Thigh/waist discrepancy?

[GLC1968]

Ok, I know we've had discussions on these things in the past, but I need reassurance, I guess.

I am finally losing weight. Today I put on a brand new pair of pants that I bought to hold me over until I fit into my smaller sizes (my 'fat pants' are finally too big again!). I put them on and was admiring how they didn't gap to much at the waist and how they fit my rear/hips pretty well. Then I stood back and noticed how tight there were across the thighs. Luckily, they have stretch in them, so it's not uncomfortable. It's not immediately obvious because of what I am wearing them with, but it does kind of piss me off. These are a 'curvy' cut from the LOFT and previous pants from this cut fit me better than these do. So I whipped out my tape measure to check and my measurements only annoyed me further.

Before I started to lose weight, my waist was 31" and my thighs were 25". That's a difference of 6 inches. Sounds reasonably normal, right? Now my waist is 29.5" and my thighs are 24.5"...only 5 inches difference. I know that at one point, I had a 26" waist and a 22" thigh...a 4 inch difference. I don't have my measurements at my thinnest, but I would bet that they are somewhere around 25"/21"...I think that a 4" difference between my legs and my waist will prevail. This is the hard part about losing weight - the waist to leg discrepancy gets WORSE the smaller I get. :mad:

I know that I'm unusual compared to the world at large (pretty obvious when shopping for clothing), but I'm hoping that if you compare me to other strong cyclist women, I'll be less odd??

So tell me...what is the difference between your waist measurement and your thigh measurement? Am I really that much of an oddity??

[Veronica]

You're lucky! My waist is 29 inches and my thighs are 25, my hips are 37. I have a really hard time finding pants that fit. I pretty much wear a belt with everything so I'm not showing stuff I don't want to show.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

Yeah, but I get this odd feeling that I don't want to lose more weight because the discrepancy will only get worse! But I do want to lose more weight because I'm overweight! Ugh!

Luckily, (or unluckily??), my hips are pretty narrow for my pear-ness. I have a big butt though (baby got back!) so it kind of evens out. Pants shopping SUUUUCKS. Of couse, I had a feeling you would be able to relate to my plight, V. ;):)

[Becky]

Pants are cut for little waif women, not strong athletic chicks!

Currently, my waist is about 26", hips are 36", and thighs are 21". All of my jeans are tight in the thighs, even if the butt and waist fit fine.

It annoys me too...on top of not being able to find an inseam between regular and tall, I can't find an "athletic cut" either. Mrrf.

[Veronica]

My honey thinks I'm hot so I try to not worry about it. :D My belly is pretty flat. He says my butt looks good in lots of my pants. I try to forget about the thighs.

I'd love to lose more weight off my thighs but I don't want to get that extreme in my diet. It wouldn't be sustainable. This morning I was wishing I was blonde and blue eyed. That isn't going to happen either. :p

Veronica

[GLC1968]

This morning I was wishing I was blonde and blue eyed. That isn't going to happen either. :p



Bleach and contacts? :p


Thanks, Becky - you make me feel better (or at least, less odd!)! :)

[Kano]

Veronica -- your comment about wearing a belt reminded me of when I shop with my daughter and she's looking for pants that she can wear at work.

She's on her feet most of the time, but there's the squat for file from the bottom drawers. Every pair of pants must pass the "bottom drawer test." If stuff is visible when she squats, the pants go back on a hanger!

It IS the curse of the curvy, eh?

Karen in Boise

[Becky]

I don't consider myself exceptionally curvy. It wouldn't occur to me to try anything labeled "curvy cut" and, even if I did, I'm not convinced that it would help that muscular thigh thing!

Karen, love the story! I think I'm going to start using the test!

[ny biker]

FWIW, my waist at this particular moment is 29 1/2 and my thighs are 21 3/4. I'm pretty sure that never in my adult life have I had a 26" waist. Also it's been years since I wore any pants that sit at my waist -- they tend to smush the belly button ring.

Pants sizes are wack. The ones that usually fit me best these days are the "authentic fit" boot cut jeans from J Jill. But even with them, there are variations. I have 2 pair of dark wash jeans, and one is tighter in the waist and shorter in the leg than the other. I also have a pair of lighter wash jeans that fit more comfortably but are dangerously close to plumber's butt if I squat down. I just bought a pair of gray jeans in the same size and they are very baggy in the butt.

The other day I tried on a pair of Hilfiger denim shorts in the same size that I wear in J Jill jeans. They were about 6 inches too big in the waist, no exaggeration. (Did I spell that right?) A few months back I tried a pair of Levi's in the same size that were too tight in the thigh and falling-down too big in the waist and hips.

Unfortunately you just have to try on lots of styles in various sizes to find the closest fit. For a perfect fit, get something that fits the largest part of you and then have it tailored down elsewhere.

[Veronica]

Yep - can't have butt crack or underwear showing - not when you teach 5th grade.

I wear a lot of my tops tucked in for that reason. Also no bra lines or cleavage - not that I have any, cleavage that is.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

When my mom married my father, her waist was the same size as his thighs.

I wanna know who was in charge of what parts I inherited? How did I get her waist and his thighs on my body? What kind of cruel joke is that?? :eek:

[indysteel]

When my mom married my father, her waist was the same size as his thighs.

I wanna know who was in charge of what parts I inherited? How did I get her waist and his thighs on my body? What kind of cruel joke is that?? :eek:

I feel the same way. I otherwise have my mom's smallish build, but my dad's heavier thighs and big butt. I also didn't get her blue eyes. For that matter, I didn't get his dark, almost black, eyes either. Mine are the color of mud. :(

[limewave]

I must not be doing my measurements right at all . . .
My waist is 33 and my thighs are 22 . . . But all my pants are tight in the thighs. I have BIG thighs, thunderous, strong, ginormous! Hmm, I must be measuring down too far.

[limewave]

Arghh genetics! My mom and I look exactly like these fine ladies (my grandmother, great, great-great, and great-great-great grandmother). Big flabby arms have run in our family for generations. I have to buy a shirt size up just so I can move my arms around.

[jp4995]

I have similiar issues finding jeans (flat stomach, small waist, larger hips and upper thighs) from when I was a size 4 in high school up to my biggest at a size 12/14 a few years ago. My best bet has been mens jeans. I'm in Levi's 541's Slim Straight jeans and I'm a happy camper. I wear a size 34/30 and the jeans sit 2 or so inches below my belly button.

[Selkie]

This is one of the reasons that I love skirts---I don't wear hose and I wear them w/loafers to work (boots in the winter). Forget about finding pants that fit well. I have to buy petites but they are too short in the inseam and usually, my thighs are too muscular so the legs are tight. I end up having to pin the waist regardless.

GLC - If you are like me, you lose weight from everywhere but your bum and thighs first. First to go on me are my already small bosoms! Only when I'm on the low side of my "training" weight do my thighs and bum lose the fat. So be patient and I expect you will notice your thighs decreasing some as you drop fat.

[shootingstar]

Presumably, people sit down in a chair to measure their thighs? I do. And sit so that thighs hang over edge of chair.

Never thought about any relationship between thighs and waist.
Shrimpo here, has 27" waist (with a small bust. Oh well.) and 19" thighs.

Not sure when I had a 26" waist..have at different times in adult life. Can't even remember how many years ago. Would take the measurement then forget the event, because I knew tummy would expand again eventually. :rolleyes:

I'm pretty normal because my bone structure is small.

[shootingstar]

Important to remember GLC that women who look in good shape/no weight problems have their unique body shape problems to fit into store clothes.

There are alot of nice styles I have to pass up because my body shape isn't curvy enough.

[Biciclista]

limewave, great photo! those women don't look flabby to me..
BIG THIGHS=HEALTH you guys. remember the article about skinny thighs and DYING??
Believe me if your waist is 29" and your thighs are 25" you have a nice shape!!!

[TsPoet]

My best bet has been mens jeans. I'm in Levi's 541's Slim Straight jeans and I'm a happy camper. I wear a size 34/30 and the jeans sit 2 or so inches below my belly button.

+1 - men's. (in fact, 34/32 - same size!) the waste can gap a little, but they don't fall down.
I wear men's shirts, too - my big shoulders/arms fit better.
Then again, someone at work nominated me for that show "what not to wear" (honestly, I'm not making that up).

[ny biker]

First to go on me are my already small bosoms! Only when I'm on the low side of my "training" weight do my thighs and bum lose the fat.

Word. One of life's cruel jokes.

[ny biker]

Presumably, people sit down in a chair to measure their thighs? I do. And sit so that thighs hang over edge of chair.


?? I measured mine standing up, around the widest part. This is how my trainer did it back when I first joined the gym and we were getting starting measurements and body fat composition to track weight loss.

[Becky]

I measured mine at the widest part while sitting down. I figured that it didn't much matter whether they squished or not.

[Catrin]

This thread has been very helpful and encouraging to me, as my weight loss has slowed I've noted my thighs and calves are getting larger - perhaps "athletic" will mean better proportioned for me?

I have no butt. I have never had one, never will have one. That was even when I was something like 75 pounds overweight - ALL of my weight was/is in my stomach. Ok, and boobs, but for some reason those don't seem to change much outside of the cup size. I've always wished that I carried weight like most women do...

This has always made it HARD to find clothes that fit, though am glad to say that it is finally getting much easier to find clothes that do now that I am smaller than I have been in a LONG time :D It still is challenging finding bike clothes that fit though - if you go by the size charts. I have learned to ignore those charts and just try stuff on - it is much easier that way - assuming that it isn't something you HAVE to order from the internet...

[GLC1968]

?? I measured mine standing up, around the widest part. This is how my trainer did it back when I first joined the gym and we were getting starting measurements and body fat composition to track weight loss.

Me too. My thighs are much easier to measure when standing because the muscle is firm that way. Same thing for calves and biceps...

Mickchick - you just described me to a T. We must have very similiar body types. If so...I look forward to one day swiming your kind of distances! :)

Last night I mentioned to my husband that if I continue on the road I'm on, I'm going to be flat chested in a month. He said "I don't care as long as you keep your abs and a$$". Looks like I married the right guy! :p


Oh, and let me clarify something here, please. I'm not really complaining about my body (except that it's overweight right now)...I'm complaining about the fashion industry. I would NEVER want skinny legs - they are not who I am. I know that I like what my body will be when I get to my goals...I just don't like that it's soooo hard to find clothing to fit.

My question was whether or not my measurements were really all that different from everyone else, or is the fashion world just whacked? Clearly, shopping for pants that fit my legs and my waist has been a plight of mine since I was old enough to buy my own clothes...so it's not like this is a new revelation for me. I see people complaining about 'big thighs' and I guess I just wanted some concrete numbers about what that means and waist to thigh seemed the easiest way to make valid comparisons. We can't just compare thigh to thigh between different women because it's not just the thigh size that matters since this changes with body type, height, weight, etc. What I'm wondering is how odd is it that my thigh and waist measurements are so close together in size and are others suffering the same difficulty? Does that make sense?

This is not supposed to be a thread where we complain about putting on quad muscle. THAT is a good thing and that's not my point at all. I just had to put that out there as a woman who celebrates her muscles with every step she takes...;)

[Selkie]

I'm with you, GLC. I like my curvy thighs and bum, and like you, I wish that clothing manufacturers/designers would make clothes that fit female bodies.

About the swimming, just do it! All it takes is determination and stubbornness. What I love about being an endurance athlete is that I don't have to worry about being fast.... I'm in awe of you for completing your first Tri!!

[NoNo]

I don't have measurements, but I sometimes have to buy pants a size up just so they'll fit over my hips or not squeeze my thighs and then go to a tailor to take the waist in. And hem the 5 extra inches on the legs:rolleyes: Make a tailor your new best friend. It's so nice to have clothes that fit right everywhere.

[skhill]

Interesting-- I'd never measured my thighs before. All I knew was that women's pants/shorts don't fit all that well. Currently, my waist is 26", hips 35.5", and thighs 21.5". I love having muscles and being strong and lean, I just wish the clothing industry had cuts that fit me a bit better. I'm sick of resorting to the boys department.... But at least boy's shorts and shirts do fit me pretty well, even if I'm too tall to wear boy's jeans. And kids clothes are usually cheaper, too...

My family comes from Eastern European peasant stock mostly, and I love the way my brother describes our family build: we're built not for walking behind the plow, but pulling it ourselves.

[shootingstar]

limewave, great photo! those women don't look flabby to me..
BIG THIGHS=HEALTH you guys. remember the article about skinny thighs and DYING??
Believe me if your waist is 29" and your thighs are 25" you have a nice shape!!!

I'll remember this ..for every tiny Asian woman I see over 85+ yrs. ;) Many look elegant.

[malkin]

I have never measured around my thighs. Am I missing something?

[moderncyclista]

I'm built stocky too. It happens to the best of us. Genetics we can do nothing about. I just have to learn to love it. My gf is soooo skinny, I on the other hand am muscley and stocky. My calf muscles compared to hers are huuuuuge. :D I've never tape measured my thighs, I don't want to be crying face first into a pint of ice-cream later tonight.

[malkin]

Even if I measured, I'm sure I'd forget the number immediately. I can hardly remember my age, and it's a miracle I know my social security number.

I can remember and reproduce any distorted consonant sound I hear and many silly bits of doggerel verse, but numeric values barely pause on their way through my porous brain!

[Crankin]

This thread reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend when we were out to lunch before I left for my trip. She is quite tall, with long legs. She's also at least 20 lbs overweight, and does nothing more than play doubles tennis 2 times a week. And that " does her in." But, she can hide her weight because of her height. Anyway, she was so excited she had new "skinny" jeans from the Loft. I told her that I can't wear them.. even though I love the look, because I have "athletic thighs and calves." She kind of got enraged (she's got issues), but she didn't understand how someone as "small" as me couldn't fit into these pants. I can buy the "modern slim cut" at the Loft, but I have to go up a size, and the length is a teeny long.
The curvy styles at the Loft, BR, and other stores are just too big on me everywhere. So, I hope my thighs don't get much bigger!

[mariposa]

I have this same problem no matter what my current weight. It's genetic - my mom has the very same shape. We just have huge thighs.

I went 20 years refusing to wear jeans (thinking they are ALL uncomfortable) till I discovered low-rise jeans with spandex. The more spandex, the better (2% +). Size up so there is plenty of room for your thighs...and the low-rise means the pants won't gap at the waist.

For more casual wear, there is nothing more comfy (and flattering) for our body types than the Prana Bliss pants/capris.

Mariposa

[tulip]

I have never measured around my thighs. Am I missing something?

No. I do not see the point either. But then, I would probably be accused of being a skinny b*tch by some folks, although that was not always the case. But most people have body issues of one sort or another, regardless of thigh or any other measurements.

I detest shopping, not because of body perceptions, but because I hate stores and malls. I have no idea if I fit into Loft jeans or anything else. I fit into the clothes that I have, and when I do have to shop for new clothes, I don't spend time or energy wishing I fit into the ones that don't fit. I get in there and out as fast as possible. I have better things to do, like ride my bike, play with my dog, and work in my garden!

All this reminds me that I have several meetings this week, which means I have to iron my work clothes. Thankfully, I've gathered a pretty good collection and don't need to shop any time soon.