My thighs have gotten bigger!

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  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    You're legs are not getting bigger. There may be some swelling in your legs from the muscles pulling in water to help repair them, but you're not gaining muscle, if what you have posted above is accurate, and you are eating 1200 cals a day and working out like you say. Your body can not create new muscle from nothing.
  • Justthisgirl1994
    Justthisgirl1994 Posts: 226 Member
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    @thatonegirlwiththestuff
    I'm so addicted to my spin classes! I'm thinking of maybe swapping out my all terrain spin class tomorrow for a 5k run though. Although, I'd really rather not haha. Why would you back off the spin classes? Is it slowing down the fat loss process?

    @fearlessleader104
    If I only went to spin classes twice a week and eased up on the resistance, focusing more on higher RPMs, would that make water retention go away too?
  • Ocrgrrrl
    Ocrgrrrl Posts: 189 Member
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    fearlessleader104 wrote: »
    Stop spin classes for a month and you will lose all of that water retention

    This. My legs always feel bloated after a good spin session. I have to talk myself down from it every time.

  • ccourcha
    ccourcha Posts: 316 Member
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    I like thick legs and booty! Extra cushion never hurt nobody
  • Justthisgirl1994
    Justthisgirl1994 Posts: 226 Member
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    Okay, so what I got from all of this is that my legs just seem bigger because they're retaining water. If I continue doing spin, they'll continue to retain water up until they finally let go of it, whenever that may be. If I stop spin now, I'll lose the water sooner. Correct me if I'm wrong!

    I love spin, so I'm okay with having bloated thighs if it really is temporary. My plan is to just continue with what I'm doing and wait for my legs to stop retaining water. If I end up at my goal weight and still have big thighs, I'll start doing long distance runs instead of spin to flush my legs out.

    Thank you everyone!!
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Justthisgirl1994 wrote: »
    Okay, so what I got from all of this is that my legs just seem bigger because they're retaining water. If I continue doing spin, they'll continue to retain water up until they finally let go of it, whenever that may be. If I stop spin now, I'll lose the water sooner. Correct me if I'm wrong!

    I love spin, so I'm okay with having bloated thighs if it really is temporary. My plan is to just continue with what I'm doing and wait for my legs to stop retaining water. If I end up at my goal weight and still have big thighs, I'll start doing long distance runs instead of spin to flush my legs out.

    Thank you everyone!!

    :indifferent:
  • determined_100
    determined_100 Posts: 30 Member
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    I have this same problem after a hard workout. Its normal i drink a honey lemon mixture I came up with that works amazing. I naturally have thick thighs and butt with smaller torso but bloating swelling just sucks lol. Good luck.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    PikaKnight wrote: »
    Justthisgirl1994 wrote: »
    Okay, so what I got from all of this is that my legs just seem bigger because they're retaining water. If I continue doing spin, they'll continue to retain water up until they finally let go of it, whenever that may be. If I stop spin now, I'll lose the water sooner. Correct me if I'm wrong!

    I love spin, so I'm okay with having bloated thighs if it really is temporary. My plan is to just continue with what I'm doing and wait for my legs to stop retaining water. If I end up at my goal weight and still have big thighs, I'll start doing long distance runs instead of spin to flush my legs out.

    Thank you everyone!!

    :indifferent:

    My response exactly.
  • Pittleydink
    Pittleydink Posts: 68 Member
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    pennystaplessnyder wrote: »
    fearlessleader104 wrote: »
    Stop spin classes for a month and you will lose all of that water retention

    This. My legs always feel bloated after a good spin session. I have to talk myself down from it every time.

    This is nonsense. I spin regularly as part of my routine and my legs have not 'retained water' and become 'bloated'. In fact my thighs have lost inches from spinning, and they weren't even that big to begin with.

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    No no no no no. So much no. Your thighs are not bigger, or at least not so much anyone could really notice. It is highly unlikely they will ever get bigger unless you suddenly start lifting very heavy and eat at a surplus. You may, may, just be showing more definition due to fat loss and that is what your mum is noticing. Long distance runs will not shrink them either. Your thighs are not getting bulky from exercise. And at 5'6 1200 calories is not a 500 calorie surplus I don't think (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Are you eating back exercise calories?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Justthisgirl1994 wrote: »
    I'm at a deficit of 500. I'm trying to lose weight because I used to weigh less and liked the way I looked back then more. I'm actually not trying to lose too much more, just 3 to 6 more lbs. I'm 5'6. I'm not underweight or anything haha.

    @paris458
    Thanks! That's actually pretty reassuring

    eating disorder alert, eating disorder alert….

    or body dysmorphia

    either way seek immediate professional help.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    OP if you truly want to look bette then I would suggest a heavy lift in program plus eating in a slight deficit (200 calories) or going for a recomp ….
  • Indigoblu1
    Indigoblu1 Posts: 127 Member
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    VintageFeline wrote: »
    No no no no no. So much no. Your thighs are not bigger, or at least not so much anyone could really notice. It is highly unlikely they will ever get bigger unless you suddenly start lifting very heavy and eat at a surplus. You may, may, just be showing more definition due to fat loss and that is what your mum is noticing. Long distance runs will not shrink them either. Your thighs are not getting bulky from exercise. And at 5'6 1200 calories is not a 500 calorie surplus I don't think (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Are you eating back exercise calories?

    These kinds of posts scare me: "I am exercising and I am getting bigger!" I always have to check in to find out if this is true or not. So, is this true or not? Can't stand this kind of doubt!
  • Justthisgirl1994
    Justthisgirl1994 Posts: 226 Member
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    This is definitely the last thread I'll ever make (Is there a way to delete it..?!) I don't know why so many people on here think it's okay to be so condescending. I'm really annoyed with all of the unhelpful and irrelevant comments on here. I don't have an eating disorder or anything else of that nature. Please don't tell me that I need to "seek immediate professional help". I didn't make this thread for you to say that to me.

    I have an extremely sedentary lifestyle. I sit on my *kitten* pretty much 99% of the time. Hence, working out 5-6x a week for a hour is pretty much necessary for me, regardless if I want to lose weight or not. The fact that I absolutely love going to the gym is just a cherry on top. Eating at a deficit is also not a big deal (pretty sure that's the goal of most MFP members..). I am losing weight at a safe rate (8 lbs in 5 weeks is less than 2 lbs/week). I also eat food that is very nutritious and helps me meet my macros. To be honest, I'm probably in better shape and more healthy than a lot of the people that have commented on this thread lol.

    @Indigoblu1
    Is what true? My thighs are definitely bigger than they were before if that's what you mean. A lot of people commented saying that they can't be bigger, but obviously I would know better than them whether or not the size of my thighs have increased. That being said, it probably is just water retention since I work my legs out pretty hard most days. Since it's just water I'm not concerned and I know that if I stick to my calorie deficit my legs will eventually get smaller.
  • Justthisgirl1994
    Justthisgirl1994 Posts: 226 Member
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    My question to all of you "seasoned posters" was why my thighs were getting bigger and what I should do about it. I think only about 3 of you have answered it. The rest of you went on about how I didn't need to lose weight, about red flags and random other stuff that I didn't ask about.

    Some of you said I wasn't gaining muscle and that it was just water retention I was seeing. That was seriously pretty much the only response I needed. The people telling me that spin causes a lot of water retention in the thighs further answered my question. Everyone else just gave me a lot of notifications and annoyed me.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Justthisgirl1994 wrote: »
    This is definitely the last thread I'll ever make (Is there a way to delete it..?!) I don't know why so many people on here think it's okay to be so condescending. I'm really annoyed with all of the unhelpful and irrelevant comments on here. I don't have an eating disorder or anything else of that nature. Please don't tell me that I need to "seek immediate professional help". I didn't make this thread for you to say that to me.

    I have an extremely sedentary lifestyle. I sit on my *kitten* pretty much 99% of the time. Hence, working out 5-6x a week for a hour is pretty much necessary for me, regardless if I want to lose weight or not. The fact that I absolutely love going to the gym is just a cherry on top. Eating at a deficit is also not a big deal (pretty sure that's the goal of most MFP members..). I am losing weight at a safe rate (8 lbs in 5 weeks is less than 2 lbs/week). I also eat food that is very nutritious and helps me meet my macros. To be honest, I'm probably in better shape and more healthy than a lot of the people that have commented on this thread lol.

    @Indigoblu1
    Is what true? My thighs are definitely bigger than they were before if that's what you mean. A lot of people commented saying that they can't be bigger, but obviously I would know better than them whether or not the size of my thighs have increased. That being said, it probably is just water retention since I work my legs out pretty hard most days. Since it's just water I'm not concerned and I know that if I stick to my calorie deficit my legs will eventually get smaller.

    Two pounds per week is not for those with little to lose. Your assertion that you're healthier than "a lot of the people" commenting ... a rather bold statement. You've conceded you never measured your legs ... but you're so sure they are bigger ... o.k.

    People seeing red flags in posts triggers introspection among the wise.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    2lbs a week for someone already a healthy weight is at the extreme end of weight loss.

    You don't know your thighs are bigger as you have never measured them. You can't present perceptions as fact without something to back it up. Your jeans could just fit differently due to a slight change in shape due to working the muscles.

    You can gain weight whilst exercising and eating in a deficit but it will show on the scales, not the tape measure as it is water retention spread throughout the body.

    So you can pout because you didn't get the answer you wanted but it doesn't change science.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Other than your mom, who is saying your thighs look bigger? I'm trying to figure out why so many people are sizing up your thighs. It doesn't sound like a great group of friends/family to have.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    You said your thighs are bigger, but you never measured it... You did not gain muscle doing spinning and mostly cardio and eating very little....
    Maybe your jeans shrunk in the dryer?

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