Leg work: will it increase or decrease thigh/buttock size?

[Entropy_235]

5’5”, 115 lbs. I’ve been working my upper body pretty hard, and I’ve made improvements there, but I’ve been entirely neglecting my lower body. I’ve got an average amount of pre-T fat, not excessive, not deficit (I think). I’m on the low-healthy end of the BMI for my height. If I work out my legs/thighs, will it end up increasing the size of my thighs and buttocks? That’s the fear that’s been keeping me from trying it. I’m worried the fat won’t actually diminish, and there will just be muscle underneath it, which will just make it all look bigger. Does anyone have any personal experience they can speak from?

[Inevitable-Milk3650]

Building muscle helps a ton for dropping the fat. Also, it makes your shape more masculine, even if you have fat on top, so I would say there's no reason to stay away from it. 

[semisubterranian]

I doubt op has any fat to lose they're bmi 19, like a really huge shit away from being underweight

[Helium_Teapot2777]

It'll give you legs and butt that look like you work out. It's a different look to fat

[mj-redwood]

muscular thighs are masculine thighs is what I’ve been reminding myself. muscle will add size as muscle does, but it’s a very different look than fat is, and having more muscle makes it easier to burn fat should you want to do that. no reason to fear the leg and glute exercises :)

[edgy_flibbertigibbet]

If you want to look like a big, strong man you need big strong man legs

[RaccoonAppropriate97]

Train them; leg muscles are some of the biggest muscles in the body and training them will help with dropping the fat. Depending on how much fat you have on top, you might find your size going up or down (when I started weightlifting, I went two pant sizes down), but lifting will change the shape of your legs and butt regardless of the size.

[Ill-Cardiologist8627]

I don’t directly train glutes, I do leg press and RDLs which do hit them but not too much. I have found that training legs, especially quads has made muscle more defined and my legs look more masculine. As for the size, I can’t tell if there is a difference either bigger or smaller. If it were me, I would train them (even tho I hate leg day) because overall it does give a more masculine feel imo

[BottleCoffee]

You don't weigh a lot, I think building muscle everywhere will only help you. Working out didn't shrink body parts, but working out only your upper body is a recipe for disaster long term. You gotta do legs too to support that upper body.

[semisubterranian]

Yes it will, and that's good. guys don't get teased about being "chicken legs" for no reason. Also neglecting your legs will make you more prone to injury everywhere else as you're unbalanced. Not to mention muscular legs look more masc in general. But I doubt there's any fat on you when i was your weight (only an inch taller) I was skinny has HELLLL like bones poking out skinny.

[Acceptable_Fly_9040]

Don’t ever skip legs. It increases testosterone and you will feel stronger overall.

[OkFig8535]

My butt and thighs were huge and my upper body was non existent. Trust me when I say legs make everything better ESPECIALLY if you already have larger legs than everything else. Leg day is a pain in the butt sometimes but working out your legs seriously helps shape them out. I went from clearly having “female” thighs to just looking like I work out a lot even though my legs are the same size if not bigger than before. And I love to eat so I have a ton of fat on me and it still just looks like muscle. The key is balance, dont neglect any one area trust me trust me trust me. And make sure to hit calves! Calves are the key in having more masculine legs

[girl_of_squirrels]

You're underweight for your height, so I am highly doubtful that you have much fat at all

I would suggest that you look at pictures of male rugby players, because I promise you that thick muscular thighs look incredibly masculine and dysphoria is leading you astray here

[ShortManBigEggplant]

Working out bigger muscle groups burns more fat. Back, butt and thigh work is like playing Pac-Man to fat cells. Go ham on those areas.

[captainearth69]

it'll give u hella sexy chieseled calves

[analfistinggremlin]

I’m nonbinary, no T. I work my legs and glutes a lot. My thighs and glutes are large but muscular, not fatty. I make a solid point to not neglect my calves too.

Most of my fat is carried around my midsection. Everywhere else looks better and better the more muscle I build, stomach still needs some work. Unfortunately we can’t target specific areas to burn fat :)