reducing leg muscle...? I want skinny legs :(

smessina7

Haven't you seen Charlotte from sex and the city? Sure, her thighs and hips are a bit bigger, but she is gorgeous and rocks her body regardless. Everybody has something they don't like. You're beautiful regardless!

phillieschic

I have thicker calves and hammies, too...and I'm also a size 6-8. I run and my calves don't seem to change much at all.

I used to joke and say that because of my legs, I am well grounded in a wind storm. :drinker:

I've pretty much learned to embrace the fact that these are the legs that I have...and if running 25-30 miles a week doesn't make them thinner, then NOTHING will!

OtekahSunshield

I have giant calves; they're so big that I can't get both my hands around them. I love them though! Sure I can't wear hooker boots or skinny jeans (gag me), but they're muscular and awesome!

olee67

Essentially, you can accomplish this with very high rep/very low weight and muscle starvation. Sounds extreme, but, let me explain.

Essentially what you need to do is train your slow twitch muscle fibers more than your fast twitch muscle fibers. You're goal then is to train in such a way that you are endurance training... Your ulitmate goal should be to do one set of 100 reps. The exercises you choose are up to you. Start off with five sets of 20 and work up from there until you reach 1 set of 100 reps.

Now, as far as post workout nutrition. For 3-4 hours after you workout, you don't eat protein. No protein, no muscle rebuild. You can eat protein before and 4 hours after, but, the key is to lean out your muscle, not replenish it. In other words. Eat a salad or chomp on a carrot to feel full...

Ramp up your cardio too. Shoot for something low impact and do it for at least 30 minutes 5 times a week.

Here's a link with a more step by step approach: http://www.livestrong.com/article/240846-how-to-reduce-muscle-size/

I too have big legs from hockey. When I get thing again, I'll have to start wearing pants that don't fit my waist so my thighs and butt can all get in there

LeenaRuns

I used to hate my big, muscular thighs all through high school and through my 20s. Now that I'm 30 and an avid runner, I am so proud of what these big, muscular thighs can do--I never thought I'd be training for a half marathon, but I am. Celebrate your legs!

vypeters

Your body shape is your body shape. It's like my poor daughter asking how she can reduce her EE chest - without surgery, she can't, and there's no surgery for our big calves.

I wear size 6 or 8 jeans (in boot cut) but need wide calf boots. But that's my body. Can't change it. Instead, learn to love your strong legs.

Kalraii

PENCIL SKIRT, HIGH HEELS AND ROCK IT! Sadly knee high boots don't suit (or fit often) me either. I detest mid calf boots on me too, they make my calves look bigger. BUT THIGH boots really do the trick (with jeans ofc!) Either that or sandals and heels (no clunky heels) with a skirt no higher than around my knees. If you strut side to side there is a bigger sway and I personally think it looks more... womanly? That's just how I perceive myself, however. The muscle will go eventually there are plenty of people who had defined legs that over the years with aging or a lapse in training get slimmer in the muscle department. You will too, but losing weight is faster than reaching perfect definition. Best of luck!

taso42

It sounds as if you're trying to change your body type, which isn't really possible. Genetics governs a lot of this. As long as you're fit and lean, you will look good.

blinkinglight

I understand because my legs are very muscular. My calves have always been big. I've just accepted this as how my body is going to be. As I lose fat I'm really starting to like my legs because you can SEE the muscle in my thighs and, well, I just think that's pretty awesome.

Muscle is going to keep burning fat and muscle is something you want to have! I wouldn't try to lower your muscle mass %.

Diary_Queen

You can order wide-calf boots online if you're embarrassed, but I have the same thing.... when I was at my heaviest (327 lbs.) my calves were each 25" around! I bought the most extra-wide wide calf boots with stretchy side goes and back laces -- had to take the laces completely out and still use boot stretcher spray to stretch them another 1" just to barely get them to zip up. Yes, it's tough... most jeans fit 'ok' until I sit down, then they slide up a bit and get stuck on my hugh calves. Im not particularly embarrassed by mine because as far as muscle definition goes, that's one of my most rockin places... but I know how hard it is to dress very large calves.

Athena413

I say embrace the muscle and start training for a triathlon! Muscles are bad-*kitten*...why would you want to be skinny fat? Because if you TRY to lose muscle, that's what's going to happen. You'll be skinny with excess fat and no muscle tone and you'll basically have to start building muscle all over again. You can't really spot reduce - that goes for muscle as well as fat.

Beastette

When I was a preteen, I hated my thighs. I wanted pencil-thighs. Then, I grew up and went to college. I was surprised to find that my thighs were one of my best attributes. Plus, the bigger the leg muscles, the better to kick some @ss.

So, maybe...just maybe...consider a new goal. Instead of, say: I want GAP khaki-sized thighs, try: I want to register these babies as lethal weapons because I could totally take someone out with them.

Just a suggestion.

TXHunny84

I've always had muscular legs even when I was a size 2 when I was younger. It's potentially genetic in your case, not a repercussion for being heavier. I love my muscular calves though...makes my ankles look cute and tiny

Oh haha well my ankles have never looked cute and tiny. They still don't. I can't even wear most anklets becasue my ankles are wide around too.

TXHunny84

I don't have this problem, so I can't relate, but don't forget if you intentionally lose muscle mass, your metabolism will decrease accordingly too, since muscle burns more calories than fat. I'd rather have "big" calves and ask for wider boots than have skinny legs and have to eat like a bird to maintain it.

mmmm nope.....I'd rather eat like the birds..... I HATE my legs..... I've dreamed of slim legs my whole life and if I have to eat less that's fine with me.

TXHunny84

Ok so I was always heavy- and I hold the majority of my extra weight in my calves thighs and hips. Well I've lost a bunch of weight over the last couple years and recently when I started dieting again. I read a forum a while back about how people who are heavy will build bigger muscle in their legs from carrying all that weight around- then after they've lost the weight their legs are still really big because those muscles were enlarged still from the extra weight they used to carry....

My question is- now that I have lowered my body fat%....how to I lower my muscle mass% in my legs so that they're slim and shapley and not still looking bulky?.... Wearing shorts and skirts is sooooo not happening with my big wide calves and thighs.

. I mean I'm a size 6 now in pants and I still can't wear tall boots because of my huge calves!! Asking for wide calf-boots at the store...embarrassing, no thank you.

Girls with this problem- you understand me right?....
thanks

The body will fit the activity it undertakes - eventually.

This is why sprinters end up with muscley legs whereas marathon runners have slimmer legs and a racewalker will have even slimmer legs (albeit, all three physiques will have muscle but the "look" will be totally different).

The more the explosive power of the activity, the more muscley will the legs be. Your trick is to find the correct activity for you and thereby, eventually, your legs will slim down to your desired size.

Having said all that, it will not happen overnight and can take many months or years to get your desired effect as genetics will play a major role in the size of your legs.

Oh...ok that makes sense I'll try that....lots of walking....

psuLemon

I don't have this problem, so I can't relate, but don't forget if you intentionally lose muscle mass, your metabolism will decrease accordingly too, since muscle burns more calories than fat. I'd rather have "big" calves and ask for wider boots than have skinny legs and have to eat like a bird to maintain it.

mmmm nope.....I'd rather eat like the birds..... I HATE my legs..... I've dreamed of slim legs my whole life and if I have to eat less that's fine with me.

Unfortunately, it's going to be very difficult to be genetics. You will more likely end up losing your muscle from your upper body since that is where you lost from first. And you will lose a lot of definition and look flabby all over. You can try to follow Eric's recommendation, but in the long run, you will probably screw yourself over in terms of progress. You can try to cut body fat more (until you hit around 15%) to see if that helps but in the end it's you vs genetics.

wee_emski

Great example of Charlotte in Sex in the City. I think her legs are amazing and she is absolutely stunning. Defined legs look so good.

wee_emski

You could also try yoga/pilates which are meant to be good for building lean muscle.

TXHunny84

Essentially, you can accomplish this with very high rep/very low weight and muscle starvation. Sounds extreme, but, let me explain.

Essentially what you need to do is train your slow twitch muscle fibers more than your fast twitch muscle fibers. You're goal then is to train in such a way that you are endurance training... Your ulitmate goal should be to do one set of 100 reps. The exercises you choose are up to you. Start off with five sets of 20 and work up from there until you reach 1 set of 100 reps.

Now, as far as post workout nutrition. For 3-4 hours after you workout, you don't eat protein. No protein, no muscle rebuild. You can eat protein before and 4 hours after, but, the key is to lean out your muscle, not replenish it. In other words. Eat a salad or chomp on a carrot to feel full...

Ramp up your cardio too. Shoot for something low impact and do it for at least 30 minutes 5 times a week.

Here's a link with a more step by step approach: http://www.livestrong.com/article/240846-how-to-reduce-muscle-size/

I too have big legs from hockey. When I get thing again, I'll have to start wearing pants that don't fit my waist so my thighs and butt can all get in there

YES! Exactly! I have to wear pants that do NOT fit my waist so my thighs and calves can all fit in! Ugh I HATE that! I'll try to do more reps and lighter weights and more cardio! Thanks a bunch!

chuisle

The body will fit the activity it undertakes - eventually.

This is why sprinters end up with muscley legs whereas marathon runners have slimmer legs and a racewalker will have even slimmer legs (albeit, all three physiques will have muscle but the "look" will be totally different).

The more the explosive power of the activity, the more muscley will the legs be. Your trick is to find the correct activity for you and thereby, eventually, your legs will slim down to your desired size.

Having said all that, it will not happen overnight and can take many months or years to get your desired effect as genetics will play a major role in the size of your legs.

I quite beg to differ - this theory conflates correlation with causation. She is saying "Marathon runners have skinny legs BECAUSE they run marathons" when in reality it's much more likely that people who run marathons tend to have skinny legs. The marathons didn't cause it. If you trained like a ballerina for a year you still wouldn't get longer limbs.

What is your body fat percentage? You carry your weight in your legs - that's still fat you're seeing, not muscle. Keep losing FAT and result will be MUCH better than trying to lose muscle mass. ALL of the advice above about not eating protein etc. is rather wrong headed because in the end, I very, very much doubt it's really muscle that's creating this bulk.

When you have sub 18% body fat and still think you should lose muscle mass then it's time to revisit all this advice.