifications. Most of the workouts are low impact, so they should be safe to do during the first trimester. However, I would recommend checking with your doctor first so you can be 100% safe. I wish you all the best! Xx
If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Hello,
I have inadvertently become extremely muscular through a workout program designed by a personal trainer. I was lifting heavy weights five times a week. I now look a bit like an amateur bodybuilder, which was not at all my intention. On a recent body composition test done at a gym, my body fat is around 17% and all areas are around 120% muscled. Based on your quiz, I am an endomorph and I am 164cm, 57kg. I’ve always wanted slim legs and hips, and the weight training over the past two years made me toned but too bulky. I am wondering if I should focus solely on power walking as much as possible for a couple months and take a break from all resistance training since I have muscle to lose, or if I should do low weight resistance weight training along with it even though I want to lose muscle. How many times a week would you suggest considering my state at the moment (over-muscled)?
Thanks very much!!
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! <3
If your legs get bulky easily and you want to avoid building more muscle, you should first stop the exercises that you've been doing. The best exercises to avoid are those where you can feel your quads burning. This includes squats, deadlifts, lunges, and overdoing it on the HIIT exercises including burpees, jump lunges, jump squats, and box jumps.
Power walking will definitely help you lean down those muscles so we recommend doing it 5-6x a week. Try to aim for at least 10,000 steps a day and make sure that you do it on a flat surface. Incorporating light-resistance workouts into your routine will also be a great help. Lastly, you need to adjust your diet for weight loss, you can do this by eating at a calorie deficit and following your ideal daily calorie intake and macros. :)
Here are some general guidelines on the right type of workouts and diet for your body type.
Lastly, feel free to check out Rachael’s 3 Steps To Lean Legs Program. This plan was made to not only lose fat but also slim down bulky muscle and achieve a more feminine look. xx
If you have more questions, you can email us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Hi, I used to be very slim but I ate too much and had a sedentary lifestyle which made me gain a lot of weight! :( If I follow the correct diet and workout regularly, will I be able to become as lean as I was before. Please let me know, thank you!
Hi lovely,
If your goal is to slim down not just your legs but also your whole body, there are 3 steps you should follow – do the right type of cardio, do bodyweight resistance training, and adjust your diet for weight loss.
I have a very detailed blog post that will help you learn how to slim down your legs so please go give it a read
It will definitely help! :)
Feel free to reach out to us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Wonderful article and very helpful! I’m one of those struggling to slim down my muscular thighs. Question on power walking — can I do this indoor (without any equipment like treadmill) by following ‘walk from home’/ ‘power walk at home’ YouTube videos? Many thanks!
Hey lovely,
I don’t really suggest walking at home because from the experience of our customers, it just isn’t effective as walking on a treadmill or outside.
If you can’t get out, you can temporarily substitute it for these two in-door cardio videos:
FREE AT-HOME CARDIO VIDEO
FREE AT-HOME CARDIO VIDEO (BOXING)
Again, keep in mind that it’s not as effective as walking is but it will be way better to practice these than skip your daily cardio routine. <3
Love,
Len
Loved this article. You have addresses so many questions that are not normally answered. I am 74 years young and am Italian. That partially explains my problem with bulky thighs and legs. I exercise on average 229 minutes a day but my results are not what I had expected. I am recovering from breast cancer and my hormone therapy has stopped. I also have low thyroid so I know this is all contributing to my problem. I am committed to moving forward and to make a long story short was so delighted to read your article. It has helped so much. Thank you again. Stay safe in these crazy times. ☺️
Hi lovely,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. You are a very inspiring woman and I’m glad that Rachael’s blogs helped you a lot. :)
If you need any help or tips, feel free to always reach out to us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Hello,
Will winter sports such as snowboarding, skiing or crosscountry ski make me bulk when I’m a mesomorph? I don’t mean on a professional level, but will I notice bulk or rather leaning after one week of skiing every day?
Hey lovely,
If your muscle memory is good, especially if you’re a mesomorph, you might want to stop engaging your thighs while doing cardio and stick to power walking as that will not bulk you up by any means.
Occasional skateboarding/skiing is okay if that’s something you enjoy very much but keep in mind it could bulk you up if you do them frequently.
The best advice I can give you regarding all those activities is to keep track of your thighs and if you realize it is starting to bulk, you can stop. :)
I hope it helps. If you have more questions, you can email us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Hi, Thank you for all the wonderful and highly effective advices you give, You have really helped me a lot. I was just wondering will jogging or running at a pace of 7km/hr bulk up my thighs. I am mesomorph and I run for about 40 min twice a week. Thank you so much.
Dana
Hi lovely,
thanks for reaching out! <3
Running may or may not cause bulkiness, it really depends per person. The best way to determine if it's causing bulkiness is to pay attention to your body. Try running 2-3 times per week (20 minutes per run) and observe your body. If you notice that it's causing bulkiness in your legs, I would advise you to substitute the running with power walking <3
I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any questions! xx
Love,
Sanja
Hi,
This is just super awesome, thank you for this and Alos so glad that I’m not alone.
So my dilemma is that I lost the body fat I wanted to, even around abs and got that down but ended up bulking on my legs and waist area… such a pain and completely hadn’t noticed.
Your program is for fat loss, is this something right for me who is solely focusing on losing muscle in the areas I bulked.
Thank you
Hawaa
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out :)
Rachael’s 3 Steps to Lean Legs Program is actually for both weight loss and leaning out not only your legs but your whole body. It focuses on cardio like power walking, resistance circuits, and a healthy diet, so if you follow it as closely as possible, you will see results too <3
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out to info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Sandra
Hello
I was wondering how long each thigh slimmer, full videos are. I already have a workout that consists of about 34-40 min and I want to add the thigh reduction workout into my existing workout. I don’t want them to be too much longer than it already is. Thanks lovelies
Hi lovely,
Feel free to incorporate this workout into your routine. The time spent will be based on the number of rounds that you prefer to do but it should be around 10-15 mins. :)
INNER AND OUTER THIGH WORKOUT
If you’re referring to the workouts included in the 3 Steps TO Lean Legs Program, they are around 20-40 mins long and the cardio is a bit longer. :)
If you have other questions, you can email us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Hi Rachel!! First of all, thank you for all your advice and explanations, they really helped me! I wanted to ask how could a 15yo go from bulky to lean? I have done a lot of gymnastic when I was little and now I have pretty big quads and really defined muscles, but I would like to achieve a leaner look if possible and straighter legs (meaning my quads are really shaped and it gives my upper thighs an outward kinda look), but I cant really diet cause I just eat what my family prepares. I already don’t drink sugary drinks, try to limit sweets as much as possible, eat five portions of fruit and veggies a day and I also eat gluten free cause I’m intolerant. I stopped doing exercises like squats//burpees//lunges and things that really target the quads, do you have any particular recommendation on how to lose some fat and get leaner muscles, without bulking up for me?? (btw the body type quiz says I’m a mesomorph) thank you so much in advance❣
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! :)
Since you are 15 years old, your body is still going through a lot of transformations so if you want to lose weight, it’s best you talk to your parents so they can get you an appointment with a specialist. A nutritionist can advise you on your nutrition and workouts so that you can achieve the results you wish in a healthy way that suits your age.
Wishing you the best of luck! xx
Love,
Sandra
Hi Rachel!! I’m in the military and have to run and build muscle in my legs for PT tests, however, I feel like my legs have no shape right now, and just look sort of big. I want to lose fat in my legs and make them thinner. How can I do this while still having to do workouts that build leg muscle and also needing to run? Also, I’m a mesomorph. 5″3 and about 130 lbs. Thank you!!
Hey lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! :)
It isn’t, unfortunately, possible to achieve drastic changes while you’re still practicing the exercises that build your muscle. :/
However, you can always practice power walking on a flat surface. It’s a great form of cardio that helps a lot in terms of slimming down. :)
Love,
Ana
Hello! :)) my quadriceps are quite large and i wanted to ask what exercises or things would help slim them down. ive read this post and i am going to incorporate a calorie deficit and walking into my routine :)
Hi lovely <3,
Thanks for reaching out!
You should avoid any type of exercise that would activate your quads heavily- squats, lunges, deadlifts, etc.
Also, power walking is the absolute best for slimming down your legs and burning fat. You can learn more about that here.
Hope this helped and if you have any other questions, feel free to email us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Sara
I found a Youtube video where someone said that using resistance bands while walking slimmed their thighs down. Is this true for mesomorphs?
Hey lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! :)
It is completely unnecessary, hun. You can feel free to power walk without any additional equipment. :)
Love,
Ana
Hi! I want to start doing power walking but where I live isn’t flat at all, in fact, there are hills everywhere! Would that be a problem, or should I go somewhere else to walk?
Thanks!!
Hi lovely,
It would be best if you make sure that you do your power walks on a flat surface. Any uphill walking (i.e hiking, taking the stairs, treadmill on an incline) will engage your quads a lot and can cause unwanted bulkiness. If you have a treadmill that is on zero degree incline or other open spaces with flat surface then that would be great. :)
Hope that helps. If you have more questions, feel free to email us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Hi! Would power walking in place be as effective as walking outside? I can’t leave the house as much anymore, so I was wondering if that could be a replacement. Thanks, have a great day!
Hi lovely <3
The motion that you use in walking-in-place actually engages your quads a lot and can bulk you up so I wouldn't recommend it. If you can’t get out, you can temporarily substitute it for these two in-door cardio videos:
FREE AT-HOME CARDIO VIDEO
FREE AT-HOME CARDIO VIDEO (BOXING)
Again, keep in mind that it’s not as effective as walking is but it will be way better to practice these than skip your daily cardio routine. <3
Hope that helps. If you have more questions, feel free to email us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Hi,
I do martial arts and it requires me to perform burpees and stay in squat positions. Will I be able to get results from this program and slim down my legs while I continue martial arts? I can’t quit my sport, but I really want results. Thank you :)
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out :)
It really depends on how much and how often you do those exercises. If it’s on regular basis, I don’t think using the Program would have much effect on your legs, but if it’s once or twice a week, I would give the Program a go :)
If you have any other questions, you can always write at info@rachaelattard.com, we’ll be happy to help you :)
Love,
Sandra
Hey,
Are there weight machines/gym machines i can use to slim and tone my legs instead of bulking them? Just wondering. I’ve noticed that I am more likely to work out regularly if I go to a gym.
Thanks,
Emily
Hi lovely,
Feel free to check this blog post for a Gym-based Full Body HIIT Workout that won’t cause bulk. You can use the types of equipment that are included in the video when you visit the gym again. :)
If you need more help or tips, feel free to email us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Love what I am reading! I have been trying to tweak my workouts for a long time and feel like someone finally “gets” what I’m talking about! The more I fo, the more I build, including my derriere, I dont need to lose weight, but I also dont want my pants to feel snug..what exercises and how often should I do to slim those muscles? I am a mesomorph accor6to your quiz@ thank you!!
Hi lovely,
Glad to know that hun! To be honest, walking is by far the most effective cardio in slimming down your legs (especially muscular ones) so try to aim for at least 10,000 steps a day and make sure to do it on a flat surface. since you are a mesomorph, you can also incorporate some light resistance exercises and HIIT workouts in your routine to achieve slim and toned legs. :)
If you need help or tips, feel free to email us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Hi! Doing the walking, but what works better to slim legs, large movements with ankle weights or small pulses with ankle weights? Thank you so very much!
Hi lovely,
thanks for reaching out! <3
For walking, it's not necessary to use ankle weights. Rachael recommends walking at least 10,000 steps per day on a flat surface, at least 5 times per week :) Walking on a flat surface is super important because it ensures that you won't get bulky. You can also walk on a treadmill and get the same results, as long as the treadmill is on a zero incline.
I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any questions! xx
Love,
Sanja
Hello Rachel! I have comparatively very muscular hips, thighs and calves as compared to upper body. Particularly, I have much extra lateral bulges in the upper thigh. And it’s totally muscle owing to the muscle building exercised I did wrongly before for a long time of aroung 3 years. It feels really disheartening not being able to do anything about it. What would you suggest for me?
Hi lovely <3,
Thanks for reaching out!:)
Let's start with your body type. You can do this quick quiz and once you have the results, you can write to info@rachaelattard.com and I will gladly give you some tips and guidelines. <3
Love,
Sara
Hello Rachel!
So, at least once a week I add a bit of HIIT into my workout routine that consists in running at a fast pace (13,5km/h) for 400m, then I would walk for 200m in a 6 km/h pace. I repeat this routine 5 times. After this intense circuit that takes me about 20 minutes to complete, I walk in a 7km/h pace for about 30/40 minutes until I reach 1 hour of cardio on the treadmill in total. I would love to hear your thoughts on this type of workout combining HIIT and low intensity cardio and your opinion on how effective it can be on slimming down, especially the thighs and legs. Thank you so much :)
Hey lovely,
Some girls benefit greatly from running while others tend to bulk up from it.
I suggest that you track the appearance of your legs in the following few weeks and if you notice them getting larger in size, it would be better to practice power walking instead. :)
In any case, the incline on your treadmill should be set to 0%, because inclines and downhills would cause bulking up. :)
It would also be great to practice a healthy diet and low impact resistance trainings that you can find on Rachael’s blog as well.
Such as this one. :)
If you have any further questions I suggest that you reach out to info@rachaelattard.com and we’ll gladly help! :) xx
Love,
Ana
Hi! My legs aren’t particularly muscular or big, but i have noticed that the front of my thigh its not flat, it curves outwards. So if I stand from the side, the front of my thigh pokes out a bit if that makes sense. What can I do to fix this?
Thankyou !
Hi lovely,
If your goal is to slim down your legs there are 3 steps you should follow – do the right type of cardio, do bodyweight resistance training and adjust your diet for weight loss.
I have a very detailed blog post that will help you learn how to slim down your legs so please go give it a read
It will definitely help! :)
If you have more questions, you can email us at info@rachaelattard.com <3
Love,
Len
Hi Rachael! Thank you for such a breadth of advice! I’m somewhere between a meso- and endomorph body type — and I’m also very short (A little over 5 feet).
1. Do you have any posts specific for shorter women that I could look to for advice, please?
2. Without lunges, squats, burpees, and so forth, how do women typically have success toning the UPPER back of their thighs? That part seems really hard to address when I’m not doing rigorous plyometric movements like those
Thank you! :)
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! <3
To know the right type of workouts and diet for you, we need to determine first your body type. If you're not sure, you can send us your photos in fit/sports clothing (i.e leggings) by emailing us at info@rachaelattard.com and we will help you. :)
Most of the time, exercises such as lunges, squats, burpees, etc cause bulkiness to the legs. To get slim and toned legs without bulking up, you should do the right type of cardio, do bodyweight resistance training and adjust your diet for weight loss.
I have a very detailed blog post that will help you learn how to slim down your legs so please go give it a read
It will definitely help! :)
Love,
Len
Will biking an hour every day, make me bulky?
btw i am pretty muscular.
(Endomorth i Think It is called)
Relly hope u Will answer me
Hey lovely,
If you are an endomorph, then yes cycling will most likely make your legs bigger so I would avoid it completely. :/
Rachael suggests other versions of cardio, such as power walking. :)
Love,
Ana
Hi – What about mini-trampoline or rebounder? Does this help slim legs or potentially add bulk similar to jumping? Any thoughts or experience with this piece of equipment? Thanks.
Hi lovely <3,
Thanks for reaching out!:)
Rebounding is kind of like skipping – it's a great cardio exercise but it won’t slim down your legs and the bouncing motion can actually make your calves and thighs bigger.
Every once in awhile is probably OK. But it isn't the most effective exercise – power walking and running are more effective in terms of cardio :)
I hope this helps!<3
Love,
Sara
Hello , i am a male and wanted some muscle definition in my legs but i dont want them to get big. I just want to build the muscle but not mass. Thanks..
Hi Dipesh,
Rachael’s products aren’t meant for a male body – you might be able to do the cardio and follow the nutritional guidelines but as for the workouts – I would suggest you to find a PT that will help you with modifying the program or even make a new plan based on ours to match your goals. As you already know, males have much more testosterone (and general hormone balance is completely different) which will help with muscle building, and males usually don’t tend to retain fat as females do, so you would find it easier to lose weight if that’s your goal. :)
Hope this helps a bit!
Love,
Sanja
For me, 5’5/128 lbs and endomorph body type, however I feel when I walk, say 10 miles a day, I start getting muscular hip area and even below that area-I live downtown Chicago so it’s as flat as one can find-
I am so quick to bulk that even on a week hiking trip my thighs get so big, it’s insane how quickly my legs can build muscle-I can see in pictures how my thighs have grown on a trip!!
I can’t run for I’ve had 3 knee surgeries and was told knee replacement is next, to young for that-I tried pilates and as the article stated, yep…thighs got big, so had to stop-Also it killed my knee, so not worth it-
So annoying for as many know, a wrong exercise can make fitting into normal clothes a pain!!!!!
Question –> Would walking on a treadmill provide more consistency in slimming legs down than walking outside?
Hey lovely,
Your experience is unfortunate I must agree! :/
However, are you sure that you are wearing proper shoes while walking? Running sneakers are the best option. :)
I do suggest that you try doing it on a treadmill, just make sure that the incline is not implemented (0%) because any downhills and inclines can affect your thighs.
Love,
Ana
Hi,
I’m a little confused. I’m normally an Ectomorph (very slight, long legs and arms) but since hitting my 40’s (and having a baby!) I’ve put weight on my tummy and thighs. Am I better following Ectomorph or mesomorph training/diet?
Thanks :)
Hey lovely,
In this case, Rachael suggests that you follow the mesomorph guides for the best and fastest achieved results! :)
Love,
Ana
Hello! I’m SO relieved to discover this website and program after I was horrified to see I had bulked up my legs from too many dead lifts/weights during isolation, as well as sprinting, but was constantly told by others “it’s in your head” or “someone your size can’t bulk up”. I’m definitely a mesomorph and a short one at that and my thighs have never been bigger! I will definitely adopt Rachael’s walking and eating recommendations to slim down the muscle, but I’m not sure how to approach the cardio? I don’t want to do anything that will maintain the muscle on my quads/hammies, so I think running is out. Will power walking be enough? I’m not overly concerned about losing too much weight. Thanks!
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! <3
If you know that running will cause your legs to bulk up, you can definitely substitute running with walking. Aim for at least 10,000 steps per day. I know this might sounds "too easy" or like "too much walking" but it makes a HUGE difference :) Here is a guideline that Rachael wrote for mesomorphs that I think you’ll find super useful.
I hope this helps and if you have any questions, please feel free to write to us <3
Love,
Sanja
I have done my leg exercise lost to slim down but I gain bigger thigh n bigger muscles
Hey lovely,
Have you followed Rachael’s workouts or which ones? :)
If you’d like to consult with us, send an email to info@rachaelattard.com and we’ll gladly help! :)
Love,
Ana
Hello, thanks for your sharing, i really need help with my muscles and learned a lot from this post :)
After pandemic (nearly 5 months working from home, depressed and not doing any sport at all) i am finally here. I am a mesamorph, i begun with walking & running everyday. I couldn’t lose weight so i tried something different and combined some youtube videos of latin dancing,zumba and kickbox workouts along with a daily one hour walking. Now i see my old bulky muscles came back, just above my knees. Am i on the right way, and should keep going or should i change something ?
Love,
Eda
Hey lovely,
Here is the link to Rachael’s blog post on mesomorphs that can greatly help.:)
I suggest walking and running on a flat surface, since the inclines and downhills are bulking you up.
Aim for at least 10 000 steps daily for best results.
Running is very beneficial for some girls, and some experience bulking up, so try reducing it and running few times per week, and track your legs.
If it continues, consider stopping.
Kickbox is fine, dancing also unless it includes a lot of jumping motions, which also bulks up.
Let me know if you have more questions! xx
Love,
Ana
Hello, I have a mesomorph body type but I’m also very short (1.50m/4’11). My legs always have been super muscular and bulky. You said that “ I should also mention that if you are very short and are the endomorph body type, your legs may actually get bigger with running.
If this is a problem for you, I would focus on walking.”
Does this also apply to short mesomorphs females? I dont want my legs to get bigger than they are. Should I walk instead of running?
Hi lovely <3,
Thanks for reaching out!:)
Yes, mesomorphs regardless of their height could also bulk up from running.
If you notice your legs get bulkier you could substitute running with power walking as power walking will by no chance bulk you up!<3
In case you already feel like your legs are not slimming down, I'd suggest you stop running and start power walking right away. :)
Please let me know if there's anything else I can help you with!:)
Love,
Sara
Hi :) I have a mesomorph body type, and I am trying to lean out my muscles, especially my legs, which tend to get bulky easily. I don’t mind doing cardio (walking and running), but I have a high resting heart rate, so just walking at 5.5 km/h gets me into my fat burning zone (usually I’m at 134-137 bpm at this speed). Do you suggest that I do my LISS only at this speed or could I incorporate running (8.5 km/h gets my heart rate up to 160-170)? 30 minutes at 8.7 km/h and 30 minutes at 5.5 km/h feels good to me. Thanks :)
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! <3
You can definitely incorporate running 2-3 times a week :) Also, Rachael has a great blog post on the fat burning zone that you can find here
Love,
Sanja
Hi! I’m trying to get a long, narrow, and shapely look.
I combine yoga, pilates, and resistance training with weights.
Would you consider lifting 35 pounds in a deadlift and 40 pounds in a hiptrust as lifting light weight ?
What is the range of weights considered light?
Hi lovely <3,
I responded to your other comment on another post! :)
Love,
Sara
Hi there, is there any money back guaranteed for the payment within 30 days? As different workout suit different body so I am not sure if purchasing it and testing this out will eventually work for me
Hi lovely,
Rachael’s program is designed around different body types. When you purchase the program, you select the program to go with the body type that you are. If you are not sure which body type you are, you can take Racheal’s quiz here
Rachael does not have a money-back guarantee for payments made within 30 days because she guarantees that you will get results :) To get a refund, all you have to do is submit before and after pictures of your progress.
I hope this helps! xx
Love,
Sanja
Hello my question is if walking or running in a inclined superfice could bulk my legs (calves). And also, do lifts make your legs bulkier or skinnier? Thanks for your time. <3
Hi lovely <3
Running and walking on a surface that is not flat (such as an incline on a treadmill, or going up a hill) can bulk up your legs, I'm afraid so I would avoid it and walk/run only on flat surfaces. :)
As for your second question, if you are referring to lifting weights, that would make you bulkier - it's best you do body-weight resistance exercises.
I hope this helps! xx
Love,
Tina
Hi, I saw your website and I just have some questions to ask you
Is cycling good for lean legs and not bulky legs?
Do you recommend to weight myself once a week and count calories?
I am eating healthy foods and doing some exercices but can’t see results.
By the way, so you don’t recommend to do jumping exercises, squats, lunges or walking up stairs right? (I just see that people says different and oposite things, it’s so contradictory…)
Thanks for your time.
Hi lovely <3
Cycling works your quads heavily, as so do lunges, squats, even walking up the stairs if there are plenty of them, and jumping if you are referring to rope jumping (it can bulk up your calves). When you are not certain, just try doing any of these activities and if you feel your quads working, then it's best to avoid them if you are aiming for a lean look.
Instead of weighing yourself, Rachael recommends taking progress pictures so you can follow your progress because the scale can show different numbers within a day depending on whether you ate, drank water, etc., and can be quite de-motivational in that regard.
As for counting calories, for a healthy weight loss, you would indeed have to be in a slight calorie deficit (some 200-300 calories less than you spend) because 70-80% of weight loss is nutrition and you simply need to eat a little less than you spend in order to lose weight. Here's a blog post that can help you calculate your ideal calorie intake.
Also, I suggest you first do Rachael’s free body type quiz to learn your body type and based on your results, give one of these blog posts a read: mesomorph, endomorph or ectomorph
If you have more questions, you can also contact us at info@rachaelattard.com. xx
Love,
Tina
I want to slim down my bulky thighs and glutes, can you please suggest some exercises
Hi lovely,
I first suggest you learn your body type – here’s Rachael’s free body type quiz and then give one of these three articles a read, depending on whether you are an ectomorph, endomorph or a mesomorph.
As for exercises, I recommend following Rachael’s free ‘Train like a model’ video course – you have it under ‘Free Items’ on your account on Rachael’s platform.:)
Love,
Tina xx
I am having trouble losing the last 5 kg. I am 66kg 177cm tall and really want to get to 64kg but struggling. Can you recommend a meal plan?
Hi lovely,
Rachael has a free 7-day meal plan you can try! You can find the link here https://www.rachaelattard.com/free-lean-legs-diet-meal-plan/
Or if you prefer something more long-lasting, Rachael has a complete 8-week meal plan that’s going to help you lose weight and teach you how to eat clean and healthy. This meal plan is part of her 3 Steps to Lean Legs Program and you can find out more about it here https://www.rachaelattard.com/skinny-legs-ebook/
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! xx
Love,
Marina
On our off days, do we still need to try to get 10,000 steps in? Just not power walking?
Hi lovely,
You don’t have to, especially if you’re feeling a bit tired. But if you’re feeling fine, you can go for a 30-45 minute walk.
(The more you walk, the better your results will be, but it’s also important to give your body time to recover.)
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!
Love,
Marina
I like to do an hour walk 5 days a week and your resistance exercises 6 days a week. Surely that’s good and not too much. I’m wanting to speed results
Hi lovely,
That sounds great, but you don’t need to do resistance workouts every day. :) We usually recommend doing them every other day so you can get some time to rest. Everyone gets results at different rates. Some women notice a difference after only one week whereas others can take about 4-6 weeks.
Wishing you all the best! xx
Love,
Diana
Hi! I’m a mesomorph, and I have some questions. Can I do volleyball training and other cardio workouts in order to get skinny legs or should I only do running and walking?
I go to school in the mornings so I can’t really walk or jog when I wake up, what workouts would you recommend me to do on an empty stomach to get my legs thinner?
Also, is it necessary for me to do HIIT?
Hi lovely,
Nothing will slim down your legs like walking and running will, but feel free to do other type of training such as volleyball, swimming, boxing, yoga, pilates and similar.
We usually recommend light intensity cardio (i.e. walking) if you’d like to do it on an empty stomach. More intense training will require more energy, so you should have at least a light breakfast beforehand. But you can also start exercising after breakfast, you will still get results.:)
Aiming for 10 000 steps per day is what really helps slim down the legs pretty fast (you can split this up throughout the day).
Mesomorphs can do some HIIT without bulking up, but if you’d like to skip it you can just do another lighter resistance workout instead. You can also try interval running if you enjoy running.
All the best! xx
Love,
Diana
Will trx make my legs look leaner?
Hi lovely,
We usually recommend using TRX for the upper body resistance training – these are great and won’t make you bulky. TRX can be used for a full body workout, but most leg exercises involve squats and lunges that will build your quad muscles. If you wish to slim down your thighs nothing will be as effective as walking and running combined with lighter resistance training. :)
Love,
Diana xx
Can I do ab and glute exercises on cardio days, or do I have to add them to resistance day?
Hi lovely,
Of course you can do the extra booty exercises on cardio days (that’s exactly what we recommend). Best of luck! :) xx
Love,
Diana
I have 2 sets of stairs in my house so I can’t avoid them. I’m constantly going up and down all day. I’m between a mesomorph and endomorph body type. My legs are wide up top because of this. Any ideas of how to slim down while doing stairs?
Hi lovely,
Unfortunately there’s no way around this if it’s inevitable for you to climb the stairs. I would suggest aiming for 10 000 steps per day (power walking on a flat surface) to slim down the bulky muscle! xx
Love,
Diana
Can this programme help me reduce cellulite? I was doing lots of squats/lunges and found that although it helped reduce my cellulite it also made me bulkier and so I stopped… now the bulkiness is going but the cellulite is back… I know it’s sort of something that’s not curable but it’d make me so happy if it could be reduced and I could have non – bulky legs at the same time..? I just would like to know if the programme can possibly help with this? Thank you!
Hi lovely,
The Lean Legs Program is designed for overall fat loss, so it will help you reduce cellulite as well! :)
Our program includes the perfect type of resistance training and cardio to give you a lean and toned look, without making you bulky.
It’s an 8 week workout and nutrition plan that will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe ebook and demonstration videos.
If this is something you’re looking for then I would definitely recommend giving our program a go. You can find out more about it here:
Lean Legs Program
For more helpful tips please have a read of this blog post.
Love,
Diana
xx
i’ve been dancing competitively for around 7 years anywhere from 10-15 hours a week, so i can’t cut out my classes. through these 7 years i’ve noticed that my legs, both my thighs and calves, have gotten very bulky. is there any way to slim them down?
Hi lovely,
The best you can do is power walk at least 45-60 minutes every day. You can also add in resistance workouts 3 days per week if you have enough time.
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program!
Our program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your entire legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about it here:
Lean Legs Program
For more helpful tips on how to slim down your calves please have a read of this blog post.
Love,
Diana
xx
About how long should this take to see results?
Hi lovely,
Depending on how much muscle you’ve gained it can take anywhere from 2-6 months to slim down completely.
Love,
Diana
xx
I’m a ballet dancer so avoiding excersises that use those muscles is not possible, opp ?
Hi! Will your workouts also help with my upper body? I am short (5ft) and i have big muscular thighs. My pants are starting to be too tight around my thights but not tight around my waist. And my shoulders look broader and arms a lot bigger. I do lift but im only using 10lbs for upper body. Lower i am using up to 100lbs with squats/leg press. Im also training for a half marathon and a marathon in October. So my question is will your program lean out my entire body to look thin or just my legs? Thank you!!
Hi lovely,
The Lean Legs Program includes full body workouts, so it will help you slim and tone your upper body and core as well, not just legs! Also, it’s completely tailored to your body type. :)
You can find out more about our program here:
Lean Legs Program
Love,
Diana
xx
Hi! So I have been a gymnast for almost 8 years now (since I was 5) and I’ve just now stopped because it is tiring. But I’ve noticed my legs have gotten very bulky and the muscle isn’t toned anymore….. I really want to fix it but nothing I do works!! I don’t need to lose weight because I don’t weigh over 95 lbs…. but I just want to tone my muscle and try for a thigh gap? Is there a healthy and safe way to achieve this goal of mine? I really need some help!
Hi lovely,
The best way to maintain your weight and get more toned is to eat enough (as many calories as you burn) and focus on resistance training.
I suggest checking out our YouTube channel with lots of free workout videos! :)
Here are some samples of workouts from the Lean Legs Program:
Day 1 – https://www.rachaelattard.com/free-skinny-legs-ebook-workout-part-1/
Day 2 – https://www.rachaelattard.com/free-skinny-legs-workout-ebook-day-2/
Day 3 – https://www.rachaelattard.com/free-skinny-legs-workout-ebook-day-3/
Love,
Diana
xx
Hi dear Rachel! i just wanted to thank you for all this information. I’m struggling with my legs all my life, I’m a very active girl since I can remember myself and everything in my life is around sports. All my trainers were always telling me the same thing: “this is your body and there is nothing you can do to make you legs thinner”. lust before giving up, I found your blog and finally i feel like there is hope! thank you so so much for what you’re doing.
XO,
Tal :)
Hi lovely,
I’m so glad you’ve found our blog helpful! Hopefully you’ll be able to achieve your fitness goals in no time. All the best! :) xx
Love,
Diana
I’m a dancer and I have class 5 times a week but I’m getting really bulky, how do I fix this.
Hi lovely,
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program!
The Lean Legs Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the program here:
Lean Legs Program
Love,
Diana
xx
Hi! After we complete your program, what exercises should you do maintain your skinny legs? Can I just walk by itself?
Hi lovely,
I would recommend doing another round of the Program for even better results or maintenance.
Of course, you can also add some ankle weights, gliding discs and resistance bands (if you haven’t already), or increase the number of repetitions to make the workouts more challenging.
Whatever you decide, walking should always be combined with resistance training. :) xx
Love,
Diana
hello sweetie , what do u think about eliptical trainer? does it reduce muscle mass in leg? thank u
Hi lovely,
I don’t think the elliptical machine will really cause bulkiness, but it won’t slim down your legs like running and walking will. The pushing down motion means you engage your quads more so it will build more muscle here. But it’s not the style of workout that will necessarily cause bulkiness. If you can’t walk or run for some reason, the cross trainer is the next best thing :) xx
Love,
Diana
Hi, I am 35 and was dancing all my life and have a toned lady like body. I am not into gym type of exercise and was doing only squats sometimes. It was fine until 2 weeks ago I spotted a bumpy muscles on top of my front thighs which doesn’t look good. It’s not a gradual one and looks weird especially when I stand straight. My thighs ewas my favourite part of my body but now I hate it☹️. I haven’t changed anything in my diet or the way I exercise. I really really want to lose that particular muscle and have straight thighs. I can send u the picture if needed. Pls pls help as I can’t wear short skirt any more and it ruined my confidence?
Hi lovely,
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program!
We have designed the Lean Legs Program to include the perfect type of resistance training and cardio to give you a lean and toned look, without making you bulky.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe ebook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the program here:
Lean Legs Program
Please feel free to send photos to info@rachaelattard.com, I will gladly help you figure out your body type and answer any questions you have! :) xx
Love
Diana
A little about me… I played college basketball all 4 years, so I do have quite a bit of muscle in my legs. I had ACL surgery in May of this year and for the longest time I was walking on incline 10 because I was told that would slim down my legs. It actually bulked them up, therefore when I was cleared to start running I did it every day. For the last 4-5 weeks I have been running every day at a speed around 7.5MPH-8.2MPH for about 20 minutes. For my legs to get slimmer, do I need to run at a slower pace for a longer amount of time? I don’t see a difference in my legs. After cardio I always do lunges, curtsy lunge and some leg machines; should I stop doing that as well?
Thank you.
Hi lovely,
Yes, I would recommend a lighter intensity cardio like walking and running at the speed of 6.2-7.5mph. I would also avoid squats, lunges and heavy weight lifting if you’re trying to make your legs leaner.
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program.
The Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs and reduce cellulite, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
Lean Legs Program
For more helpful tips please have a read of these blog posts:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/female-guide-how-to-get-lean-and-not-bulky-skinny-legs/
https://www.rachaelattard.com/how-to-get-skinny-legs-cardio-for-lean-legs/
Love,
Diana
xx
Thanks a lot
I goal to reduce size and burn fat and muscle both.
I have an idea that is based on 2 things:
1- increase size of upper body with build muscle(3 days a week)
2- decrease size of down 1 day a week with both cardio and weight training to burn muscle!
i m sure first idea is true but second one although is very hard, don t increase muscle?
Hi lovely,
You don’t have to build muscle in order to reduce fat. Also, training once a week to decrease muscle won’t help and using weights to achieve that would only be counter-productive.
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program.
The Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
Lean Legs Program
For more helpful info please have a read of this blog post.
Love,
Diana
xx
Hello! I integrated squats and lunges into my exercise plan like 3 months ago. The thing is my vastus lateralis and medialis are really noticeable especially when I flex. Is there any way that they can go back to when they were not noticeable. Will a fat burning thigh workout help?
Hi lovely,
I would suggest avoiding squats and lunges and doing more power walking instead.
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program!
The Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
Lean Legs Program
For more helpful info please have a read of these blog posts:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/female-guide-how-to-get-lean-and-not-bulky-skinny-legs/
https://www.rachaelattard.com/how-to-get-skinny-legs-cardio-for-lean-legs/
https://www.rachaelattard.com/how-to-get-skinny-legs-series-summary/
Love,
Diana
xx
Hi, I’m a 14 years old and I’d like to reduce my thigh and muscle thigh. I’m Vegan and I don’t know if your program have a vegan option. Also, Can you please tell me what food are low carb and low protein and everything.. ? (Sorry for my mistakes English is not my native language)
Hi lovely,
The meal plan in the program has not been tailored for vegans, but we have a list of vegan alternatives and recipes that I can send you to help you modify the plan :)
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program!
The Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
Lean Legs Program
For more helpful info please have a read of these blog posts:
How to get lean and not bulky
How to get skinny legs
Cardio for lean legs
Love,
Diana
Hello my name is Genta,and i like you and your job that you do,i just wanted to asked you something that now for me is a problem.I train my legs and glutes 2 time a week and i was training very hard i didn’t think this would happend,now my legs are so big and looks fat wich i know they aren’t and i don’t like how i look,now im so disappointed,i just want my legs to be how they were las year ,can you just tell me what should i do.
Thank you if you respond this
Hi lovely,
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program!
The Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
Lean Legs Program
For more helpful info please have a read of these blog posts:
How to get lean and not bulky
How to get skinny legs
Cardio for lean legs
Love,
Diana
What if you are eating once a day, without any excercise ,you are eating no protein can you lose muscles… Because I have muscles on my thighs and arms… What should I eat and not eat?? I use to dance but I stopped it like two months ago
Hi lovely,
Yes you can, but that’s not a very healthy way of losing muscle.
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program!
The Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
Lean Legs Program
Love,
Diana
xx
Hi, I am 13 years old and I have very large thighs, however, they are mainly muscle. I am very self-conscious about them as the front of my thighs are bulking out quite a lot and I don’t know what type of exercises would reduce the muscle/bulkiness. What would you recommend?
Hi lovely,
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program!
The Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
Lean Legs Program
Another thing you could do is to follow our YouTube channel,
there are lots of great workouts there that will help you reduce bulkiness!
For more helpful info please have a read of these blog posts:
How to get lean and not bulky
How to get skinny legs
Cardio for lean legs
Wishing you all the best hun! xx
Love,
Diana
Milly, I am a 13 year old cheerleader and muscular thighs are nothing to be ashamed of, they help strengthen your whole leg and they are a sign of dedication if they’re from working out. They also show that you aren’t afraid to go to the gym because many 13 year olds will avoid the gym because of this.
How do you feel about jumprope? I have recently gotten into barre and I bike to work and feel like my thighs and legs are just getting massive so while I will still be biking 3 days a week I’d love to know if on the other days I could do jumprope since I struggle with running due to bad knees. Thank you!
Hi lovely,
I think skipping is a good workout for weight loss but not the best for slimming down your legs.
It could make your legs bulky – especially calves if you tend to gain muscle easily.
There’s a more detailed explanation about what exercises could make your legs bulky, so please have a read of it:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/cycling-dancing-barre-make-legs-bigger/
You could do more power walking instead of running :)
For more helpful info about how to substitute running, check out this blog post:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/cardio-exercises-that-dont-involve-running/
Love,
Diana
xx
Hi, I am sixteen and pear-shaped. I am also short (5’1) and endomorph. My thighs, particularly the inner ones, are very thick. I do rope skipping at times. I just want legs slim enough to make me look nice in shorts. Also, I am slightly underweight. Do you have any advice for me?
Hi lovely,
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program!
The Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
Lean Legs Program
You could check out our YouTube channel for some great workouts and I suggest eating more healthy whole foods.
Love,
Diana
xx
Hey, I’m very short and found out running and those excercises like Pilates and others make my thighs larger. My thighs grow very easily. I know now that I should avoid those excercises. What should I do to slim my muscular thighs? I know what I should avoid doing, but not what to do. Pls help.
Hi lovely,
We’d love to help you as much as we can :) that’s why we have created our Lean Legs Program and the Lean Legs Training Club.
The program in the eBook is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking. It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body). It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs program here:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/lean-legs-program/
For more helpful tips please have a read of these blog posts:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/how-to-get-skinny-legs-cardio-for-lean-legs/
https://www.rachaelattard.com/how-to-get-skinny-legs-series-summary/
Love, Lean Legs Club support xx
hello I’m 14 I do really light dance and I have really muscley thighs and I don’t know how long to run on a treadmill for or how long it will take for me to actual see me legs get slimmer , please help me
Hi lovely,
You’re still very young so don’t worry, you will get there :)
If you can’t get our Lean Legs Program that has a full 8 week workout and nutrition plan, you can check out our YouTube channel for more free workout videos. There’s a lot of helpful info in these blog posts so please have a read:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/how-to-get-skinny-legs-cardio-for-lean-legs/
https://www.rachaelattard.com/full-body-hiit-workout-that-wont-add-bulk/
https://www.rachaelattard.com/cardio-qa/
Wishing you best of luck hun! xx
Love, Lean Legs Club support
Hi Rachael!
I have naturally extremely muscular calves and my legs aren’t straight (xo shape). So I find some exercises in your ebook (such as those that requires you to stand on one feet) difficult because my calves will tense up to maintain balance. Is there any exercises that can slim down both the thigh and calves? And how should I perform the one-feet exercise? Thank you so much!!:))
Hi lovely,
I know that reaching your fitness goals is hard! And that you probably have lots of questions about how to get that lean and toned body.
Rachael would love to help you as much as she can :) that’s why she has created her Lean Legs program and Lean Legs Training Club.
If you need any extra support, please join our Lean Legs Training Club where you can ask Rachael any questions you want and how to modify the program to suit your needs. Being a member of the Club while doing the Lean Legs program will ensure that you get the best possible results as you get a more personalized fitness and nutrition advice.
And you also have access to a community of like-minded and supportive women to help you too!
Here’s the link to the Club
For more helpful tips please check out this post:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/how-to-slim-calves-skinny-legs/
Love, Lean Legs Club support
xx
Hi
Rachel i just came across your blog
And i like the way u guide
I am 47 yrs old and had been size 4 when was in US now that i am back to India my weight has shooted to 77 kgs
And my thighs have reached size 28 ”
I started doing squats that resulted into huge hips and big thighs
I want muscular thighs but a lean one
I would like to exercise at home without equipment the heat here being extreme it is difficult to go for walks even in the evening
Pl guide
Than k you
Hi lovely,
Thank you for your message!
Getting a gym membership is a good idea when you’re unable to work out due to weather conditions.
Rachael would love to help you further along your journey :) that’s why she has created the Lean Legs program and Lean Legs Training Club.
The program she created in the eBook is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can check out the Lean Legs program here
For more helpful tips, please have a read of this post
Love, Lean Legs Club support
xx
Hi… I am regularly doing cardio strength training exercises for one hour for the last three months… My upper body is in good shape now.. But my lower body(butt, thighs and calves) have become so huge nad muscular that i could not wear jeans.. Please suggest what to do.
Hi lovely,
I know that reaching your fitness goals is hard and i’m glad you’re making a progress!
You probably have lots of questions about how to get that lean and toned body. Rachael would love to help you on your way :) that’s why she has created the Lean Legs Program and the Lean Legs Club, where she’s available to answer ALL of your questions. The eBook has a full workout plan that really helps you slim down your legs. There’s also a complete meal plan with delicious recipes that i’m sure you’ll love :) Click here for more details!
You can find more useful tips in this blog post here
Love, Lean Legs Club support
xx
hope to reply my question?? i have a lot of muscular thighs. and can i bicycling for 20-30min everyday ? or its only have to walking/running/ hiit exercise?
Hi lovely
Cycling and HIIT can build muscle in your legs if done every day, so power walking seems better for slimming down those muscles. You can find more awesome exercise ideas in the blog here, but if you need a full exercise program that fits your body type, check out the 3 Steps To Lean Legs eBook for a much more detailed plan
Xx
Hello,so i’ve been working out and I never target my thighs with resistance training (only lunges but no squats and stuff) but my thighs are getting big anyways:( do you know what’s happening to me? (By the way I don’t bulk, I cut)
Hi lovely,
I know that reaching your fitness goals is hard! And that you probably have lots of questions about how to get that lean and toned body.
I would love to help :) So that’s why I have created my eBook and the Lean Legs Club, where I’m available to answer ALL of your questions.
If you’re interested in joining, I’d be happy to answer all your questions. Here is the link
Love Rachael xx
Hi Rachel, my daughter is very slim but has developed muscular thighs which is starting to upset her. She is 13, 5 feet and dances 6-7 hours per week. Her body type is endomorphic. She says her thighs actually feel heavy when she walks and that she is uncomfortable. Summer is coming and she is willing to try any other activities that will slim down her thighs. Thank you very much for any advice, Isabelle
Hi Isabelle, I’m really sorry to hear that your daughter is upset. She does a lot of dancing which could be contributing to her muscular thighs. I actually had a lot of fat and muscle on my thighs in high school and they didn’t go away until I was at university and I walked to and from class several times per day. I would encourage her to try and do a walk each day (if she can) as I think this will help! xx
Hi Rachael sorry, I put another 2 comments but apparently they are gone so I am going to repeat what I said.
This post was amazing thank you soooo much. I have some questions. First, I am not sure if I am a Mesomorph or Endomorph type. I did the online quiz and the result was Mesomorph but looking at Instagram pictures, my thighs seem bigger. I weight 51-52 kg and 157 cm height.
The problem is that my upper body looks amazing and I am very happy with my butt but my thighs look too big for my taste. I have not too much fat, it’s more muscle but right now they are kind of jiggly. My calves are super thin, so I want to slim down my thighs and build muscle on my calves. I haven’t worked out for like 3 months and I am thinking of walking and running 3 days a week and do functional training the other 2 days. Would you recommend this?
Also, I want to get toned legs and work on my inner thigh and hamstrings but I don’t know since this can maybe build up muscle. I am also afraid that walking would just slim them but make them jiggly. How do I slim my thighs but also get them defined and firm without loosing my butt? Please help. The last thing, I don’t know whether to run or walk because I am not used to doing it so I don’t know if running would make me bulky. Any advice would be useful thank you so much. ?
Hi lovely, you could potentially be between the mesomorph and endomorph body types. But from your description I think you sound like the mesomorph. The best cardio for your thighs is walking – you don’t need to run if you don’t want to. To keep muscle tone I would do resistance training and perhaps some extra booty and calf workouts to build muscle here. Good luck! xx
Ho rachael, sorry i forgot to add something to my last comment. My thighs are mostly muscle but at the same time they are a bit jiggly and have some fat on the upper parts. I am worried that if i walk or run too much they will be kind of floppy.
Also, I am not sure about what type of cardio should i do because i dont run so i dont know of this makes my muscle bigger. What do you think i should do?
I replied to your other comment hun :) xx
Hi rachael. Thank you so much for this post. I did your online quiz to see which body type I am and apparently I am a mesomorph. However I was looking at your instagram page where many transformations of mesomorphs are published and my thighs look bigger than those, however i’ve got almost no fat on my upper body. So i am a bit confused about my body type.
Also, i would like to start running and walking 3 times a week and do functional training the other 2 days since i dont want to reduce my butt. Would you recomend this?.
And what else would you advice to reduce my thighs?
Thanks
Hi! I’m really excited that i have found your site. I have worked out for as long as i can remember. I can get lean toned arms and a 6 pack abs pretty easily, but my legs seem to bulk no matter what I do. I paid A LOT for a home stair climber. Is this doing harm? Is there any way I can do it without making my legs bigger? Also, should exercises that incorporate jumping in HIIT be avoided? I enjoy the feeing of a good workout, but I want the workout to benefit my legs and not make them bigger.
Hi hun! :) Stair climbers can cause bulkiness so I would generally say to avoid them. But if you have paid a lot for it, I would definitely give it a go and add walking into your program too. And just monitor your legs :) And you can do some jumping exercises in HIIT, I just try to avoid the ones that really work your legs such as jump squats, box jumps, etc xx
Hi Rachel!!! So I go to the gym a lot and I’m trying to gain a nice bum but it’s making my legs quite muscley, I’m going to take your advice and do cardio for a long period of time and not eat carbs but how will I be able to continue improving my bum if I need to cut out specific excersises which are aimed at buttocks (that mostly involved legs – squats eg) x
Hi lovely! You don’t need to cut out carbs completely – just focus on the healthier types such as fruit, veggies, brown rice, quinoa, etc. Also, have a look at the free butt workouts I post on my blog. These will help you tone up your butt without making your legs bigger :) Good luck! xx
Hi Rachel,
What if I seldom do workout, i diet my food to protein, will it lose fat?
Hi lovely, you can still lose fat without working out (have a read of this blog post) but you will lose fat quicker if you workout xx
Hello Rachel,
I hope you are well and happy Women’s Day to you!
I would like to ask for your advice on how can I keep my bubble butt and its size while losing muscle mass in legs?
I’ve worked hard to build the bottom that I am satisfied with but while doing that my legs became too muscular. And I know that when I eat calorie deficit I am very quick to lose everywhere including my butt so I am afraid to do that.
For now I eliminated any exercise that would work my legs and only work my bottom (although I am suspicious of few whether they still somewhat work my legs), and I started to fast walk 40min in the morning before my breakfast. The rest of the diet is same – high protein and amount of calories to keep my weight.
Thanks in advance for your time and reply!
Tina
Hi lovely, Happy Women’s Day to you too! :) What you’re doing is great! Just focus on exercises that work your butt, and not so much emphasis on your legs (have a look at some of my workouts), and add cardio. Good luck! xx
Hi,
I just came across your website today and I’ve been reading through all your posts. (I’m at work, oops…) I wish i found your website sooner!
I’m a female in my late 20’s/5’1/52kg/endomorph. I had a male personal trainer for 8 months and he made me lift HEAVVVYweights (nearly 50 kg) when i did squats or deadlifts, and I didn’t know any better so I have been working out for 2 years on my own, incorporating everything I learned. I’m not liking the way my legs have been toning up because my quads are very muscular now… I have leg day once a week, doing mostly wide squats with kettle bells, box jump squats, box lunges, leg curls, leg press.. I do cardio almost everyday. Run 1 min (comfortable pace), walk 30 sec, run 1 min (sprinting), walk 30 sec (on repeat for 30 minutes) *All on INCLINE.
After reading your post, I realized that I’ve been doing all the wrong things. I think i will calm down on using weights, doing squats, and running/sprinting on incline for a while now & try doing a lighter workout incorporating all body parts.
A couple questions, though.
1. I read somewhere that walking/running on incline is better for your knees?
2. I learned that doing squats with your toes/knees slightly turned outwards and booty sticking out more, focuses more on the hamstring (minimizing using the quads). Is it true?
3. What are some of your key workouts that reduce bulkiness but still show that it’s toned with muscles?
Sorry for being so wordy! I’m just so confused on what to do now.
One more! What are some exercises that you do that target the inner thigh muscles?
Hi lovely, please have a read of this blog post xx
Hi lovely! To answer your questions – 1. Walking/running on incline is probably less impact on your knees because you’ll engage your quads more. But it shouldn’t be a problem if you don’t already have an existing knee injury. 2. This is the correct form for squats (what you mentioned). But it won’t make you engage your quads less and use your hamstrings more – that’s not true. 3. The best workout to reduce bulkiness is cardio, and to keep tone, you need to do some resistance training. I just prefer to do lighter workouts that don’t cause as much bulk. Good luck! I wish you all the best xx
Hi gorgeous, just wondering if i could please have your advice!! I am generally thin but gain weight around the stomach and thighs and cant seem to lose the thigh weight. I dont want to get a big butt but want to tone it and slim down my thighs. Could you please make some suggestions? Thanks in advance. XX
Hi lovely! Have a read of these 2 blog posts for tips on this :) Here and here xx
Hi Rachel, I have a question.
I want to lose weight, build abs and burn more fat without gaining leg muscle (cause now my thigh is bigger than before, i want to skip this part).
Which training do you recommend?
Kindly advise.
Thank you for your time and awaiting your reply!
Hi lovely! I would definitely try the resistance training workouts that I post on my blog as this will help you build abs, burn fat and lose weight. I would also add in cardio (both high and low intensity). And don’t forget that diet is super important for losing weight too :) Good luck! xx
i have actually been doing heaps of cardio for the past few weeks (like lunges etc), as my older brother told me this was an awesome way to loose weight, and i am pretty sure i have seen a difference:) Yay haha
but yeah…….. any more feeback would be epic
Heyy Rachael
your such a legend, thanx so much for all these tips
im 14 years old, and im trying to loose weight on my lovehandles;) haha, and thighs (in roughly 3 months, what would be the fastest method to help this?
Hi lovely! The best thing for this is high intensity exercise such as HIIT and running :) Have a read of this blog post for more tips. Also, I would consider lunges to be resistance training (not cardio), but they are a great exercise for burning fat and calories. Good luck! xx
Hi Rachael! I have a quick question.
Does stretching help reduce the size of muscles? I’m looking to slim down my quads & have been walking consistently everyday now for about five-ish months now. And although I’ve definitely lost weight thanks to you, I can’t seem to reduce the size of my quadriceps. There are a lot of mixed responses to whether or not stretching helps slim down muscle so I was wondering if you could help. Thank you <3
*I’m sorry for the broken English btw I was in a rush
Haha no worries xx
Hi lovely, no stretching won’t help slim down muscle, but it’s still super important to do! Reducing muscle does take a long time so keep at it girl! xx
Ah okay! Thanks for the feedback. So you’re saying I should continue walking & wait a little longer for me to see changes in my thighs?
Hi I’m 16 and 5ft my calves are very bulky what would be the best method overall to slim them down within 2 months ??
Hi lovely, please have a read of my blog post on how to slim calves xx
Hey Rachael,
Great post! What do you think of the ballett beautiful workouts and of ballett in general, is that bulking for the mesomorph body type? And what about rope jumping?
Greetings from Germany :)
Hi lovely, I have never done ballet beautiful but I think it seems like it won’t bulk. Skipping will build muscle in your calves and a bit in your thighs, but it will also burn lots of calories. So it’s up to you if you want to do it :) xx
Hi Rachael!
I just took the body type quiz, and it said I was a mesomorph. I’m confused because it said to only do butt exercises for lower-body and not donkey kicks and lying legs raises etc, but you do a lot of those excercises in your workouts on your blog. Did I just read the sentence wrong on the results of the quiz? Also I already have a big butt that I don’t want to make bigger, and maybe even make it smaller, so should I just stick to all cardio? Thank you so much for your help!
Hi lovely, yes you read that wrong – I said to do lower body exercises such as donkey kicks and lying leg raises :) If you don’t want to build any muscle in your butt, I would do more full body resistance workouts and cardio :) xx
Hi Rachael, i have been doing squats constantly for the past year but even though my but loks great my legs are now muscular and its really bugging me so do you have any ideas on how i can keep my butt shape but slimm my thighs???
Hi lovely, I would try out the free butt workouts on my blog (or in my eBook) as these will help you tone up and keep your butt shape but slim your thighs. Don’t forget to add cardio too xx
Hey!! I just found your blog and its amazing. Two questions though:
First, if we have bulky legs, should we only stick to cardio, or could we also do the workouts on your blog?
Second, how can I be sure if my legs are muscular or just fat?
Xx-Haanya
Hi lovely! If you already have bulky legs, it could be a good idea to stick to cardio for a few weeks first, and then add in some resistance training. If you tense your legs and it is mostly hard, then it is probably muscle. But if you can pinch fat, then it will be a combination of fat and muscle xx
Hi I’ve always hated my thighs As there very large
I saw a post that said if you tense you leg and pinch the top of ur thigh…if there’s much to pinch it’s fat or if there’s not much it’s muscle and I didn’t have much to pinch so I’m very sure I have muscular thighs as
I have been doing thigh slimming exercises and squats everyday however I have noticed my thighs look really big I feel really self conscious and uncomfortable with anyone seeing them please. Help me/any advice on why I can do to lose muscle/weight on my thighs I’m 99% surethey are very muscular I’m going on holiday soon so it would help if you could give me clear and effective advice on what to do
Thank you Loretta xx
Hi lovely, the best thing to do would be to stop doing any exercise that is making them bulky. This will give your leg muscles a chance to decrease in size. And I would also add in more cardio. Good luck! xx
Hey Rachel,
Thanks for this!! I’m trying to reduce my quads, I love my butt and my hamstrings could do with a bit more work.
How does a fasted steady state jog sound? Would you recommend 1 or 2 a week for that?
Hi lovely, sure a jog would be great! I don’t usually recommend doing it fasted as it will be a lot harder, but up to you. And yes twice per week is good xx
Hi Rachael,
I’m 4 month postpartum with my 3rd baby in 4 years. I exclusively breastfeed. Before getting pregnant with my third- I was loving my body. I teach group exercise classes. However, during my pregnancy I gained 45lbs and my legs/butt got super bulky…
I really want to slim them down however I don’t want to mess with my milk supply… but I do need to cut out alcohol and sugar- I also teach 4 classes a week: 1 full body Hiit class, 2 spin (do u have tips on the bike to avoid bulking up) and 1 strength class… would I be able to do your 8 week program while teaching my classes?
Hi Rachel i have posted on one of your blogs not sure which but the comment no longer seems to appear?
Hi Rachael,
I love your blog. Finally, someone says what I’ve thought all along: yes, women can get bulky through exercise! I was wondering if you have ever done a workout video? I’ve seen some of your videos that show a 2 or 3 minute (short) clip of several exercises, but I would love to have a 20 or 25 minute video of these leg slimming exercises. Have you done such a video or longer clip to download? If so, I have not come across it. I know you have an e-book which seems great but if you had an exercise video or downloadable clip, I think many of us would be interested in purchasing this. I think your ideas are very clever! Thanks so much!
Hi, I’m a 15 year old ballet and contemporary dance student and I really want to slim down my legs, especially my calves, but I’m not so sure on what to do. I dance 5 times a week for 90 minutes or more each time and I can’t stop dancing because I’m serious about it, but as a child I may have used the wrong muscles, which caused my legs to bulk. I’d like to know your recommendations on slimming down muscular legs while I continue to dance!! Thanks ❤️
Hi Roxy, if it is your dancing that has contributed to increasing your leg muscles, then it will be difficult to slim them back down while you are still dancing. You are already doing a lot of exercise, so I am also hesitant to tell you to do more. I think the best thing to do, would be to focus on your diet to help you slim down. Also have a read of this blog post on how to slim down calves. All the best! xx
Hi Rachael, you don’t even know how much you helped me i think you are the only one who understands my target for slimming my legs without getting the bulky shape many thanks to you .
I goes to the gym now and i don’t know what exactly to practice in order reduce the bulk and to lose both fats and muscles in my legs what do you advice me to do in addition to walking ,,what types of workouts or machines should i use?
Hi lovely, I’m so happy to help! :) Please have a look at the free workouts on my blog – that will help you understand what type of workouts to do! And if you want a complete program, I have my eBook :D xxx
Hey Rachel!
I used to do intense squat workouts for three or four months straight. I only did them as a form of exercise but stopped when I realized they were making my quads bulky and muscular. I resorted to running for a couple of months as I heard it would slim down my legs, but it only bulked up my calves and didn’t reduce my thighs. Eventually I started walking everyday and that thankfully reduced my calves. However, walking didn’t do much for my quads. In fact, it seems like my left quad is bulking up even more now that I’m walking.
My problem is: I want to continue walking because it slims down my calves and helps me lose weight, but is it possible for me to walk without bulking up my thighs?
This might sound stupid but I walk from heel to toe for every step and I’m wondering if that’s the problem?
Hi lovely, I’m sorry to hear that this happened to you. Walking (as long as it’s on a flat surface), doing lighter exercise and cutting out exercises that were causing the bulk (i.e. squats, running) will help you reduce the bulkiness in your thighs. But it will take a lot of time. Walking will help so I would continue it for another couple of months. The heel to toe action isn’t a silly question :) But the heel to toe motion is totally fine and shouldn’t be causing the bulkiness. Keep doing what you’re doing and be patient – good luck! xx
Thank you! I prefer your blogs more than any one else’s just because of how real you are and how you take the time to reply to everyone. :) It’s reassuring to know I’m not the only one with problems like these.
Aww thank you lovely! xx
OMG. FINALLY someone acknowledging that YES, some women do put on muscle fairly easily and for some women it’s quite noticable and they look and feel bulky. No, we don’t think we look like Arnold, but for our OWN bodies we realize we look bigger than we desire/should and the muscle we’ve added has made our clothes fit differently.
I am a mesomorph, I think. I put on muscle very easily and make quick gains in terms of strength when doing weights. I’ve always been told to squat, lunge and do burpees and used to go to INTENSE group classes where we did A LOT of those activities … now, I still have fat to lose, but I can also see my muscles moving in my legs. And they are way too big for my comfort.
When I wear jeans they are tight in the thigh area and lose in the waist.
I’m 5’4″ maybe 5’5″ – I need to lose this bulk!!
Like you, I also put on bulk in my upper body, I did a chinup challenge to get into being able to do chinups. I started out really basic and quickly gained strength… and then I noticed my clothes started fitting differently. Tighter across the back/shoulders/lats.
Womes clothing isn’t cut to fit for muscle.
I think I just need to majorly starve myself to eat a significant portion of this muscle and fat.
Hi lovely, I’m glad you agree with me but I’m sorry to hear about your struggles! I don’t think you need to starve yourself, just try to eat at a moderate calorie deficit (I recommend a deficit of 500 calories) so you can lose weight consistently and cut out the exercise that is causing the bulk. It will take time but you CAN get rid of the muscle (and of course the fat). I wish you all the best! xx
Hi, I love your blog! I am 5’8.5″ and I have been struggling with building too much muscle, especially in my inner thighs (I hate it when my thighs rub together and recently I have felt that more). I also wish my quads and the muscles around my knees as well as my calves would slim down because I am a fashion model and I would really like to maintain the super slim elongated runway look.
Previously I had been doing more high intense workouts like Les Miles Body Attack, Les Miles Body Attack, running, and Shred, but I realized these were contributing to muscle gain because HIIT. So I stopped doing those and now I mainly just walk a TON and do abs and a low intensity dance workout sometimes. But the problem is, I am not being challenged. I rarely work up a sweat and my heart rate doesn’t pound in my workouts. I know I am still exercising but I just don’t feel as fit and athletic as I was when I was doing intense workouts.
I have struggled sooo much with trying to find workouts that do not promote muscle gain, but almost everything seems to want to make me grow in size, but I need to slim and elongate. I heard boxing is good, but specifically what kind of boxing and how should I do it to discourage any kind of muscle growth? I have cleaned up my diet a lot as well.
What do you recommend I do to still get a great cardio workout and benefit my heart health and overall fitness, while promoting slim lean legs and arms, and a strong but flat core and tummy?
Hi lovely! I know the lighter intensity workouts don’t get your heart rate up as much and might make you feel like you’re not working as hard, but the workouts are definitely still working and are toning you up without bulking! If you want to push yourself a little harder, combine the lighter resistance workouts with some runs and you can even throw in a few high intensity style exercises that don’t bulk. Have a look at the workouts on my blog for non bulking HIIT workouts :) Also yes boxing is amazing for toning up your upper body and core but not bulking up. I would try to a boxing class at a gym! Or you can try Les Mills body combat. All the best! xx
Hi Rachel,
So I am a slim 5 ft 5 girl who has never overly changed in weight. After getting engaged earlier in the year I ordered my wedding dress in March. Today I went to try it on and have gained 1 1/2 inches around my thighs causing my dress to be too tight. I have been going to the gym since the beginning of August and doing squats to tone up but it’s come around and kicked me in the backside, LITERALLY!! I have 9ish months until my wedding, is there anyway to loose the extra inches gained in muscle?
Please help!!
Hi Sarah, I’m sorry to hear that. Don’t stress though, you can definitely slim down your leg muscle! It will take time but you will definitely get there in 9 months. I would stop the squats and do lighter resistance training and cardio to slim down your leg muscles. All the best! xx
Hi, Rachel! Thank you for your blog post. I am a 23-year old female who has always been extremely active. Running, tennis, yoga – you name it, I’ve done it. I also maintain a nutritious diet and stay away from junk food. The past year or so I’ve been doing more cycling and strength training and overall I feel more fit than ever before but my thighs are thicker than I’d like. I have also noticed a marked increase in the cellulite on my butt and thighs but am confused because I haven’t changed anything except incorporating more leg work. Have you ever seen this happen when building more muscle mass? Thank you!!
Hi Val, yes I have seen that happen. Perhaps you could decrease the heavy weights and do some lighter resistance training and cardio to help you slim down your muscles and reduce the cellulite! xx
Hi Rachel, I love your blog! ❤️
I am a competitive horseback rider and excersize daily. I have a slim upper body but muscular, bulky, thighs. It makes me so self-conscious! I am quite athletic and never really realized how muscular my legs were actually getting until a couple months ago. Before that, I did all sorts of excersizes including squats. Lately, though I haven’t been working out very much because I’m worried about adding more muscle to my thighs :( Thanks for all the tips about running and walking but if you could give me a list of certain excersizes or certain types of excersizes I should be avoiding for slimmer thighs, that would be great.
Thanks! ❤️
Hi lovely, thank you! I’m sorry to hear that. But just know that you CAN reduce the muscle :) Please have a read of this blog post as it covers what exercises to avoid. All the best xx
Hi Rachel! I did jump rope 1400 times a day to reduce fat, but now I have this super muscular calves and thigh and this make my legs bigger than before. Is running can make it slimmer? Or should i take aerobic to slim it?
Thankyou~
Love, N
Hi lovely, ahh I’m sorry to hear that. I would try just walking first and then you can add in running and see how your legs respond. Running uses your calves and you want to try and avoid running for now until they slim down a bit. Good luck! xx
Hi Rachael!
I have always played football and I still have very slim and skinny calves, but muscular thighs/butt. On top of those muscles, I have some fat and cellulite. I really dislike the way I look sometimes, and would really like to lose both fat and the muscle. I started walking instead of running like you said, and it feels great. For toning, I want to add more yoga in my life, but I’m afraid that it won’t slim down my legs and maintain/build muscle instead. Is yoga a good option for slimming down my legs or should I do something else? Second, I eat vegan most of the times, but I am trying to not only eat loads and loads of carbs. Im balancing between eating low carb and higher carb fruits, oatmeal for breakfast, legumes for lunch and quinoa & tomato stuffed peppers for dinner with for example. Is this way of eating going to help me with my goal to slim down my thigh/butt muscles and lose fat?
Loved this blog!!
Love from The Netherlands
Hi lovely! It sounds like you are on the right track :) Keep up the walking and yes yoga would be great! In terms of diet, most vegan diets are naturally higher in carbs and this is fine. Your diet sounds good. Keep doing what you’re doing and be consistent. Good luck! xx
Hi Rachael!
I’m 20 and I’ve been lifting heavy weights for about 2.5 years now. While I love what they do for my butt, I don’t like the big legs AND arms I’m getting.
Before weights, I did insanity hiit style workouts and they did make my legs look slimmer, but my butt was non-existant.
Is there anything I could do to reduce the size of my legs but KEEP MY BOOTY? and maybe make it even bigger?
Love, TJ xx
Hi TJ! Have a look at the booty workouts on my blog :) These should help you build your butt without getting bigger legs. I have managed to maintain my booty after stopping squats by doing these types of workouts xx
Hi Rachael!
I’m a 14 year old girl and I love exercising but I would really like to lose the muscle in my arms and legs. I’d really like to lose a bit of my inner thigh fat/muscle and to get better looking abs. What exercises would you recommend? I was also wondering if I should change my diet? I’ve eliminated gluten, dairy and sugar and I’m trying to eat more fruit and vegetables.
Any advice would be much appreciated :)
Hi Monique, I would recommend cardio and all the workouts on my blog ;) You might find this blog post helpful for your inner thighs. Also, it sounds like you’re doing the right thing diet wise so keep that up!
Fantastic blog?hi my names Amber.Just wondering i do the Les Mills Body Pump class 4 times a week.I’ve just started decreasing my weight when I get to the squad track as my upper part of my legs were getting too big.Should this definitely help in making them a bit smaller?Thank you for the great advice to not do the incline on the treadmill to get leaner legs,makes so much sense but it just didn’t click in my head.Take care awesome advice?
Hi lovely! Aww thank you. Decreasing your weight on the squats might prevent you making them bigger but definitely won’t make them smaller. Please have a read of this blog post. Good luck! xx
Hello Rachael,
I have been a soccer player my entire life just completed my college soccer career (been playing for 17 years). Loved the sport and everything it brought to me. As you can imagine I am now dealing with a way to slim down my thighs. I can feel my quad muscles taking over in almost every exercise I do. I just read your blog and I am doing a lot of the NOT to do’s. Hard to break old habits, use to running tons of sprints, stairs. I also would love to get into swimming again will that help reduce the muscle if I stop lifting weights? Any suggestions you could offer would be very much appreciated. I will definitely start changing the way I work out now. Also any further tips on eating? I read to not eat protein and that just seems wrong. Appreciate any feedback.
Hi Lauryn! Just by avoiding the exercises I’ve suggested not to do will give your leg muscles a chance to reduce in size. Swimming is a great workout so you can definitely do that! I don’t know if it will necessarily reduce the muscle but it shouldn’t cause your legs to bulk up. You just need to give it time and avoid using your quads too much. Also diet wise you don’t need to avoid protein! Eating low carb will help but I would still eat a moderate protein intake. Good luck! xx
Hi, rachel! thanks for your hopeful tips for me! can I ask more to you?
1. you said that I have to eat 2~300kcal more than my BMR. but how can I fill up with low carb and low protein? :0 have mo idea because if I reduce the intake of protein and carb, there’s a big loss of calories under my BMR.. and don’t know what exactly low carb means.. I always eat sweet pumpkin, chickpeas, sweet potato, corn, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa and so on for taking carb. aren’t all these also high carb? I’ve heard that not only protein but also complex carb like these are essentical and important for building muscles.. what should I eat? low protein is quite simple and easy for me though, have no idea about low carb because I’m doing high carb low fat diet, my intake ratio a day is about (C:P:F=6:3:1) should I be a fruitarian? should I also avoid sweet pumpkin?
2. how long did it take to reduce your thigh ‘muscle size’ with this method? I’ve been doing this about a month, have no idea the size of my thigh muscle decreases.. I’m feeling much more tired than before though, my thigh muscles don’t seem to smaller, this makes me so miserable.. am I so in hurry? I really wanna make my thigh muscles smaller like before. if I don’t get worn out easily, I’m gonna keep doing though, I’m much tired than before :/ is this because my body already get used to lower metabolism after a long diet and a big loss of weight? I already lost 17kg since dec 2015. I eat 1300 now and my BMR is about 1090. should I eat less? :/
you inspires me to be a better girl, you’re so awesome! always thank you and hope you to have a great day! waitng for your reply <3
Hi Susan, unfortunately I can’t remember your original comment and my reply :( So I’m assuming you are struggling with a damaged metabolism? Did somebody tell you to do the high carb diet? You are definitely eating great sources of carbs! :) But it sounds like your fat intake is very very low and I’m not sure on your protein intake, but you could probably increase that. 40g of fat (daily) is the absolute minimum for a female so please make sure you’re eating that. And for protein, the recommended minimum is 1g of protein per pound of body weight.
Decreasing the size of your thigh muscle will take a while, longer than one month. Mine took about 6-12 months to get back to what they used to be. I notice changes within 1 month (especially fat on my thighs), but muscle will take longer.
Good luck! And I hope you recover soon :) xxx
thank you so much for your kind answer! I’ve been doing cycle for cardio everyday, I think that this makes my thigh muscles not changed, after a month of doing your methods.. does really cycling make thigh muscle bigger? I’m so embarrassed because the only way I exercise is cycle.. I haven’t done another exercise at all, only cycle. this is why I have no idea what to choose for cardio..
if I do treadmill instrad of cycle for cardio, is it more effective to reduce the size of muscle? what I’m worried is that cycle burns way much more calories than treadmill, if I change cycle an hour into treadmill an hour, the calories I consume by workout is less than before, this may make get fat because of surplus of calories :( what should I do? should I change the type of cardio and walk longer than how long I’ve cycled as well? if doing treadmill comsumes 100kcal an hour and cycle consumes 200kcal an hour, should I doing treadmill 2 hrs for replacing an-hour-cycle?
everybody says that the most effective way to reduce the size of thigh muscles is not working out at all though, I can’t quit exercising because of getting fat and weight? as well, exercising is one of my hobby, I don’t wanna quit at all :/
actually, I’ve noticed that I’m losing fat though, there’s no change in thigh muscle at all, as you told me :( somewhat frustrating..
Hi! I’m 14 years old and I really want to slim down my naturally bulky thighs. I’m 150cm and whenever I see my shorter friends, their legs look really long compared to mine. Mine are a bit muscly and I want to reduce that. Is cardio good enough? Like 3-4 days of power walking for 45 minutes and 1-2 days of running?
Hi Sarah, yes cardio would be best to slim down your legs without making them more muscular. That plan of walking and running sounds great. Good luck! xx
Hi Rachel when it comes to cardio for someone who can’t run what is the best way to use the elliptical with out bulking up?
Hi Gabi, I would just use as low resistance as you can and try to stick your butt out so you are using your butt as much as you can, not your quads. But because of the action of the elliptical and the push down motion, your quads will still be engaged. I would also try to do walking xx
Hi Rachael! always thank you for sharing your awesome tips? I’d lost about 17kg since 2016, and after achieving my goal, I started increase my calories intake from 900(july/16), now I eat 1700kcal(june/17). I’ve done muscle workout for increasing my metabolism as well.
even though increasing calories, I didn’t get weight at all even I lost more(4kg more). however, after eating 1650kcal, I started get fat and because of this, my muscle got faint :( and because of getting body fat, I get more muscles as well. I don’t like my body shapes now. I really wanna go back when I was leaner and less muscular.
on the other hands, I’m afraid of gaining body fat because of lowering metabolism. what I want is just reduce the size of my thighs, not losing :(
because I know that gaining muscle is way too hard as I experienced for a long time and what I’m afraid the most is the fear of gaining more body fat because of losing muscles :(
1. I started quit squat, lunge or whatever about inner thigh muscle workout and I only do ab muscle exercise and cardio. is this ok?
2. I also started eating 1200kcal a day(I eat 1700kcal, I reduced 500kcal because my BMR is about 1091kcal) should I eat more less?
3. what should I do after reducing the size of my thigh muscles? have no idea how to eat, exercise and so on. if I started eat 1700 again, I must get fatter(only body fat). and I’m worried that if I started muscle exercise suddenly, my thigh may be more bigger than now :( hmm..
4. I just want to reduce the size of muscles, not losing body weight :( I don’t care about body weight because it’s way too fluctuant. I I can gain weight only drinking a tone of water. I’m under tones of stress because of my thigh muscle size.. I thought that this is only because of gaining body fat, after working out everyday, figured out that the reason increasing size of thighs is the increase of muscle. it’s way too firm when straining my thighs :( how long does it take for getting back my size of thighs again? I think I gain muscle and fat for a month(from last month to now) I gain 2cm more than before. does it take more than a month? :(
so appreciate for your help again and love you a lot :) have a nice day and you must be happier than yesterday everyday :) I’m waiting for your answers. thank you <3
Hi again! Sorry I just saw this comment. I replied to some of your comment in the last one :) To answer your questions:
1. I would do some full body resistance training as well, like the workouts on my blog!
2. 1200 calories is quite low and is the very minimum you should eat. You could probably eat around 1500 calories for now and see how your body responds.
3. After you have lost the desired amount of muscle, I would just eat at maintenance level. So if you normally burn around 1100 calories (BMR) and then burn say 300 calories in a workout, you would burn 1400 calories in total. And I would eat around that.
4. I can’t really tell you exactly how long it will take for your muscle size to go down. I would say maybe 1-2 months.
I hope that helps! Good luck lovely xx
Hello Rachael, my legs are very musclural and I’ve been doing incline slow walking for at least 45 min, and in my treadmill the speed 12 is like sprinting but 5-6 is like speed walking what do you reckon I should do to slim mine down, because it pains me to not fit into 11 pairs of my favourite jeans! :( I also really want to loose belly weight but it won’t go!
Hi Kristina, I would walk on a flat surface :) And try to do 6km/hr for your walks (it should be easier to go quicker on a flat surface). Also, I would do a combination of cardio and resistance training to lose the extra belly weight, and of course diet! Check out all the workouts on my blog :) xx
Hi, Rachael!
I’m Eva and I do have a problem with my legs too…:(
They look very muscular because I did basketball since I was like 7 or 8 (now I’m 15). I quit playing basketball a year before but my thighs are still muscular…
I dunno what to do because I’m doing a 2500 calorie diet and I’m not allowed to low it… and if I stop working out, I feel like I’m going to gain weight so I dunno what can I do…
Could you please help me?
Thank you so much.
Best wishes and love ur blog!?
Hi Eva, muscular thighs take a while to decrease in size so just give it some time. I would also recommend doing walks every day to help slim your legs (and you can add in a few runs per week too if you want). You are still very young so just remember that your body will change as you get older – usually for the better! :) xx
Hi Rachael! So the thing is I have fatty and muscular calves, however one of my calves is more fat deposited and the other is more muscular than the other one. I am confident about getting the fatty calf skinny because I can burn it, but what are some extra exercises that I must do to the muscular calf so that they will look proportionate to each other? I heard that yoga stretches out the muscle, making it skinnier. Is that true? Some people say stretching will make it skinny, some people say it doesn’t make any difference. I also want to lose weight but I am a short endomorph so running for me is not the best way to slim my calves. So how should I go about successfully losing weight and reducing the size of my calves? Summer is coming, and I was planning to do 2 hour of brisk walking in the morning, and then strength training only in the upper body at night. What do you think about that plan? I am just kinda lost right now and I wanted to get some insight from you. Thanks! :)
If your calves are fat you should see a Dr for possible lymphoma, even more so if it’s only one side. It’s heredetary on my side of the family.
Hi, i really need your help, for the past 2 years i have been doing squats and my butt and thighs became huge and that’s really annyoing and i regret doing squats, i’m a slim girl with huge thighs,( i have always been slim),i really dislike the shape of my body and always try to cover it ,i want my older body back i want to lose the muscls i gain in my thighs , just so you know i’m this kind of person who eats a lot and never get fat my weight is stable and i have zero fat in my body, please help me, what should i do ??? thank you for being helpful you are such a kind person i wish you the best of luck :)
Hi lovely, aww I’m so sorry to hear that :( It will take time to reduce the muscle, but it is not impossible! It took me about 1 year to get my legs back to the way they used to be :( I would avoid any exercise that uses your quads and focus more on walking and doing lighter circuits. I would also cut back on running for now as this can build muscle in your thighs. Just need to be patient and give it time. Wishing you all the best too! xx
Hi Rachael!
I have the same problem as Heather25 and very keen to fix it. I do not hold at all a lot of fat in my stomach, arms, etc. however, my legs are very big in muscles. I did not know until today, that squats, etc. would make my thighs build in muscles, and I am regretting doing it badly. I am scared to do anything else, because it may increase the muscles in my legs (mostly thighs). If I need to run/walk/etc. how long do I do it for as well? Plz help me in reducing the muscles in my legs and back to lean, slim legs.
Many thanks xx
Hi lovely, I’m sorry to hear this. It will take time to reduce the muscle so you just need to stop using them and definitely stop any leg specific workouts. Do lots of walking – aim for 1 hour every day if you can! They will go down in time xxx
Hi, i really would need help. I am trying to get slimmer thighs but nothing is working. I have been running 10km 4-5 times/week and doing some lighter weights 2 days a week. I’m running the 10km in 1 hour and i have done this for over 2 months now but my legs aren’t getting skinnier. I relised that i ate too little for a long period of time. I used to eat like 500-800 calories a day but about 1 month ago i started eating 1000 and now im in 1500. My weight keeps in the same place and i dont understand it. Why are my legs not getting skinnier? Please help ?
Hi lovely! Thanks for reaching out. That is a lot of running, and there are 2 issues with this. Too much running can actually make your legs bigger, not slim them down. This is because running builds muscle and doesn’t necessarily slim down your legs on its own. You need to incorporate more walking. Also overtraining and under eating can damage your metabolism. Because you have eaten at a very low amount for a long period of time, it will take your metabolism a while to recover from this and will make it difficult to lose weight. It’s great that you have increased your calories now :) But it will take time. Please have a read of this blog post on how to fix a damaged metabolism. But I would highly recommend seeing a dietician or a sports nutritionist to help you with this as they will be able to guide you and provide you with more specific help, so you will recover quicker. For now, keep eating at 1500 calories, I would stop all running and just do walking, and add in some resistance training to help boost your metabolism. Good luck! xx
Hi Rachael, I absolutely adore your blog and enjoy it everytime. So the problem with me is that i am the very short mesomorph type and my legs aren’t that big but i really want to reduce them at all i don’t care if i become too skinny it’s not problem.So if i start do state running and try to starve myself will i make it :D…i hope i am not bottering you.
Hi lovely, yes steady state running will help you slim down your legs, but walking is better, especially if you bulk up easily. Also I would really advice against starving yourself because that may cause you further complications in terms of your metabolism, storing fat and can cause long term damage. Just eat at a slight calorie deficit, minimise sugar and do your cardio, and you will slim them down! Good luck xx
Hi Rachael! A few months ago, I lost a lot of weight and then in the summer, I took back all of the pounds that I’ve lost and even more. And since then, I’m really not happy with my body and I really want to get my shape back. So me and my friends we’ve sign up to an event with my school where all the girls run together a 5 or 10 km depending on what they chose. And that event will be the may 9th. So, to be ready for that big run, I have to lose a lot of fat because of the reasons that I explain above. But, the only problem is that I personally think that I have a lot of muscles in my legs and really don’t love that because it makes me think that I don’t have a lot of fat to burn and that I will end up with bigger legs. So I think that I have to lose muscles and fat to be able to run the 10 km because my legs are really heavy and I will have a lot of difficulties to run. So what should I do to lose a lot of fats over all and muscles in my legs? because I’m really tired of not being okay in my body. And you know, I want to feel awesome in my bikini and short this summer ;) Love you a lot and thank you for being so helpful to all of us and I’m sure that you will have all the answers to my questions! <3
Hi lovely, I just saw that you sent me an email so I will reply to that instead xx
Hi, Rachael! I also have same trouble with her. 1) can you let me know what you said to her? 2) secoundly, what I’m worried is this, ‘losing muscle makes my metabolism slower, after this, what should I do if I tend to get fatter easily because of losing muscle?’ is it possible that only reducing size of muscle instead of losing muslce?
Hi JJ, I don’t remember exactly what I said. But if you build muscle very easily and are trying to reduce it, I would try to minimise all leg exercises and this might include running too, because running builds a small amount of muscle. Losing muscle will decrease your metabolism slightly. You will need to compensate for this by 1) eating less, and 2) I would still do some HIIT workouts like this to keep lean, but without focusing on any leg work. Losing muscle takes a lot of time so yes you will just reduce the size of the muscle, not get rid of it completely :) xx
Really pleased to have found your blog! I’ve always taken ballet classes and gone running but more recently I’ve increased my HIIT workouts and weights sessions and feel my thighs are getting a bit thicker than I like. I’ve found this really informative and I’m certainly going to reduce the HIIT sessions! Thank you xxx
You’re welcome hun. Good luck! xx
I love your blog so much. I wish you had been my trainer 20 years ago. Thank you for all the thought you’ve put into this.
Aww thanks lovely! I appreciate you leaving a comment :) xx
Hi rachael! So to sum it up: you say to do ONLY cardio (pw or running) evry day and diet to lose a bit of muscle. And only then, start to add the light resistance training to toning without getting bulky again? Right? If so, are you supposed to get flabby or fluffy while losing muscle? And how much time it takes to sede the loss? Thankyou!!
Hi Amy, you don’t necessarily need to cut out all resistance training to lose muscle. You just need to stick to the lighter stuff (such as all the examples I listed at the end, and boxing, swimming, etc). But the more you use your quads and other leg muscles for resistance training exercise, the longer it will take you to reduce the muscle xx