PISSED. Squats & lunges made me bigger.. wtf!!

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  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    I haven't read all the responses(I'm sure after 7 pages they all repeat them selves) BUT

    I am a pear(IE Small wait, big butt/hips/thighs etc) I do squats and lunges along with a bit of cardio, and everyone always tells me how slim I look. and I did mine for over a year. I'm also 6 sizes smaller then I was when I weighed this weight 4 years ago.. so squats and lunges do work.. you just have to give them time!
  • MarkMenconi
    MarkMenconi Posts: 8
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    And it's only one inch. Just one. Relax.


    I say this allll the time.



    poor fella
  • shannypoo21
    shannypoo21 Posts: 329
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    I'd suggest a reasonable balance of cardio and strength training but most importantly diet. Lean protein!
  • _hi_hat3r_
    _hi_hat3r_ Posts: 423 Member
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    You poor thing
  • smitty328
    smitty328 Posts: 164 Member
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    By the looks of those pictures...I better do some more squats!!!! :smile:
  • Kenzietea2
    Kenzietea2 Posts: 1,132 Member
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    You need to give it more than a month and a half, it is that simple.
  • lizziegrace10
    lizziegrace10 Posts: 47
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    oh cmon, is there anyone who seriously has had success in that area without trying to say "relax, just an inch" how about you relax and actually say something HELPFUL?

    THIS.
    Come on guys, be helpful. I know for sure if I was in this situation, I'd be pretty pissed and wanting advice too. Some people on here are way too nasty.
  • Feed_the_Bears
    Feed_the_Bears Posts: 275 Member
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    If you gain muscle without losing fat than you're legs will get bigger. I think it's a fairly good idea do only body weight squats or hiit.
  • getfitbesexy
    getfitbesexy Posts: 24
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    Keep doing what your doing! :)

    You'll start leaning out! Burning through your fat and you'll have leaner legs and butt.

    If you really are afraid that you're building solid muscle (which i highly doubt) start doing cardio and HIIT running. It's going to help you burn fat and lean out.

    :) I have plenty of HIIT workouts if you'd like some, shoot me a message and FR :)
  • bdsweetie21
    bdsweetie21 Posts: 14
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    I believe I was one of those who actually suggested lots of cardio back on that post you made... I am a pear shape too. When I first started out my chest was a bridal size 8, my waist was a bridal size 10, and my hips were a bridal size 12. I've been doing a ton of cardio in my workouts every week, and now my chest, my waist AND my hips are a bridal size 4-6! I definitelly suggest cardio cardio cardio... Interval cardio burns more calories in the same time as doing straight cardio, but I believe builds more muscle in the butt and thigh areas sooooooo... not sure on that one. Definitelly doing lots of brisk walking (3.5-4.0 mph) for 30-60 minutes, or jogging (5.5-6.0 mph) for 30-60 minutes, or other straight cardio will lean out the hips and thighs. :)
  • getfitbesexy
    getfitbesexy Posts: 24
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    this makes me want to stop the lunges & squats.. definitely carry most of my fat on my thighs as well.. is there any hope? :cry:

    No girls!! Don't stop your lunges and squats!! :) They are AWeSOME for your lower body!!

    We gotta tackle the fat sitting on our legs, and to do this we should be doing HIIT and workouts in the fat-burning zone :) Trust me!! Once the fat melts away you'll have stunningly shaped legs and butt :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,620 Member
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    If you gain muscle without losing fat than you're legs will get bigger. I think it's a fairly good idea do only body weight squats or hiit.
    Gaining muscle on calorie deficit is RARE.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    oh cmon, is there anyone who seriously has had success in that area without trying to say "relax, just an inch" how about you relax and actually say something HELPFUL?

    THIS.
    Come on guys, be helpful. I know for sure if I was in this situation, I'd be pretty pissed and wanting advice too. Some people on here are way too nasty.

    I don't mean to be rude...but did you read any of the incredibly helpful posts (about 95%)? Most of the rude ones came after 20 excellent ones, and the 'pears' just ignoring it.

    1. You can't gain muscle on a deficit, with an incredibly small window of exceptions (obesity mostly, and only a VERY minimal amount).
    2. You can ONLY gain about 1-1.5lbs (VERY rare people might gain a bit more) of muscle a month, on a calorie SURPLUS, with a DEDICATED effort, and EXCELLENT nutrition. Women at the lower range, men a bit higher.

    So to the OP, if you want to believe you gained muscle, my advice is to read points 1 and 2 above again. These are scientific truths. I know it's been said, over and over...but apparently there's still some people thinking you're not getting good advice, so I thought I'd spell it out (not just for you...but for all the other pears the world over).

    :flowerforyou:
  • Feed_the_Bears
    Feed_the_Bears Posts: 275 Member
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    Only doing cardio for your legs tends to create an over development of your quads vs hamstrings. That can lead to back pain and pulled hmstrings. You've probably added a lot of hamstring mass. If you prefere cardio or plymetrics, encorporate arobic moves that also get your hamstrings. Even if your legs are a little bigger with strengthtraining, a nicely rounded hamstring looks way better than a flat ham and rounded quad. Your butt will also be more lifted and any saddle bags smoothed out. I'll take bigger legs for those benefits....well that's my oppinion. If you want mincy thin legs, don't move and don't eat :-) sarcastically ofcourse.
  • littlecaponey2
    littlecaponey2 Posts: 143 Member
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    how long have you been doing them? it might be stored water for repair

    This happened to me two weeks into Spinning. I felt great the first week and THEN....the water retension started and the scale started creeping up. Freaked me out and searched to no end on MFP and came across a great post by someone and it totally made sense to me....my body was retaining to repair my muscles. About 3 weeks later, BAM five pounds gone! I started waking up to pee in the middle of the night and I knew this article was right.....7 weeks in now and totally seeing the difference.
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
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    Squats and lunges. Goodness. This morning I looked in the mirror and saw what they did to me: My *kitten* is shaped like a "C" its all high and tight and round and C-shaped in its glory. Nice.

    Some days after lifting my thighs might be a bit pumped still from the night before, or so it seems, so my pants are the slightest bit more tight in the morning. Then they loosen over the day.

    The other thing that squats and lunges have done for me? I can jump. White girl and all, but I can jump and get myself over a wall or other obstacle.

    Squats and lunges are awesome. And my *kitten* is hot now because of them.

    Good luck to you.
  • Linda_Darlene
    Linda_Darlene Posts: 453 Member
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    A month and a half is not all that long!
  • Shyloh1
    Shyloh1 Posts: 422 Member
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    Hmmm....

    Squats and lunges have sure helped me.

    Ask my hubby!:bigsmile:
  • LemonBurns
    LemonBurns Posts: 538 Member
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    AWEsome! I think I will start to incorporate squats and lunged INTO my routine... I have no butt and want one desperately! Hey, we all have our issues, right? YOU have a fantastic figure :)
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    AWEsome! I think I will start to incorporate squats and lunged INTO my routine... I have no butt and want one desperately! Hey, we all have our issues, right? YOU have a fantastic figure :)

    Hey!

    You already HAD squats and lunges in your program!

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