Calves

sunshinesher01

I am 280 lbs, so it makes sense that my calves are pretty large from carrying me around all the time. Here is my fear... I am doing lots of cardio, and 30 day shred.... and I feel tons of burning in my calves, which I am sure is great! But I fear that I am going to keep building muscles in my calves and they are going to get BIGGER! right now the are 19 inches... Yeah they are HUGE!!! I so badly want to wear boots.... but I can't cuz of these suckers. So I know that you can't technically "spot reduce", But does cardo help make them leaner? Or will it make them bigger?? HELP? I know I have more to worry about than my calves, lol But I know the other stuff with shrink with time, cuz it is all fat... but my calves are petty muscular, so not sure about those. Thank you for your tips!

ChantalGG

Those calves are going to help you burn extra calories. Dont worry about that now you will go down and have the best calves around. Eventually when you want to shrink them you will need to work them everyday to reduce the size instead of build them.

Lindz2323

You'll be fine! dont worry another thing you could do is try some pilates! it helps lean you out I love it!

NeuroticVirgo

Eventually they will go down, but you will probably start seeing muscle definition there first before you see them get any smaller.

At least that's what happened with me. My calves and thighs ( :grumble: ) are the same inches, but since exercising, now instead of just like round fat sausage legs when I flex I have definition....and the weird part is because I can see the definition, I can also see there is still lots of FAT left on my legs. So I think just like the rest of our bodies, its going to go down a little bit at a time.

I don't think your calves will get any bigger, and that extra muscle will burn more calories, so its better in the long run. You'll get to wear your boots soon enough :flowerforyou:

sewerchick93

BUMP

I have the same issue and was wondering the same thing.

vryanz

I do too... and unfortunately, losing fat is the only way to go. Exercising is great, but will only make them bigger until the fat over them is gone.

Emma1903

Your muscles will get bigger but the fat on your legs will reduce a lot more than your muscles build! The muscle will burn the fat faster so dont worry about your muscles getting bigger, your legs will be smaller but just have very little fat on them when you reach your goal. Also they won't get very big by just cardio, they will only get big by doing resistance training.
Think of a runner does cardio and has small legs, then think of a boxer who does cardio and resistance still small legs but muscle are more defined. Either way you won't end up with big legs!

Clonekuh

My calves are bigger Don't worry about it.

Papillon22

I hear you on the burning during 30ds! I never knew they could burn so much...

I have the same problem as you, and honestly I'm choosing not to think about it. All that matters right now is losing the weight and getting strong. If the day I lose all the weight, they still look big, oh, well.

JDMPWR

I am 280 lbs, so it makes sense that my calves are pretty large from carrying me around all the time. Here is my fear... I am doing lots of cardio, and 30 day shred.... and I feel tons of burning in my calves, which I am sure is great! But I fear that I am going to keep building muscles in my calves and they are going to get BIGGER! right now the are 19 inches... Yeah they are HUGE!!! I so badly want to wear boots.... but I can't cuz of these suckers. So I know that you can't technically "spot reduce", But does cardo help make them leaner? Or will it make them bigger?? HELP? I know I have more to worry about than my calves, lol But I know the other stuff with shrink with time, cuz it is all fat... but my calves are petty muscular, so not sure about those. Thank you for your tips!

Is their fat on your calves? If so then keep at the cardio and you will lose it, Cardio is not going to build up muscle on your calves if anything doing cardio will help cut the fat down. Cardio is a catabolic workout not an anabolic workout.

Anabolic=building of muscle
Catabolic=burning of muscle & fat

I will use myself for example. I do a hour of stairmaster a day on average. my calves are 2/3's of what they used to be and RIPPED TO SHREDS now.

rayaross

Your calves have been doing the work of carrying and moving all of your weight every time you stand or take a step. This is all day every day. Your workouts only represent a small amount of the time they are getting exercise. As you lose weight and they have to perform less work all day long as you walk and stand they will adjust accordingly. If you wanted to keep large calves you would need to do heavy weighted exercises to keep them that way, which is something a man might want to do. But as you get lighter they will reduce in size to adjust to their workload. Don't get discouraged, the body is an amazing thing and while it takes time and perseverance you will get into those boots!

rayaross

Your calves have been doing the work of carrying and moving all of your weight every time you stand or take a step. This is all day every day. Your workouts only represent a small amount of the time they are getting exercise. As you lose weight and they have to perform less work all day long as you walk and stand they will adjust accordingly. If you wanted to keep large calves you would need to do heavy weighted exercises to keep them that way, which is something a man might want to do. But as you get lighter they will reduce in size to adjust to their workload. Don't get discouraged, the body is an amazing thing and while it takes time and perseverance you will get into those boots!

AAJoseph

I totally understand... although I actually try to go the other way with my calves. (My grandmother said once: Oh my, you have calves like a man... and I sighed Oh thank you so much! I have been working really hard.. LOL)

Anyway, until they slim down, www.zappos.com (one of my favs) and www.widecalfbootscity.com sell boots (beautiful, fashionable, every day - all styles) built for our legs!

sunshinesher01

Thank you everyone... I guess I just need that confirmation that I wont have huge calves forever! And thank you for the tip about the wide calf boots!! That is awesome!!

sunshinesher01

Infamous double post... sorry

Collinsky

Just wanted to thank you for asking this, because I've been doing the 30 DS and while I've had losses in my waist, hips, etc, I seem to have gained in my calves. They're getting wider, apparently. I measured six times because I didn't think that was true, but I guess it is. I'm not too sure that they won't get/stay bigger, after all is said and done, but it's good to know they may lean out instead of continue to bulk up.

Schwiggity

You're not going to "bulk up" by working out. Stop it. -_-

Collinsky

Well, I wouldn't have thought so, but the new inch around each of my calves gave me pause. :-)

Samerah12

No worries!! I have huge calves, never been able to wear boots in my shoe size, but they're definitely shrinking as I lose weight. I do a lot of strength training and include calf specific exercises at least twice a week and they have shrunk as the fat has been replaced with muscle.

NatalieWinning

When I do weights, and heavy work (as in lotsa real live exercise) I get smaller. Muscle on a lady pulls you in and tones you up. It's hard to bulk up, thats a whole different thing and takes some effort. Samerah12 above is my daughter and her Dad's family happens to have extra large legs genetically! Yet she's even losing calves. I lived on a farm and worked like a man throwing hay bails and rolling wheel barrows of heavy stuff up hills, hauled 2 5gallon buckets full of water to the barn from the house (dads retired vision of family togetherness was no water in the barn?) and I was ripped! I was also very small and tight. Don't worry! You will shrink! And to prove it take your measurements monthly.

Now one instance I did gain girth in my lower legs was with certain birth control pills. That ain't good. I quit those!