The Thigh Gap Myth
A thigh gap is a space between your inner thighs when you stand with your feet together.
It is seen by some women as a desirable shape, something to aim for in their weight loss journey.
But is it actually healthy? Or Even normal?
Genes determine the thigh gap
Whether you have a thigh gap or not is due in large part to body type, skeletal structure and connective tissue length.
Firstly there’s pelvis shape. Without getting all sciency on you, depending on how your pelvic bones are formed, your hips might be wider or narrower, in relation to the knees. Meaning some people will have more curves, others will have more boyish legs, even if those people were of exactly the same weight and size.
Muscle size will also determine a gap or not – stronger legs (NOT bulky legs) – the type of thighs most women want, are more likely to touch. Skinny fat thighs with less muscle and less shape might not. But skinny fat never looked good, and it’s never a healthy way to be either.
But muscles also form their shape and size in part to genetics just like bones – some women’s adductor muscles on the inside of the thigh are thicker higher up, some people’s are thicker lower, the latter making a thigh gap more likely.
Is No Thigh Gap The Same as Fat Thighs?
Body fat levels will influence a thigh gap obviously. A person who, if they were a) skinny b) had low adductor muscles and c) the relevant pelvic bone shape but carries a lot of extra body fat might not have a thigh gap because of the extra fat round their thighs.
But a skinny person, if they actually were skinny, might not have a thigh gap if they had higher sitting adductors and an alternative pevic bone shape.
So will losing weight give you a thigh gap? Maybe. But why would you want one?
The Insta-Model Myth
If you ever wondered, how, with so many unavoidable reasons as to why a woman might not have a thigh gap, there are so many gap-legged girls in bikinis on social media.
Here’s a post I put on Facebook recently:
THE 30 SECOND THIGH GAP!
How Instagram ‘models’ make you feel bad about your body.
Please share this post if the body-pouting annoys you as much as it does me.
Picture one: point & click
Picture two (30s later): arch back, buttocks pushed back, suck tummy in to suffocating point, stretch body upwards, rotate legs inwards, push knees out, then point and click before you fall over.
The Truth About The Thigh Gap
There is no benefit, health wise, to having a thigh gap. It will not make you stronger or faster. It does not improve health markers like diabetes risk. It doesn’t even look attractive to most people (especially men – ask any man).
And most people who you think have a thigh gap likely don’t, and are just using camera trickery like I demonstrated above.
Wanting strong, toned thighs is fine. In fact wanting to be fit and strong is awesome.
But having goals that are purely based on aesthetics rather than health or performance, especially ones that are unattainable for most women, are more likely to leave you frustrated and disheartened than happy and healthy.
Focus on making your body the healthiest and best it can be and learn to ignore the lies, myths and misunderstandings that social media is so good at spreading.