Help... Gap between legs instead of rubbing...How do you do it?!?!

Iv always had big legs, but its getting to the point that iv got scaring and marks where my legs 'rub' (ewwww i really hate that) together

 anyone advise on how i can get a gap between my legs?

what exercises to do to shrink my legs?

Please help :(

I used to have rubbing thighs and never dared wear shorts cause they would ride up the middle and look disgusting!!!  I never had it as bad as the OP with rashes or pain though.  However, after doing weight lifting have begun to notice "shape" in my legs.  My thighs are still the same circumfrence but don't seem to rub as much- go figure??  Maybe the distribution of the fat/ muscle has changed? 

Original Post by v_avila:

When I think of thighs not touching, this image comes to mind.. Jessica Biel She is FIT!!

 agree...her body's awesome...so that's what thighs not touching mean...but her inner thighs still technically touch when she's standing casually :s

and yeah I agree with dbackerfan...I noticed the exact same thing going on with my thighs after a couple of months of doing squats, dead lifts and lunges...the circumference didn't change all that much, I only lost about an inch...but I saw major improvement in the shape...my legs are tighter and more defined now than when I first started out.

Hey crxrated - I know how you feel, trust me.  When I was at my heaviest (225lbs), I *hated* wearing pants because my thighs touched all the way to my knees... and shorts..!? PF! That was worse, as they'd always ride up and I constantly had to pull them down.  Now that I'm down to under 180lbs, my thigh-touching stops ends before it gets to my knees, so I know that weight loss has obviously helped.  I, too, have wanted to reduce the touching even more, so I attempt to do such exercises that lean (or exercise) the thighs and it helps:

- Sumo Squats with a medicine ball (ie: http://health.howstuffworks.com/leg-exercises -tb18.htm)

- Squats with medicine balls (works thighs and butt)

- Kettlebell Swings (ie: http://www.brassringfitness.com/workout-techn iques/kettlebell-swings/)

- Sumo Side Lunge (ie: http://health.howstuffworks.com/leg-exercises -tb20.htm)

Hope these help!

This was one of my original goals when losing weight so I totally get where you're coming from, but I do remember in my teens/early20s that mine didn't so I had a base point.

Using the elliptical and working out 6x a week I've noticed when standing shoulder width apart my thighs don't touch. More casually they do, but barely. I owe it to the elliptical (and I guess some original genes).

There's a difference between your thighs chafing because you are overweight, and your thighs touching because you have narrow hips and/or straight legs. If you are not underweight and your thighs don't touch, it may be because you have wider hips and perhaps slightly bow legs. You can be gorgeous and beautiful either way and your thighs will not be chafing, which is the OP's problem. When she gets to goal, she will see whether she has gappy thighs or straight thighs. You can't just shrink your thighs, unfortunately, but there has been lots of helpful advice on how to ease the discomfort until the weight comes off. Good luck!

Original Post by themonbon:

I've only ever seen the gap on nasty little anorexic people. (I'm sure there are exceptions, but they are NOT the rule.) Not attractive. Blows my mind that people actually want to look like that.

 ok now that you are done, back to our regularly sceduled program, wtf

I've always had it even when I was thin and have always hated it.  At my heaviest, my shorts would ride up between my legs and the skin would get raw and uncomfortable, especially on very hot, humid days.  Since I've lost weight, it hasn't gone away, but it has been reduced.  I only have chub rub at the very top of my thighs, and even though I still have more weight to lose, I think that might be all that I can hope for because I think that body type has a lot to do with it as well.  I have such a small frame that I don't think that it's possible for my legs to not rub together at all, so I settle for not having to tolerate chafing and consider myself lucky.

Original Post by amethystgirl:

Til then, powder, deoderant, astroglide, crisco - whatever works for you.

Oh god, that made my day.

Curtsy lunges.... you'll have to google them, but they really target the inner/outer thigh. They're easier for me to do than regular lunges cuz I have sucky balance. :P

Original Post by nasuoni:

They're called bike shorts. Invest in a pair that will snug your thighs in a bit, and cut down on the chafing.

No, i don't care that people know I wear them, in fact, I'm proud.

 My best friend proudly swore by bike shorts in high school and she would wip them out at any opportunity.  She didn't have big thighs either, she just wore them for extra coverage when wearing a skirt, doing sports in loose shorts, being warm without wearing pantyhose....ahh, I miss those days.

I actually do put lube on my thighs when I run, generally I'm cool, but sweaty legs can get chafy, so I lube up to be safe.

Personally, I don't want a huge gap. It kinda looks too skinny- Some of my underweight friends have them. I prefer a slight gap, with strong toned legs. I don't want chaffing, but not a fan of skinny legs personally so nothing for me to obsess over. I love having big calves and strong legs in my heels. The only way mine would have a bigger gap is if I was slightly bow legged cause I have big legs, ya know?

Diet. It equals fat loss. Which will decrease [eventually] the fat/rubbing of thighs.

Genetics. Some people just have bone structure that will not allow gaps..regardless of low body fat.

Exercise. Burns calories. Builds muscle. Muscle building looks great underneath skin..much better than loose, jiggly skin, eh?

So, diet...Exercise..and accept your body type.

Exercise alone will not reduce fat.  Diet and exercise will reduce fat and firm up the bod.