Is cardio making my thighs bulky?

flowers8628

Since I have started my weight loss journey (about 5 months ago) I have concentrated mainly on cardio paired with some body weight exercises. I will do 30 minutes of cardio on the eliptical at a decent resistance (4 out of 10). Or I will run on the treadmill alternating light jogging with a 30 second sprint.

The only strength I have done for my legs is a few body weight exercises like lunges, squats, leg raises etc.

Is the cardio making my quads really bulky? My stomach is small, my butt is small, but my thighs can't even fit into my jeans - they are too big.

My calves have also gotten HUGE.

mulecanter

Nonsense! Exercise will only make you toned and fit. You are not doing enough to body-build (aka Arnold S). You sound like you are built like me--a pear. Keep working out and as the fat melts away the jeans will grow.

waldo56

That 'rexic look is nasty.

MiloBloom83

Since I have started my weight loss journey (about 5 months ago) I have concentrated mainly on cardio paired with some body weight exercises. I will do 30 minutes of cardio on the eliptical at a decent resistance (4 out of 10). Or I will run on the treadmill alternating light jogging with a 30 second sprint.

The only strength I have done for my legs is a few body weight exercises like lunges, squats, leg raises etc.

Is the cardio making my quads really bulky? My stomach is small, my butt is small, but my thighs can't even fit into my jeans - they are too big.

My calves have also gotten HUGE.

...says the new account with absolutely no photographic verification.

maybeazure

I think that there is a tendency for lots of women to over-analyze their bodies. My guess is that your thighs and calves are fine, but you are trying to reach an unreachable goal of being one of those crazy skinny models. Try not to worry about it and accept yourself. Lots of people don't think that model-skinny women are all that attractive. I don't...and if your legs are bulky, (which I kind of doubt) they are also probably nicely shaped.

rich347

Based on your pic your thighs look good to me, keep up the good work

LiftAllThePizzas

Choose different ancestors.

born2drum

Eating too much is making you bulky!

beastmodekittyx

Do you mean your legs now look very good and hot?

ShadeyC

As a semi serious answer to this...I have what my family call Aitutaki thighs...I'm an islander, my genes are destined to make me 'solid'.
I lift.
My legs are not bulky they are fricking awesome.
Muscle compacts more than fat.
I hate to say it, but you gotta be cray cray if you're eating at a deficit and doing cardio and think your legs are getting bigger while the rest of you is getting smaller.
Have you actually taken measurements?

GiGiBeans

I sometimes feel as if my thighs and calves have gotten bigger but in truth they just lose fat much slower than the rest of me so that proportionately they look bigger. Buy low rise or curvy jeans and work on building some shoulder and upper body mass for a more balanced look.

charleyreedto175

Sorry: But I call BS: Unless you are a skinny jeans nut. It can not happen. I am a 200 plus male and My legs a way bigger than yours from Calfs to Thighs If they fit me then a smaller you need a new cut of jeans..

SteelySunshine

Wear skirts and dresses. Problem solved.

FitCurves444

I think your question is being misunderstood..... bulky does not equal "fat" nor does your question read like a complaint to me. But I digress.....

Yes, the elliptical machine may be making your thighs more muscular, but you can remove the number 4 resistance to 0.

I have muscular legs, too, and running, spinning, stair climbing and the elliptical machine will make my legs bulky. I am ok with that outcome. I'm not complaining.... I'm bragging....

MinMin97

Nothing wrong with your question, I remember experiencing that before. :happy:

You must be really working out! Probably you are just getting some water retention, and it will go away after a while. Muscles do that when you work out hard. Good job!!

AmyRhubarb

From another of the OP's posts:

Height: 5"8
Weight: 131
Bust: 32"
Waist: 26"
Hips: 33"

Yeah, I'm not seeing any bulk here. She also states that she wants to look like the thinspo girls she sees on pinterest and elsewhere, so I'm afraid anything other than downright bony is going to be seen as bulky to her.

Get some help, kiddo - healthy and strong is awesome, bony is not.

DoingitWell

My mother in law said I had thunder thighs, is thunder another term for bulky?

ShadeyC

My mother in law said I had thunder thighs, is thunder another term for bulky?

That's what I got too, or Aitutaki thighs. What they're actually saying is this...

WAAHHHH! You have muscles and you're a girl, that creeps me out. I think all the woman's should be tiny and be able to break their hips when they push out the beebies they should be having instead. And then the woman's should get skinny fat REALLY fast and stay covered in a layer of wobbly fat as opposed to being lean and mean and stronger than the tough burly mansies.

Well, that's what I hear anyway. And yes they can't speak proper English when I hear it :P

CoderGal

From another of the OP's posts:

Height: 5"8
Weight: 131
Bust: 32"
Waist: 26"
Hips: 33"

Yeah, I'm not seeing any bulk here. She also states that she wants to look like the thinspo girls she sees on pinterest and elsewhere, so I'm afraid anything other than downright bony is going to be seen as bulky to her.

Get some help, kiddo - healthy and strong is awesome, bony is not.

TRUTH!

I'm the same height and weight. Except I lift without fear of getting bulky. In fact I wouldn't mind bulking my thighs but thus far no luck

MisterDerpington

Asking about an exercise making a part of you "bulky" and then providing no pictures is like asking us if a piece of clothing looks good on you and providing no pictures. C'mon now.

ShadeyC

....what was wrong with my last reply? About how she should keep lifting and she'd get there? And tough chicks are awesome?

scottaworley

I wish I could bulk on a deficit without steroids..

CoderGal

....what was wrong with my last reply? About how she should keep lifting and she'd get there? And tough chicks are awesome?

lol beats me but I thankfully read it and appreciated it :happy: :flowerforyou:

I wish moderators left a note when they clean out a thread so people don't get confused or at least suggest there's another side of a debate getting left out. That's several pages gone now. Mind you in this case I don't think it matters, but I hate it when people request particular sides of a story get removed.

Doone33

As a semi serious answer to this...I have what my family call Aitutaki thighs...I'm an islander, my genes are destined to make me 'solid'.
I lift.
My legs are not bulky they are fricking awesome.
Muscle compacts more than fat.
I hate to say it, but you gotta be cray cray if you're eating at a deficit and doing cardio and think your legs are getting bigger while the rest of you is getting smaller.
Have you actually taken measurements?

I would measure myself... LOL.. sometimes in our weight loss journey we tend to lose weight in some places... yet making other places look larger than before.... I have had other girls say this before... I had a boyfriend reply.. shes not gotten bigger.. shes gotten thinner and noticing herself! OUCH... but maybe it is the truth!

ShadeyC

....what was wrong with my last reply? About how she should keep lifting and she'd get there? And tough chicks are awesome?

lol beats me but I thankfully read it and appreciated it :happy: :flowerforyou:

I wish moderators left a note when they clean out a thread so people don't get confused or at least suggest there's another side of a debate getting left out. That's several pages gone now. Mind you in this case I don't think it matters, but I hate it when people request particular sides of a story get removed.

Well at least you got to see it
And I understand why they removed the rest. But I do miss science :P

ericdcruz118

Since I have started my weight loss journey (about 5 months ago) I have concentrated mainly on cardio paired with some body weight exercises. I will do 30 minutes of cardio on the eliptical at a decent resistance (4 out of 10). Or I will run on the treadmill alternating light jogging with a 30 second sprint.

The only strength I have done for my legs is a few body weight exercises like lunges, squats, leg raises etc.

Is the cardio making my quads really bulky? My stomach is small, my butt is small, but my thighs can't even fit into my jeans - they are too big.

My calves have also gotten HUGE.

the answer is no. cardio isn't making your quads huge.

ShadeyC

As a semi serious answer to this...I have what my family call Aitutaki thighs...I'm an islander, my genes are destined to make me 'solid'.
I lift.
My legs are not bulky they are fricking awesome.
Muscle compacts more than fat.
I hate to say it, but you gotta be cray cray if you're eating at a deficit and doing cardio and think your legs are getting bigger while the rest of you is getting smaller.
Have you actually taken measurements?

I would measure myself... LOL.. sometimes in our weight loss journey we tend to lose weight in some places... yet making other places look larger than before.... I have had other girls say this before... I had a boyfriend reply.. shes not gotten bigger.. shes gotten thinner and noticing herself! OUCH... but maybe it is the truth!

yep, measurements make more sense than the scales often.
I'm not sure what's ouch about a boyfriend sticking up for you? Or did I read that wrong?

CoderGal

As a semi serious answer to this...I have what my family call Aitutaki thighs...I'm an islander, my genes are destined to make me 'solid'.
I lift.
My legs are not bulky they are fricking awesome.
Muscle compacts more than fat.
I hate to say it, but you gotta be cray cray if you're eating at a deficit and doing cardio and think your legs are getting bigger while the rest of you is getting smaller.
Have you actually taken measurements?

I would measure myself... LOL.. sometimes in our weight loss journey we tend to lose weight in some places... yet making other places look larger than before.... I have had other girls say this before... I had a boyfriend reply.. shes not gotten bigger.. shes gotten thinner and noticing herself! OUCH... but maybe it is the truth!

yep, measurements make more sense than the scales often.
I'm not sure what's ouch about a boyfriend sticking up for you? Or did I read that wrong?

Yup, people can feel like something looks disproportionately large or small depending on how they lose weight. Genes being a big factor here. I shrank in the waist and my *kitten* and hips stayed huge and only shrunk slightly be it with cardio or lifting or sitting on my *kitten*. My legs stayed scrawny. It seems the first thing that wants to change on me is my waist.

ShadeyC

As a semi serious answer to this...I have what my family call Aitutaki thighs...I'm an islander, my genes are destined to make me 'solid'.
I lift.
My legs are not bulky they are fricking awesome.
Muscle compacts more than fat.
I hate to say it, but you gotta be cray cray if you're eating at a deficit and doing cardio and think your legs are getting bigger while the rest of you is getting smaller.
Have you actually taken measurements?

I would measure myself... LOL.. sometimes in our weight loss journey we tend to lose weight in some places... yet making other places look larger than before.... I have had other girls say this before... I had a boyfriend reply.. shes not gotten bigger.. shes gotten thinner and noticing herself! OUCH... but maybe it is the truth!

yep, measurements make more sense than the scales often.
I'm not sure what's ouch about a boyfriend sticking up for you? Or did I read that wrong?

Yup, people can feel like something looks disproportionately large or small depending on how they lose weight. Genes being a big factor here. I shrank in the waist and my *kitten* and hips stayed huge and only shrunk slightly be it with cardio or lifting or sitting on my *kitten*. My legs stayed scrawny. It seems the first thing that wants to change on me is my waist.

My problem is actually my top half, which is weird considering the rest of my family have the thigh and butt problem. The bottom half of me dropped way quicker than the top. I suppose I shouldn't complain because I got to keep my boobs.
But I had (and still have) to keep buying new pants because I'm shrinking without the scales moving much.
Hence the measurements.

I do think the OP should measure first for awhile...

CoderGal

As a semi serious answer to this...I have what my family call Aitutaki thighs...I'm an islander, my genes are destined to make me 'solid'.
I lift.
My legs are not bulky they are fricking awesome.
Muscle compacts more than fat.
I hate to say it, but you gotta be cray cray if you're eating at a deficit and doing cardio and think your legs are getting bigger while the rest of you is getting smaller.
Have you actually taken measurements?

I would measure myself... LOL.. sometimes in our weight loss journey we tend to lose weight in some places... yet making other places look larger than before.... I have had other girls say this before... I had a boyfriend reply.. shes not gotten bigger.. shes gotten thinner and noticing herself! OUCH... but maybe it is the truth!

yep, measurements make more sense than the scales often.
I'm not sure what's ouch about a boyfriend sticking up for you? Or did I read that wrong?

Yup, people can feel like something looks disproportionately large or small depending on how they lose weight. Genes being a big factor here. I shrank in the waist and my *kitten* and hips stayed huge and only shrunk slightly be it with cardio or lifting or sitting on my *kitten*. My legs stayed scrawny. It seems the first thing that wants to change on me is my waist.

My problem is actually my top half, which is weird considering the rest of my family have the thigh and butt problem. The bottom half of me dropped way quicker than the top. I suppose I shouldn't complain because I got to keep my boobs.
But I had (and still have) to keep buying new pants because I'm shrinking without the scales moving much.
Hence the measurements.

I do think the OP should measure first for awhile...

One thing I'll point out is weight loss isn't linear, even on the measuring tape. We grow and shrink throughout the day for many reasons. Particularly when exercising. I see a lot of 'but I'm getting fatter' threads from people who obsessively measure themselves over a very short period of time.

kimosabe1

measure yourself! it's not fat-muscle!