Legs

[tulip]

I like my legs alot, but I don't like my middle. However, I found that Pilates really re-shaped me. I wish I could afford to do one-on-one sessions on the apparati, but for now I do the mat exercises at home. If I'm consistent, I do really notice a difference. YMMV, but it might be worth a try if you are discouraged. No negative side effects, that's for sure.

[MommyBird]

I have great legs and better than average skin tone for a woman who is almost 50 yrs old. No saddle bags at all. But before you blow raspberries at me you need to keep reading.
I am a classic apple shape. No matter my weight my hips, waist and bust do not differ by more than 2 inches from each other. I have a number of problems associated with metabolic syndrome. From fertility issues to HBP and Cholesterol. I have no lifestyle habits that contribute to my health issues. My body type is my only indicator. I have been in hypertensive crisis twice but the only evidence is damage in my eyes. Because of my lifestyle, I show no plaque build up even though my HDL is extremely low and my LDL is fairly high without meds.
I had oily skin until a few years ago. Does wonders for retaining good skin tone but is a big pain in every other way. Another MS issue.

Women with shapely hips often want my secret for eliminating saddle bags. I have to inform them that I have never had them in the first place, point out my less than desirable mid-section and then tell them how blessed they are to have the healthier shape.

From my observation, most women get either good legs or good stomachs but few get both. Those that do work for VS.

[katluvr]

Thanks to the replies...
I think I "knew" the answer...I may get some change, but not much.
Yes, I need to learn to live w/ it, love my body, yada yada.
Yes, I am struggling w/ my partner and sister turning 50 this year...I am not much behind. I DO wish I could turn back the clock. (Yep, that is where I am at right now and will work thru it and embrace my age and wisdom at some point and time!).

I may not have really asked the right question, but some of you hit on it. I was wonder IF I could make changes what would help. Tulip mentioned pilates. What has someone done that did the most to firm up/tighten there legs. Lunges, squats, what seems to be beneficial?

K

[tulip]

Thanks to the replies...
I think I "knew" the answer...I may get some change, but not much.
Yes, I need to learn to live w/ it, love my body, yada yada.
Yes, I am struggling w/ my partner and sister turning 50 this year...I am not much behind. I DO wish I could turn back the clock. (Yep, that is where I am at right now and will work thru it and embrace my age and wisdom at some point and time!).

I may not have really asked the right question, but some of you hit on it. I was wonder IF I could make changes what would help. Tulip mentioned pilates. What has someone done that did the most to firm up/tighten there legs. Lunges, squats, what seems to be beneficial?

K

Pilates...works the core, which includes hips, butt, and even legs. Find a reputable Classical Pilates studio and get serious about it and I bet you will see good changes. Pilates is not just good for the middle.

I'm like MommyBird, but I've seen pear-shaped people benefit greatly from Pilates.

[GLC1968]

You probably won't like my advice - but here it is anyway...lift weights. Heavy ones. With your legs. Squats, lunges and step ups with a barbell or dumbells on your shoulders (among other things). If you don't know where to start, there are some fantastic DVD workouts out there that would be great for this.

If you want to fill and tighten that skin, the best way to do it is by growing the underlying muscle. Give up on having 'small' legs and go for muscular ones. That the plan for this over-40 pear who still has much fat to lose.

[Susan Otcenas]

katluvr,

I'm 40 years old. I lost nearly 40 pounds between 11/08 & 5/09 and am now 130 pounds at 5'4". I'm in the best d@mn shape of my life, for which I am ecstatic. I could kick my 30y.o. self's butt.

Still, when I was losing weight, my greatest desire was to have the slim, lithe body I always wanted (and had for a brief period in my mid-20s). And, truth be told, I think I look really good in my clothing now. I'm blessed with the classic hourglass shape.

It's *out* of my clothing that disappoints me so much. Even though 40 isn't "old", at this age weight loss (for me) means having a lot of loose "empty" skin. When I came out of college, I was pretty heavy, and lost 35 pounds over a 2-3 year period - got down to 133. As I lost weight, my skin shrunk at the same time, and I had great skin tone. At 40? um, not so much. Unless I fill it up with triceps, I suspect I will always have that annoying loose skin on my upper arms. My stomach is flat, but the skin is jiggly. I'm working on filling it up with a killer six-pack, but in the meantime I have to settle for jiggly. And finding a lingerie bra (having dropped from a 36DD+ to a 32C) is an exercise in frustration. (My own mother actually told me I should get a lift!!)

But, to give you a glimmer of hope.... I've been this weight for 11 months now, and I do think that very very slowly, my skin is shrinking just a bit. Maybe a little less jiggle on the tummy and arms. And, as I've added muscle in my quads, hamstrings and glutes from all the cycling, running, and swimming, my legs have actually firmed up alot! I used to hate how the cellulite looked on the back on my legs and now they're firm and mostly smooth.

So, while I didn't get the "dream" body, all in all I'm far far far happier with my body and fitness than I've ever been. I look around me and see obesity levels skyrocketing, see how unhealthily people eat (have you ever really LOOKED at what other people have in their grocery shopping carts!! ), see what sedentary lives so many people lead, and realize that I'm doing pretty well for myself, and really shouldn't be so hard on myself.

So, while you and I might see the nitpicky little flaws in ourselves, I'd bet that what most other people see when they look at us is strong, healthy, vibrant, active women.

Susan

[michelem]

Nope, I was referring to the question MichelleM asked in her second paragraph.

Doesn't help that everyone else in my office is at least 10 years younger. I know 40 isn't really "old" . . . it's reading that 40 is "middle aged," and listening to these younger folks that reminds me I am no longer just-graduated-from-college-aged.

[michelem]

You probably won't like my advice - but here it is anyway...lift weights. Heavy ones.

Yes! Muscles are great! I think my sagging skin mainly comes from WAY too much time in the sun without sunscreen when I was growing up. I think it killed the elasticity or something.

[badger]

my legs have always been a good part of my physique, but one thing that's bothered me since I was 18 is vericose veins. Now that I'm 40, it's not getting any prettier. The inside of my right knee started getting big, blue, bulgy veins and now I see them starting up on the shin part of my right leg. It's genetic; my father had it way worse and my brother has them, too. Once, I slipped on the pool deck, and while I recovered myself enough not to fall, I knocked my knees and broke one of the vericose veins. The bruise that happened there was quite spectacular, I should've taken a picture as a momento.

I used to have a nice little bubble-butt, but I see the bubble's getting a bit deflated...

Regarding chronological age vs inside age, I feel about 10 years younger, too. 40 kind of snuck up on me, and I feel better than I ever have in my life. Even though the texture of my skin's changed, it's never looked better. I always had acne and now it's finally cleared up. My hair's gotten wavier and definitely more grey (and to my shock I even found grey *down there*). Since there isn't anything to stop aging, I guess we just have to learn to love it (I struggle with it sometimes).

[emily_in_nc]

I just turned 50, and at 5'2" only weigh around 105. Even at that weight, which sounds tiny, my body fat is too high. I have jiggly, pinchable flab in the abs and hips, and loose skin as well. When I put on bike shorts, I have flab above the waistband (love handles) that is most unflattering, so I don't like my jerseys too tight. My legs are pretty good, but I get that loose skin around the knees in a downward dog as well. It's all part of growing older and the skin losing elasticity. When I was in my 20s/30s I weighed a bit more (107-115) but everything was tighter, I had a flat stomach, a waistline, and no love handles. Not now. Ah, hormones! Same thing happened to my mom when she hit her 40s. She transformed from a solid "pear" to a total "apple" over time, and I see the same happening to me. Thankfully, even with that "dangerous" shape and being overweight, she's not diabetic, and she's still got great cholesterol, triglycerides, and BP even in her 70s (I do too).

I could totally relate to what Susan said about feeling like she looks really good in clothes, but when she's nude, she sees a lot that disappoints her. Me too. People who see me in clothes think I'm very small and don't understand that no, I don't have 15% (or even 20%) body fat -- I think it's in the low 20s (last time measured). So I am a long way from "perfect".

I too feel about 10 years longer than my age and am sometimes shocked when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Where did this gray hair, this saggy skin, these age spots, and wrinkles come from? Hopefully I've at least been granted the wisdom that should go with them!

[badger]

ah... muffin top. I'm quite familiar with it, too. I've always had this little bit of fat around my belly button that no amount of exercise will rid of. I even had it when I weighed 100lbs. Now I weigh a bit more and it's gotten a bit more squishy, so I get the ever-flattering spillage when I wear anything with a waistband (which is pretty much everything). The muscles underneath are pretty damn solid, but alas, no flat tummy.

[Crankin]

+1 Emily. People who see me in clothes think I am teeny teeny. And yes, thanks to size creep I wear a teeny tiny size. I am barely 5' 1" and my normal weight is about 107. During the cycling season, it's between 104 and 107, but if I am not totally stringent with my eating and exercise, it goes up pretty quickly to close to 110. At one point, in my early thirties I weighed 92-95. That didn't look so good, either.
I've always had a small waist and bigger hips/butt. In fact, my butt was huge at one point. When I was in my twenties, before I started going to the gym, it was very difficult for me to buy pants or skirts. I have a very small bust, too.
So, in the last couple of months, I notice my stomach, which is flat, is getting loose. I do not like this at all. I did core work all winter, but I think doing it at home doesn't push me enough. My hips seem to be getting bigger, too. My clothes still fit, but I am noticing a little more muffin top. The beginning of the cycling season has been slow here, with rain and cold. The muffin top usually goes away by June, but I think it's going to take more work.
My legs are short and my thighs are big from riding, but not entirely "hard." They seem to be a bit more flabby now, even with all of the x country skiing I did this winter. Well, at least my calves have that "cyclist" look.
I asked my DH to pay for personal training for my graduation present. I think it's going to take a big push to get me back to where I want to be. I know that for age 57 I look good, but it's not good enough for me.

[emily_in_nc]

The muffin top usually goes away by June, but I think it's going to take more work.

My problem is no matter how much I cycle and work out, all that activity makes me eat more, so I can't seem to get ahead the way I could when I was younger. Therefore, I am quite sure I'll still have a muffin top in May or June. It used to be that I could eat everything in sight and still not gain, so long as I was really active. Now, not so much. I know you have experienced the same from some of your other posts. Frustrating, isn't it?

Good luck with the personal training -- you are right that they will push you harder than you will push yourself!

[Crankin]

Yup, DH and I have deduced that it's all about the eating. I know I eat well and I do not like to restrict myself... I already eat so much better than most people, it's not fair. And I like to cook, it's as relaxing as riding is for me. So, I think the personal training, weights and core stuff will help jump start my metabolism. I am hungry *all* of the time, except for when I am so busy I can't think about it. I don't worry about it too much when I'm on a hard tour or riding in the Berkshires, but for normal riding/living, it does matter. The only food thing I am trying to watch is the bread, event the whole wheat bread, rice, etc. I think I might have to cut down on the wine, too. In the last year I have upped my red wine from maybe once a week to 3 or 4 times a week (I mean a glass, nothing more), and it has made a difference in my cholesterol.
Then I look at my friends who don't exercise, eat kind of badly, and have resigned themselves to thinking "this is what getting older is."
Noooooooo.

[emily_in_nc]

In the last year I have upped my red wine from maybe once a week to 3 or 4 times a week (I mean a glass, nothing more), and it has made a difference in my cholesterol.

Interesting. I drink a glass of wine per day (or a beer, if we're having pizza, say), and my cholesterol is pretty close to ideal -- high HDL, low LDL, low triglycerides. My doc says the red wine helps that, not the opposite. But I guess everyone is different.

I totally, completely agree with what you say about your friends who aren't fit. It's amazing how many people reach a certain age -- often 40 -- and just GIVE UP on fitness and healthy living and let themselves go. Never!