any females with big calves

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Replies

  • LinsenNRoses
    LinsenNRoses Posts: 284 Member
    I have always had huge calves! Even when I was thin!! I've had compliments and negative comments about them. I used to hate them but now I don't mind anymore. It's better than having chicken legs!! :)
  • beccyleigh
    beccyleigh Posts: 846 Member
    I don't have exceptionally big calves BUT... I have really slim ankles so my calves look really huge. I rarely wear skirts or shorts because of it.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    According to my mother I was born with well defined calf muscles. My calves are now ~15". I've lost 10" off my waist and only 1" off my calves. And sorry, it's not fat. It's solid well defined muscle. I can't even pinch 1/2".

    I'm actually pretty self conscious about them. Plus I love boots and I can't wear them. I'm only 4' 10 1/2" and I wear a size 6 shoe. Boot shopping is hugely frustrating.
  • alikat789
    alikat789 Posts: 105 Member
    Always had big calves. I'm 5'2 and 18" calves. Like to think they are all muscle but i would be lying a little. Would love to have more of an ankle though. Soccer is what i like to blame on huge calves on. Would love to have more definition too...in time i will just started on this weight loss journey. Can't say anyone has ever said anything to me about my calves and i'm okay with the big calves, never been a trouble spot for me, just accepted that's how i'm built.
  • ByrdMessy
    ByrdMessy Posts: 94
    My calves are sick. I did point ballet growing up and I cheered in high school. ("Oh gee, you must have been thin." Um, noooo!) I am thankful for this thread. I feel the pain. Anytime I'm complimented on my calves, I have to admit I don't take it well. AND OH THOSE CHARLIE HORSES! I'm not at the point yet where I can imagine burning off what muscle is in my calves. No way these things are mostly fat. Keeping this girl on toe shoes?--they are SOLID.
  • damnedlady
    damnedlady Posts: 32 Member
    I have really big calves (and thighs) as well, no matter how skinny I am. It's just the way it is! My mother, a physical therapist, tries to comfort me with the fact that it's very important for your body that you have strong muscle there, but it doesn't really help much :P I also have trouble finding boots.
  • Lolli1986
    Lolli1986 Posts: 500 Member
    I hate to be "that guy", but most women with big calves simply store a lot of fat on them. 90% of the time, it's not muscle.

    Then don't be "that guy." If you really hated to be him, you wouldn't be.

    What? Just trying to set realistic expectations. The truth is, unless you've been really lean before - low teen body fat for men, upper teen for a woman, you have no idea how much fat you really have on your body. It's nothing to be ashamed of, it's simply is what it is.

    Did you realllllly have to come in here on a calorie counting website and tell us all that there is a 90% chance that we're simply whinging about being fat?

    Probably not.

    Not helpful, mate.

    And for your information, which you may not wish to know, when women drop below 20% body fat most no longer have a regular period. I know this, I have been there - I am one of the '10%' who truly do just have massive calf muscles regardless of whether I am 30% body fat or 16%.

    Where possible, it is actually healthier for a woman's body to maintain a body fat level between 20-25%.

    Given that many here are not trying to decrease their body fat to the low teens...as you say yourself, they will probably continue to have big calves. So just leave them be, thanks.
  • TheFunBun
    TheFunBun Posts: 793 Member
    Oh man, add me to the big calf crew. Well. Not right now, but usually. Being injured for a year and a half gave me piddly little Secret Garden legs, but I'm getting ready to get boot busting calves back!

    I was under the impression that the reason bigger women had bigger calves was because their bodies usually carried more weight and their calves were just a little stronger because of it. Most of us gain the majority of our weight mid body, so while our calves get fat as well, they're proportionally smaller than the rest of our bodies when under the influence of chub! :)
  • jily32
    jily32 Posts: 16
    Mine are 16", but I'm 5'11", so I've never considered them to be big. I do own several pairs of tall boots, and am surprised (and dismayed) to hear that so many of you with smaller calves are having trouble finding boots that fit! :brokenheart: Everyone who wants a pair deserves them, in my opinion!

    I have been told that you can get a cobbler to add in a gusset of leather or elastic, and you can also get boots stretched. If you just wanted that one pair of wonderful, wonderful knee high boots, it might really be worth the added expense. :love:
    I actually wish mine were a bit bigger considering I'm 6'1" I think they look slim on my long body, which I'm mostly legs 36" inseam
  • Graciecny
    Graciecny Posts: 302 Member
    <--- 15.5" calves here on top of 8.5" ankles. Ugh - no tall boots in my future.

    And to That Guy: do you really think those of us with a flab-u-lanche going on down there don't know it?! If someone says their calves are solid muscle, I'm gonna go ahead and believe them. After all, we do tend to be our own worst critics most times. Sheesh.
  • REET420
    REET420 Posts: 160 Member
    17 they were 19 when I was training 4 hours a day
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
    Are you guys measuring your calves while stood up, or while sitting down with the muscle relaxed?

    I have always had calves, I was just born with a body type that tends to build muscle in the legs easily. I used to rollerskate a lot as well, and found that really bulked them up. Now I cycle most days, and that has a similar effect with all the hills. Walking 2 hours a day didn't help either, although I had hoped it would have less effect, I can get into most skinny jeans though, possibly because I am quite tall at 5'9 and a half. Never wanted to wear long boots so that has never been an issue.
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    My calves are 16", they've always been big. My feet are tiny so it makes my legs look super unbalanced so I don't like them :/
  • PlunderBunneh
    PlunderBunneh Posts: 1,705 Member
    I wanted to add on to here, I found boots at Forever 21 that fit my solid calves. I'm working with somewhere around 16.5 inches now, but I bought these boots at least a year ago, and I know I've lost at least an inch. Not the highest quality boots, but hey, they fit!
  • A_Fit_Mom
    A_Fit_Mom Posts: 602 Member
    I don't understand why some are not able to find boots. My calves are 14.5 and I never had a problem finding tall boots.


    I have small ankles, so my calves stick out. But I don't have a problem with them. I know once I lose the rest of my weight, I will probably only get down to 13.5. I am 5'8 by the way.
  • jella74
    jella74 Posts: 106 Member
    I have them, and can't get tall boots in extra wide calves to fit. I've always have very muscular legs, and they're noticeable. My hubby's legs look more girly than mine :cry:

    But it's nice to be the fat girl with really nice legs and feet.
  • spynoodle
    spynoodle Posts: 404
    I've always had large calves as well. Primarily from years of tae kwon do, softball, track, swimming & what not. They're probably the only part on my body that is entirely muscle right now (they measure 11.5")

    Your calves are the size of my biceps!!
  • amontoya68
    amontoya68 Posts: 2 Member
    My calves are to big for my liking! I have NEVER been able to find me any knee high boots to fit, and extra wide calves are either to big or I don't like the style. :ohwell: 16 1/2 way to big!
  • coquette87
    coquette87 Posts: 114
    Former horseback rider here. I'm 5'0" tall with 14" calves. They're not super big, but big enough that the whole skinny jeans with tall boots trend? Yeah, doesn't happen for me. I also have stupidly tiny feet (size 3 children's, size 5 ladies) so the combination of small foot and wide calves, plus short calves.... Boots don't happen!
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 743 Member
    My calves are sick. I did point ballet growing up and I cheered in high school. ("Oh gee, you must have been thin." Um, noooo!) I am thankful for this thread. I feel the pain. Anytime I'm complimented on my calves, I have to admit I don't take it well. AND OH THOSE CHARLIE HORSES! I'm not at the point yet where I can imagine burning off what muscle is in my calves. No way these things are mostly fat. Keeping this girl on toe shoes?--they are SOLID.

    Meeee too! Muscle memory at its finest! These things will never go away! Working on my butt to balance the look out...in HS my calves were bigger than my thighs!! Lol!!!
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I don't understand why some are not able to find boots. My calves are 14.5 and I never had a problem finding tall boots.


    I have small ankles, so my calves stick out. But I don't have a problem with them. I know once I lose the rest of my weight, I will probably only get down to 13.5. I am 5'8 by the way.

    14-15 is probably the limit to finding boots. I am about 15-15.5, and they do not zip up all the way, but they aren't very far off from zipping for me, around a .25 inches or so.
  • ashnm88
    ashnm88 Posts: 748
    I measured my calves at the largest point around and mine are 15inches.
  • Mrsfullwood
    Mrsfullwood Posts: 172 Member
    14.5" here! I love them, but finding boots is a pain in the butt!!!

    Omg it is the worst! There is nothing more embarrassing then getting stuck in a pair at DSW, hopping and flailing until you topple over trying to pull the darned thing off. Not that I know from personal experience or anything......

    YES!!!! I have that problem! I have to wear ankle boots!
  • DusteneLee
    DusteneLee Posts: 1
    My calves are big and I hate them!!!! They have been big my entire life. I am built like my dad and my calves can go "out" with muscle, they are not long. When I was younger all the "skinny" people in town always commented on how great they were, but I hated them. As my body has changed, now they are not as defined and fat is over the muscle. I do not know what do to do make them look better. I am at least working on toning them now so they look a little better. But glad I am not the only one that has to deal with this.
  • nattou
    nattou Posts: 14
    SIGH. Like everyone here, I have the most AWFUL time trying to find boots. I've often resorted to having to buy a bigger size just to get my calves in, but i've also had to return some boots too... It sucks because they look so cute on everyone else and then on you it's like you've got a tumor growing down there (LOL jk).

    I'm a former volleyball player so a lot of the strength was founded on the bottom half of my legs and 8 years kind of sort of accumulated /sigh. Good bye, sweet boots. Parting is such BITTER sorrow.
  • FireTigerSoul
    FireTigerSoul Posts: 268 Member
    This thread is starting to give me a complex. Mine are 14.5" and I thought they were pretty damn nice calves. Now I have to worry about the size of my calves??
  • MelissaL582
    MelissaL582 Posts: 1,422 Member
    I'm only 5'1 @ 188lbs- my calves at 17" and HATE it!! I really want to start wearing boots in the Fall. Not only do I have to worry about my ginormous calves, I have wide feet too.
  • merie08
    merie08 Posts: 114 Member
    to everyone that thinks their calves are huge or whatever, at least your calves match:( It sucks for me because one of mine is huge and the other has muscle atrophy so there is a obvious difference when im wearing shorts or anything showing them.
  • tephey
    tephey Posts: 44 Member
    [/quote]

    mine are 19.5. i so get the boots issue!
    [/quote]


    Same here. 19.5. Though I carry a LOT of weight, I've never seemed to get fat there. Same here on the boots.
  • misalillstead
    misalillstead Posts: 407 Member
    Mine are 17 inches around, and I also have trouble finding boots!
    Thanks for starting this thread! It's nice to know I'm not alone.

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