Calves getting bigger!!!! Help
steffie113
Posts: 25 Member
Replies
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Buy bigger jeans...
Nice wheels
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This is not a solution, as they would be to bug around my waist... Derrrrrr0
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*big0
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Buy less skinny jeans. Not bigger sized0
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Try top shop jeans the make called Jono is quite stretchy but still look like normal jeans0
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But my goal is for my legs to get leaner not bigger... This is what I want help with.
How to change my exercise routine up, and what i should be doing differently.
Girls should not have legs this big.0 -
And what are wheels????0
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Your legs aren't big. You have muscle. Which is awesome. Better than twig legs imo! Leaner just means less fat.0
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I can see very little body fat on your legs, so if you want to get smaller, you will have to lose muscle. Exercise less and adapt your calories accordingly, or find a different type of exercise not focusing so much on legs. Although why anyone would want to have less muscle, it is something I have personally trouble understanding.0
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Silly me... Hehe (wheels)0
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So I need to exercise less then to get legs like say for example Taylor Swift? And drop my calories right down?
I want them to be smaller as I don't think they look attractive on me, when I actually change out of my gym gear and try to wear a pretty dress.0 -
Am I right in thinking that you loose muscle whilst running?0
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steffie113 wrote: »But my goal is for my legs to get leaner not bigger... This is what I want help with.
How to change my exercise routine up, and what i should be doing differently.
Girls should not have legs this big.
They aren't that big...and they are lean....btw mine are bigger...so yes females should have legs like that.
as for how to make them smaller...stop using them....
btw lots of men love women with legs like that...so if your goal is to look attractive I suspect lots find them attractive.0 -
steffie113 wrote: »But my goal is for my legs to get leaner not bigger... This is what I want help with.
How to change my exercise routine up, and what i should be doing differently.
Girls should not have legs this big.
They aren't that big...and they are lean....btw mine are bigger...so yes females should have legs like that.
as for how to make them smaller...stop using them....
btw lots of men love women with legs like that...so if your goal is to look attractive I suspect lots find them attractive.
Pretty much what I was gonna post.0 -
steffie113 wrote: »Am I right in thinking that you loose muscle whilst running?
No. Running uses your legs, it does not burn muscle.
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steffie113 wrote: »Am I right in thinking that you loose muscle whilst running?
No. Running uses your legs, it does not burn muscle.
Long distance steady state will. Sprinting will likely build it. Marathon runner vs sprinter. I know which physique I'd prefer!0 -
Basically the only way to reduce calf muscle is not to use it AT ALL--that means to sit on your butt until it wastes away over a period of YEARS.
Running long distances in and of themselves does nothing to "burn" muscle. Not using the muscle while eating at a calorie deficit will eventually cause your body to catabolize that muscle. But it's your legs--your wheels. So much as walk to the sink to refill your water, and you're using your legs.
I, too, have nice strong calves from a childhood of playing sports. I was very surprised to discover my calves are the decisive factor in my jeans size this spring.
Do what I do--buy bootcut jeans and jeggings that stretch for winter, and enjoy rocking out the shorts and skirts to show off your legs as often as possible. 0 -
Larger calves are signs of strong mitochondria filled muscles. Great for sprinting and fast twitch movements (release a lot of energy at once). Leaner muscles are more endurance (less but efficient mitochondria that slowly regenerate energy). This is mostly predetermined with genetics. We tend to gravitate to exercise we are good at, so theory here but those that naturally have "smaller calves" are more likely to enjoy marathon running.
To go against your genetics, like above, don't use at all. Notice how thin and delicate the legs are of those wheelchair bound.
A lot of clothes were made for unrealistic ideals. I just think of the jeans that have waist gap to fit my butt. Be proud of who you are and what you have to give to the world, calves and all!0 -
besee_2000 wrote: »Larger calves are signs of strong mitochondria filled muscles. Great for sprinting and fast twitch movements (release a lot of energy at once). Leaner muscles are more endurance (less but efficient mitochondria that slowly regenerate energy). This is mostly predetermined with genetics. We tend to gravitate to exercise we are good at, so theory here but those that naturally have "smaller calves" are more likely to enjoy marathon running.
Whaaaa? I would *love* to see the science on the genetic connection, seriously, if you have a link--I have always been a distance/endurance person, I mean going back to swimming distance when I was 8, but my calves, proportionally speaking, could generate their own gravitational field. (I am otherwise pretty small--they really do determine my jeans size, at least in skinny jeans.) I've always assumed I just built up the things through start/stop explosive sports stuff when I was little (soccer, basketball, etc) and never lost them.
I want Science to go yell retroactively at my swim coaches for always sticking me in the 1500/1650 when my friends were swimming the 100 back!0 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »steffie113 wrote: »Am I right in thinking that you loose muscle whilst running?
No. Running uses your legs, it does not burn muscle.
Long distance steady state will. Sprinting will likely build it. Marathon runner vs sprinter. I know which physique I'd prefer!
I wish this myth would go away.
Elite marathon runners look as thin as they are because they are trying to be as absolutely light as possible for race day. Yes that means wasting away some muscle, but that is NOT caused by all the marathon training. That is caused by purposeful calorie deprivation.
There is a correlation/causation issue at work here with this. Long distance steady state burns a TON of calories, and if you do it at a high level it can be nearly impossible to eat back enough. That doesn't mean long distance necessarily wastes muscle.
*ALL* I do is long-distance steady state type work. My quads and calves are enormous. I have a hard time finding jeans that fit over my legs that also fit my waist.
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cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »besee_2000 wrote: »Larger calves are signs of strong mitochondria filled muscles. Great for sprinting and fast twitch movements (release a lot of energy at once). Leaner muscles are more endurance (less but efficient mitochondria that slowly regenerate energy). This is mostly predetermined with genetics. We tend to gravitate to exercise we are good at, so theory here but those that naturally have "smaller calves" are more likely to enjoy marathon running.
Whaaaa? I would *love* to see the science on the genetic connection, seriously, if you have a link--I have always been a distance/endurance person, I mean going back to swimming distance when I was 8, but my calves, proportionally speaking, could generate their own gravitational field. (I am otherwise pretty small--they really do determine my jeans size, at least in skinny jeans.) I've always assumed I just built up the things through start/stop explosive sports stuff when I was little (soccer, basketball, etc) and never lost them.
I want Science to go yell retroactively at my swim coaches for always sticking me in the 1500/1650 when my friends were swimming the 100 back!
This is me as well. I don't quite understand why the myth is so pervasive about endurance training leading to thin sad-looking muscle.
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livingleanlivingclean wrote: »steffie113 wrote: »Am I right in thinking that you loose muscle whilst running?
No. Running uses your legs, it does not burn muscle.
Long distance steady state will. Sprinting will likely build it. Marathon runner vs sprinter. I know which physique I'd prefer!
I wish this myth would go away.
Elite marathon runners look as thin as they are because they are trying to be as absolutely light as possible for race day. Yes that means wasting away some muscle, but that is NOT caused by all the marathon training. That is caused by purposeful calorie deprivation.
There is a correlation/causation issue at work here with this. Long distance steady state burns a TON of calories, and if you do it at a high level it can be nearly impossible to eat back enough. That doesn't mean long distance necessarily wastes muscle.
*ALL* I do is long-distance steady state type work. My quads and calves are enormous. I have a hard time finding jeans that fit over my legs that also fit my waist.
Bodybuilders purposefully deprive themselves of calories to get comp lean. But don't look like marathon runners.0 -
This content has been removed.
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livingleanlivingclean wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »steffie113 wrote: »Am I right in thinking that you loose muscle whilst running?
No. Running uses your legs, it does not burn muscle.
Long distance steady state will. Sprinting will likely build it. Marathon runner vs sprinter. I know which physique I'd prefer!
I wish this myth would go away.
Elite marathon runners look as thin as they are because they are trying to be as absolutely light as possible for race day. Yes that means wasting away some muscle, but that is NOT caused by all the marathon training. That is caused by purposeful calorie deprivation.
There is a correlation/causation issue at work here with this. Long distance steady state burns a TON of calories, and if you do it at a high level it can be nearly impossible to eat back enough. That doesn't mean long distance necessarily wastes muscle.
*ALL* I do is long-distance steady state type work. My quads and calves are enormous. I have a hard time finding jeans that fit over my legs that also fit my waist.
Bodybuilders purposefully deprive themselves of calories to get comp lean. But don't look like marathon runners.
Strawman argument. Bodybuilders already have "built" a larger "body" so that when they need to cut the last couple % of fat for a competition, they still look big. Elite marathon runners don't specifically bulk their muscles before a race.
If I were an elite marathon runner, I, too, would be looking to cut down another 20lbs from where I am. However I am not, I am just an amateur Ironman triathlete who spends 18+ hours a week doing "steady state cardio". I also eat to compensate for it. I don't look like an elite marathoner because I purposely don't deprive myself to get as light as humanly possible and still be able to run. Thus my calves and quads are huge in comparison to the rest of me.
You are confounding nutrition with exercise.
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Those are good calves. They're not big by any means.
That being said, girls can have any sized legs they want (within reason, I suppose). I will say that calves seem to be particularly uncooperative, so you might be stuck with yours (which are fine and by no means appear large, not that there's anything wrong with big calves).0 -
Embrace them. They look great! And like someone said, buy larger size jeans and get them taken in where needed.0
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livingleanlivingclean wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »steffie113 wrote: »Am I right in thinking that you loose muscle whilst running?
No. Running uses your legs, it does not burn muscle.
Long distance steady state will. Sprinting will likely build it. Marathon runner vs sprinter. I know which physique I'd prefer!
I wish this myth would go away.
Elite marathon runners look as thin as they are because they are trying to be as absolutely light as possible for race day. Yes that means wasting away some muscle, but that is NOT caused by all the marathon training. That is caused by purposeful calorie deprivation.
There is a correlation/causation issue at work here with this. Long distance steady state burns a TON of calories, and if you do it at a high level it can be nearly impossible to eat back enough. That doesn't mean long distance necessarily wastes muscle.
*ALL* I do is long-distance steady state type work. My quads and calves are enormous. I have a hard time finding jeans that fit over my legs that also fit my waist.
Bodybuilders purposefully deprive themselves of calories to get comp lean. But don't look like marathon runners.
Strawman argument. Bodybuilders already have "built" a larger "body" so that when they need to cut the last couple % of fat for a competition, they still look big. Elite marathon runners don't specifically bulk their muscles before a race.
If I were an elite marathon runner, I, too, would be looking to cut down another 20lbs from where I am. However I am not, I am just an amateur Ironman triathlete who spends 18+ hours a week doing "steady state cardio". I also eat to compensate for it. I don't look like an elite marathoner because I purposely don't deprive myself to get as light as humanly possible and still be able to run. Thus my calves and quads are huge in comparison to the rest of me.
You are confounding nutrition with exercise.
So you ride a bike as well as running?0 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »steffie113 wrote: »Am I right in thinking that you loose muscle whilst running?
No. Running uses your legs, it does not burn muscle.
Long distance steady state will. Sprinting will likely build it. Marathon runner vs sprinter. I know which physique I'd prefer!
I wish this myth would go away.
Elite marathon runners look as thin as they are because they are trying to be as absolutely light as possible for race day. Yes that means wasting away some muscle, but that is NOT caused by all the marathon training. That is caused by purposeful calorie deprivation.
There is a correlation/causation issue at work here with this. Long distance steady state burns a TON of calories, and if you do it at a high level it can be nearly impossible to eat back enough. That doesn't mean long distance necessarily wastes muscle.
*ALL* I do is long-distance steady state type work. My quads and calves are enormous. I have a hard time finding jeans that fit over my legs that also fit my waist.
Bodybuilders purposefully deprive themselves of calories to get comp lean. But don't look like marathon runners.
Strawman argument. Bodybuilders already have "built" a larger "body" so that when they need to cut the last couple % of fat for a competition, they still look big. Elite marathon runners don't specifically bulk their muscles before a race.
If I were an elite marathon runner, I, too, would be looking to cut down another 20lbs from where I am. However I am not, I am just an amateur Ironman triathlete who spends 18+ hours a week doing "steady state cardio". I also eat to compensate for it. I don't look like an elite marathoner because I purposely don't deprive myself to get as light as humanly possible and still be able to run. Thus my calves and quads are huge in comparison to the rest of me.
You are confounding nutrition with exercise.
So you ride a bike as well as running?
Of course. But that doesn't negate your assertion of "long steady state cardio" which is what I do on a bike as well.
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Running does not burn muscles away. And the whole "long distance" vs. "sprinter" thing is a fallacy. Some people have different natural builds that affect how they put on muscle, and sometimes those builds make somebody better at one kind of running over another. I've seen marathoners and ultramarathoners and triathletes that come in all shapes and sizes (myself included and and I'm a fat guy with gigantic quads and calves). You want twig legs, stop exercising them, but I'm inclined to think that ones "ability" to have "Taylor Swift" legs is more based on genetics and body type than other factors.
IMO - your legs look great. They don't look too bulky, they are very lean. But, then again, your fitness goal probably shouldn't be to make strangers on the Internet happy. But, I don't think it's a bad idea to think realistically about your body, how you use it, and how you can make it look based on what you have to work with. Not everybody can have a body like Taylor Swift for lots of reasons. Maybe find a new body goal analog.0
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