Slimmer hips, why your shape is partly inherited and what you can change
You cannot choose where your body loses fat first, so slimmer hips come from losing weight overall and being patient, not from a single exercise. It helps to understand why your hips behave the way they do before you start.
A club coach goes through your situation with you and gives you practical advice.
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A shape you partly inherit
Look at your parents and grandparents. Many people carry weight in the same places as their family. Some store it around the middle, others on the hips, bottom and thighs. This pattern is common in women and it is not a sign that you are doing anything wrong. It does mean the hips are often among the last places to change.
Our article on the spot reduction myth explains why toning moves alone do not burn fat from a chosen area.
When it is not just fat
Some women have hips, thighs and legs that stay large even when the rest of the body slims down, sometimes with heavy, aching legs and bruising. This can be a condition called lipoedema. The NHS page on lipoedema describes the signs. If this sounds familiar, see your GP rather than dieting harder.
What actually moves the line
- A balanced plate. Fill half with vegetables or salad, a quarter with lean protein and a quarter with wholegrain starch. The NHS guide to eating a balanced diet sets out the basics.
- Daily movement. Brisk walking, cycling and climbing stairs use the big muscles of the legs and hips. A ride on the Guild Wheel around Preston is a pleasant way to spend a weekend morning.
- Strength work twice a week. Squats, lunges and step ups will not melt hip fat, but they shape the muscles underneath and help you keep muscle while you lose weight.
- Less liquid sugar. Fizzy drinks, sweet coffees and juices add energy without filling you up.
Measuring the right way
The scales can stall while your hips change. Measure around the widest part of your hips once a month, in the same spot, and note how your jeans fit. Photos taken in the same light every 6 weeks are also useful. Our guide to slimmer thighs uses the same approach for the legs.
Avoid creams, wraps and gadgets that promise inch loss. They change nothing beneath the skin.
Be kind to yourself about the timeline. Hips that took years to fill out will not change in a fortnight. Many people notice their face, arms and waist slim down first, then the hips follow months later. That order is normal, and it is a sign the plan is working rather than failing.
Support at Bamber Bridge Nutrition
At Bamber Bridge Nutrition, coaches trained in nutrition follow each member daily, which helps on the weeks when the hips seem slow to respond. Book your free assessment to set a realistic plan. You can also read about weight loss without the gym if exercise classes are not for you.
This article does not replace advice from your GP or another health professional.
Your weight loss curve
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Going at the median rate, losing 8 kg would need roughly 11 weeks. Going at the slowest rate, roughly 4 months.
For weight that stays off, the figure usually quoted is 500 g to 1 kg each week. On the chart, this is the ideal band. Losing more than 1 kg a week, week after week, means the body burns muscle as well as fat. On the chart, this is the shaded band.
This projection is only a guide. Everyone’s path is different and outcomes differ between people. Everything is worked out on your own device, and nothing gets stored or transmitted. If you are over 65, check with your GP before anything else.
How this curve is calculated
The upper line of the band stands for 500 g each week, the slowest rate. The lower line stands for 1 kg each week, where risk begins.
Early weeks move quicker, largely through water loss, and then things settle down. From 40 onwards the median curve eases off bit by bit as metabolism winds down. Putting in equal effort, men tend to lose a touch faster than women.
As in real life, the curve includes short stalls lasting a few days and the odd small gain. It cannot forecast how your own path will go.
These tips are general guidance. A doctor’s opinion still comes first.
Further reading
Day-to-day support is explained in our programme for eating more healthily.