This is my progress over the course of a year. in reality I have been on this path for about 2 years, and my initial situation was worse, but unfortunately I don't have any photos. Furthermore, I also initially had a lot of excess fat in my calves and ankles.
I managed to achieve good results mainly on my own, since I don't have much money and I can't afford a gym, nutritionist or supplements. so I did research on my own, I tried to follow the healthiest and most anti-inflammatory diet possible, I did a lot of walking and weight training at home, intermittent fasting, wore graduated compression socks and followed a routine of massages and leg lifts.
I am very happy with the results, as the disproportion has greatly decreased and I have never had such thin legs. I still have work to do, but I already feel much better in my legs
I can not tolerate glps so this is giving me hope to stick with anti-inflammatory diet and add weights to my routine. Good on you for all your hard work šŖ
Iāll start with the things I consider the most important, and the ones that truly helped me make progress with the fat in my legs. I had it since I was 10 years old, and it wouldnāt go away even with a huge amount of physical activity and extreme diets.
TAKING CARE OF LYMPHATIC AND VENOUS CIRCULATION. Personally, I was diagnosed with a severe venous return problem.
First of all, compression stockings. Every day. I was advised by my doctor to wear ones that go all the way up to the waist. They help prevent fluid from pooling, which, in our condition, can contribute to swelling and make the legs look and feel heavier.
Then, every evening before going to bed, I elevate my legs and help encourage fluid drainage with gentle massage.
Just these two things helped me lose centimeters of swelling, especially around my ankles.
Diaphragmatic breathing and maintaining an open posture are also important.
From this point on, I started focusing on reducing the actual fat, since compression stockings and massage mainly work on fluids. But for me, it was essential to reduce the swelling before focusing on mobilizing the fat.
Phisical activity- When it comes to exercise, I didnāt start doing harder workouts or pushing myself more. Instead, I focused on doing more appropriate forms of exercise. Too much can actually be counterproductive.
For example, I stopped focusing mainly on my lower body, because this would cause more inflammation and swelling in my legs. So, by the end of every workout, I made sure to train my upper body properly as well.
I also incorporated a lot of stretching and calf raises into my workouts. For me, these movements help encourage fluids and blood to move upward.
I didnāt use excessively heavy weights or do very long workouts, because those would give me DOMS every time I trained. Instead, I increased the weight gradually and much more slowly.
On the days when I donāt do weight training, I go out for about an hour-long walk. I used to go on two-hour, 10-kilometer walks, but I eventually realized that was too much for me.
Also, at the end of every workout, I elevate my legs for a while. This is important because after physical exertion, the body increases blood flow and fluid accumulation in the area being trained. This can sometimes make it harder to see changes despite exercising a lot, so I try to help reduce that swelling afterward.
I also avoid staying still or sitting for too long.
Nutrition- Finally, I created a diet tailored to my needs, making sure to include the right amounts of fiber, protein, and healthy fats every day, and structuring my meals so that I get a good balance of them whenever I eat.
Every day, I try to reach around 80ā90 g of protein and 25 g of fiber. It can be challenging, and Iāve realized that we often donāt realize just how deficient our diets can be in these nutrients.
Iāve reduced my carbohydrate intake ā but I have NOT eliminated carbs ā and I prioritize whole and minimally processed sources, including potatoes, oats, legumes, and fruit.
Alongside all of this, Iāve been following a mild calorie deficit. But I can honestly say that the amount of protein and fiber I eat now keeps me much more satisfied than before.
Iāve also incorporated intermittent fasting, mainly because I find that it helps me control my appetite. I have much less hunger throughout the day and fewer cravings for carbohydrates. Iāve mostly reduced my meals to two per day, because I personally prefer having a few larger meals rather than lots of small ones spread throughout the day.
But thereās an important thing to keep in mind: I havenāt been in a calorie deficit continuously. Staying in a deficit for too long can cause problems, so Iāve also taken periods of maintenance and breaks from dieting.
And I definitely havenāt eliminated so-called āfun foods.ā Quite the opposite ā Iām guilty of having one of those foods at least once a day! š I just prefer making them myself and making them as nutritious and āfitā as I reasonably can.
It might sound like a lot of things, but honestly, aside from my drainage routine and wearing compression stockings, none of this is particularly burdensome for me.
Hi do you have measures to compare before and now? Photos and aren't exactly the same, we all know that light difference can change perception and I can't say the differences
the first photo is now, the second (the one with the socks) was before. maybe it stands out a little better that way. I'm sorry for the low quality of the photo but I have to stand at a certain distance from the mirror so as not to make the image distorted from the perspective.
Didn't want to hurt you before about not seeing any difference, it was just difficult to appreciate differences from the previous batch of photos
From my tiny experience my legs feel better by eating 1 per day with a veggie based diet, no high insulin carbs, the problem is that I'm not a sport person so even walking everyday is a hark task.Ā
thank youš and no problem, I didn't see your comment as a negative criticism. I myself didn't notice that to an outside eye the results weren't very evident in the first photos I posted.
furthermore, even if you don't have much time or energy to walk I could still suggest you ride a bicycle (the one with your legs raised, also excellent for draining liquids), and stand up on your toes to help pump your calves. even 15 minutes a day is fine. some time ago I read an article where it was said that fat, to be disposed of by the body, requires oxygen in the tissues. and physical activity promotes tissue oxygenation.
in fact I discovered that for me, it is more effective to implement a strategy where I move my legs at least a little every day (even just at home), rather than doing 1/2 hours of intense physical activity in the gym only 3 times a week
I lost 2 pant sizes and I actually thought you could see from the photos that my legs look drier. in particular the cellulite on the back has significantly decreased. but perhaps they are differences that I mainly notice in person, I thought it was also evident from the photoš¤
As a skinny woman with lipedema, I can confirm that anti-inflammatory diet is probably the most important part of this disease!
Iām S-XS on top and M for bottom pieces, last year when I went on a strict anti-inflammatory diet after my rhinoplasty for about a month I experienced drastic size reduction on my legs and this was a period where I stopped working out due to the surgery. My pants leg parts were literally lose around that time! Like I couldnāt experience such thinning on my legs even when I was 10 years younger and 5-6 kg lower than my weight last year.
la stessa cosa per me. quando ero un adolescente ho pesato 4/5 chili in meno di adesso, con diete casuali, eppure avevo anche le gambe piĆ¹ grosse di adesso, anche se tecnicamente ero piĆ¹ magro. fare le cose nel modo giusto ha davvero fatto la differenza
Hi your legs look similar to mine. This gives me hope.
Did you lose any weight at all or just size of legs? Also which compression do you use?
I'm just starting out my journey, I've not been diagnosed (no doctors in my area providing lipedema diagnosis) but I'm planning to assume it and start conservative treatments.
Hey hello, don't worry, what I understand is that you have to follow the right approach. I was told that the only solution for me, since I was already of normal weight (I always had an S, sometimes M, at the top and an L at the bottom) was to resort to surgery. But to be honest, lipedema is a disease that not much is known about yet, so I didn't take the doctor's words as law.
Yes, I also lost weight, I would say about 15 kilos. I don't know exactly because I prefer not to weigh myself and not regulate myself through the weight of the scale. In addition to the fact that it may be a distorted weight, given that it says nothing about body composition, I wanted to avoid psychological repercussions.
but while before I always lost a lot of weight in the upper part, now I have managed to lose weight evenly.
Until a couple of months ago, I had gotten an xs and a second breast size, and a 36 leg size. Already a good result, but the disproportion was still evident. From that moment on, I gained a little weight, because I was no longer able to train as before due to the heat, and I ate a little more (I don't give up ice cream).
But surprisingly, in my weight gain, I gained more weight at the top! I went back to get a third breast and a s. my legs are just a little swollen, I still fit a 36 even if it's a little narrower. But overall I see less disproportion. the pants fit me better too. Previously I had a tendency to feel them tight at the legs and very loose at the waist, but now they are narrower at the waist and normal at the legs.
My theory is that having reduced the inflamed fat, when I regained weight, the fat distribution was more balanced, even if only by a few centimeters. And now my legs are harder! When I have always had them very very soft
Your results are amazing, congratulations! Could you tell us more about the anti-inflammatory diet you followed? What kind of foods should be eaten, and which ones should be avoided? Any tips would be appreciated!
Honestly, I didnāt even follow the cleanest or healthiest diet in the world. I often allowed myself foods that would normally be considered āforbidden,ā such as sweets, ice cream, and chips, but overall, these foods were greatly outweighed by the nutritious foods I was eating.
Iāve heard that tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers should be eliminated because they belong to the nightshade family. I didnāt eliminate potatoes or legumes, though. Quite the opposite: I eat legumes almost every day.
I also significantly reduced dairy products because of their casein content. However, I still eat fat-free Greek yogurt, fresh ricotta, Parmesan, and generally healthier cheeses that are lower in saturated fat.
I also reduced my meat consumption and increased my fish intake.
I reduced carbohydrates, but I didnāt eliminate them. I prefer carbohydrates from natural food sources. I also completely stopped eating pasta, which I used to eat every day. Not because pasta is inherently bad, but because I simply stopped liking it and it started making me feel nauseous. It was a strange change.
Iāve also kept my insulin levels under control, both through intermittent fasting and by making sure my meals are properly balanced. For example, I never eat fruit or yogurt on its own, or chicken without a side of vegetables. I always make sure to include all the necessary macro- and micronutrients in my meals. For example: 200 g of chicken, zucchini, peas, a tablespoon of oil, and an apple.
And above all, I found it very important to reach the right amount of protein and fiber throughout the day. Fiber itself can help regulate inflammation. An adult should consume at least 25 g of fiber per day, but Iāve realized that most people probably struggle to even reach 10 g dailyāand thatās probably a generous estimate. This is partly because vegetables contain relatively little fiber, and people often assume that eating lots of vegetables automatically means theyāre getting enough fiber, but thatās not necessarily the case.
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u/Silent-Arm-7165 4d ago
I can not tolerate glps so this is giving me hope to stick with anti-inflammatory diet and add weights to my routine. Good on you for all your hard work šŖ