What Causes Inner and Outer Thigh Fat?

If you're concerned about excess fat around your thighs, you're certainly not alone.

Many people find that their thighs don't respond as they'd like to diet and exercise, whether they're hoping to achieve better-fitting clothes, work toward a thigh gap, or address outer thigh areas sometimes called "saddlebags" that can affect leg proportions.

The thigh area can be particularly challenging to contour due to genetics, lifestyle factors, hormonal changes, or life events like pregnancy. While thigh fat is completely natural, we understand it can affect how you feel about yourself.

Since there's no way to target fat loss in specific areas, the most effective approach focuses on overall body wellness. In this guide, we'll explore the various factors that contribute to thigh fat storage and what causes it to develop.

Why Are My Thighs So Fat?

If you've ever looked in the mirror and wondered, why are my thighs so fat?, you're far from alone. The truth is, thigh fat, especially around the outer thighs,  is incredibly common, particularly among women.

That's largely due to hormones. Estrogen encourages fat to settle in the hips and thighs as a way of preparing the body for pregnancy. Genetics also play a big role in where your body prefers to store fat, and for some people, that means the lower body holds onto it longer than other areas.

You can also thank your unique fat cell makeup. The outer thighs often have a higher concentration of fat cells, which means that even as your overall body fat goes down, this region may still appear full or unbalanced.

Bottom line: fat thighs are normal. But if they're affecting your confidence or comfort, there are ways to address them.

7 Common Causes of Thigh Fat

The leading causes of thigh fat include the following:

1. Sedentary Lifestyle: Thigh fat can be a sign of atrophied buttocks settling within the thighs. The main reason for this is a lack of physical activity. If you don't have a somewhat active lifestyle, your blood circulation slows down, resulting in fat cell accumulation and even cellulite. A sedentary lifestyle also makes it easier for your body to enter a caloric surplus, in which you burn fewer calories than are consumed. This can result in excess fat forming in areas like the inner thighs.

2. Large Pelvis: A thigh bulge can occur because of stubborn fat on the hip, thigh, and buttocks, and women naturally have a broader pelvis for childbearing. The fat in the pelvic area serves as a cushion to protect the child.

3. Estrogen: Estrogen can be why thigh fat deposits develop when the rest of your body is within its healthy weight. That's because, during pregnancy, estrogen directs fat to form below the abdomen and inhibits any growth above the waistline. Additionally, hormonal imbalances, especially in women, can affect fat distribution. Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and menopause can contribute to the accumulation of fat in the thigh area.

4. Back Problems: Studies have demonstrated a link between lower back pain and fat accumulation. A poor posture can cause fat to accumulate within your inner and outer thighs. Plus, if you deal with chronic pain, it can make it harder to exercise regularly, affecting your ability to maintain a stable weight.

5. An Unhealthy Diet: Unhealthy foods and consuming excess calories are directly linked to excess weight gain. You must provide your body with a nutritious, healthy diet rich in protein and vegetables and refrain from consuming empty calories. The extra calories one consumes are converted into fat and can make gaining weight much easier. 

6. Age: As we age, our metabolism slows down, making it easier to gain weight and accumulate fat, including in the thigh region.

7. Lipedema: Rare cases of excess thigh fat can result from lipedema, a condition described as an irregular buildup of fat, usually in the upper and lower limbs. This can cause your lymphatic system to become sluggish and not flow properly, causing fat to develop in the lower limbs.

A Note on the Estrogenic Causes of Thigh Fat

As Boston-area plastic surgeon Dr. Rafeal Magana details in the video above, excess fat can develop in the thighs for many reasons.

Genetics and a lack of exercise are standard reasons, but for women, thigh fat can also commonly develop for estrogenic reasons. The amount of estrogen receptors in the thighs and the effect the hormone has on fat pads in the thigh area can also be primary causes.

Additionally, the type of skin varies across different units of the leg. Inner thigh skin tends to be more lax than lateral or outer thigh skin, resulting in different cosmetic needs when addressing these areas.

Ways To Lose Thigh Fat

Losing outer thigh fat requires changing and forming new habits within your lifestyle. Nonetheless, it would be best not to fret about change. Making lifestyle adjustments does not need to be done in one go. Consistent, small changes equate to substantial progress.

Do the following to start your new habits and see those desired changes:

1. Improve your sleep quality and quantity by going to bed at consistent times, avoiding late meals, and getting exercise in early in the day. Poor sleep can affect hormones, slow your metabolism, and cause cravings that make it easy to overeat. 

2. Increase your water consumption to remain hydrated and avoid sugary drinks in your diet.

3. Increase your daily movement and perform dedicated cardio exercises for at least 30 minutes at least three times a week to see quicker thigh slimming results.

4. Work your muscles with strength training at the gym or wherever is convenient. Strength training and even leg-specific exercises like cycling do not directly reduce thigh fat, but they can improve your metabolism and help the body burn more calories when at rest by increasing muscle mass.

5. Reduce calorie intake to achieve a calorie deficit in conjunction with increased daily activity.

AirSculpt: Permanent Thigh Fat Removal

The optimal outer thigh fat removal treatment is Outer Thigh AirSculpt®. This minimally invasive process doesn't use a scalpel, stitches, or general anesthesia, offering precise results with just 24 to 48 hours of downtime.

Fat is permanently removed with one wide-awake treatment that serves as the perfect complement to your dieting and exercising routine. If you also want to achieve a thigh gap, inner thigh fat removal with AirSculpt can be seamlessly paired with outer thigh treatments in one seamless session. 

If previous attempts to lose fat on your outer thighs or reduce inner thigh fat have been futile, we know this one will work. Head to our Phoenix body sculpting office or the AirSculpt® location nearest you for your free consultation.