HELP my calves are huge

I put my profile pic of my huge calves, legs for that matter. I bought an elliptical for my house , will that thin out my legs. I still want them strong, I'm proud of that
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Replies

  • Wow your legs are beautiful, I'll trade lol
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    Your calves are fab, they look shapely and muscular. I've got big calves, about 14 inches round the biggest part. Mine look good from the side, but not from the back.
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    Calves are mostly genetic, it takes a lot of work to make them bigger if you are not predisposed.

    You can not lengthen or re-shape your calves (or any other muscle for that matter), so they will only get smaller if you starve yourself and your muscle is consumed for energy (obviously this is not an option), or bigger if you work them out with resistance work. Otherwise they are how they are, so my advice would be to embrace them - most people would love calves as shapely as yours!
  • tubbyelmo
    tubbyelmo Posts: 415 Member
    You have gorgeous, shapely legs. I've never considered my calves large, though perhaps at close to 15 inches circumference other people would. The fact they are curvy saves me from the dreaded cankles. I suppose I do feel better about them now that my long boots zip up again (they didn't when I was at my highest weight) but even then they curved out and in at all the right places. Embrace your shapely legs - if you can you are far more flexible than I am lol :happy:
  • They're fine.

    Weigh your food with a digital scale.
    Track your food.
    Eat.
    Lift weights.
    Cardio Sesh.
    Sweat.
    Sleep.
    Recover.
    Repeat.
  • PJ_73
    PJ_73 Posts: 331 Member
    Nah, your calves are just fine! I consider myself to have fat ankles and whatever I do, I just can't rid myself of them. Not that I want to get rid of the ankles, that would be no good at all, just want them to be slimmer!!

    You are womanly and that should be embraced!!
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
    will that thin out my legs. I still want them strong, I'm proud of that

    You can have thin legs or strong legs. You can't have both.
  • yocando
    yocando Posts: 101 Member
    Listen, you are fit, and look terrific.. Please do not berate yourself.... enjoy your youthful, fit and womanly physique and respect yourself... the day will come when age will set in and things will shift....then, you'll have to contend with the facts of life--aging changes the body..
    Believing what the media and society promote as unattainable for most people is simply unrealistic and quite frankly, not what most of your average people out there consider of utmost importance.
    Just keep doing the next right thing with regard to health and fitness and don't waste your mental energy on standards that simply aren't realistic... nor desired.
    You look fabulous- as others have said in response to your post.

    We're being honest with you!
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    If there's fat to be lost over the muscle, a calorie deficit and patience are the only way to get there.

    If it's the size of the muscle that offends you, there is nothing healthy you can do to change it, except avoiding direct calf training, which I suspect you already don't do. Calf muscle is different than most other skeletal muscle in that it is extremely dense and made for endurance. Think of how much work they have to do moving you about all day, every day, and keeping your ankles from collapsing! Also, one of the calf muscles actually acts as a helper to your heart, contracting to help circulation. Also, calf muscles happen to be very attractive and sexy, and keep you from looking like you have cankles.

    The only problem is that knee high boots don't fit them well- for that you can buy boot extenders, take them to a shoe repair place to have an extension panel put in, or just wear heels instead. Learn to love them. The muscle isn't going anywhere if you're healthy.
  • dorothytd
    dorothytd Posts: 1,138 Member
    Your legs are gorgeous! I've had large calves always. Now that I am at my lowest weight I can tell you that they are fractionally smaller - enough so I can get into boots, but they just fit. My advice - work on your overall fitness and enjoy your muscles!!!
  • Thanks guys, I love my legs being strong but my calves especially won't fit in boots, some jeans etc. There doesn't seem to be any fat on them so I don't know if its possible to slim them down or not
  • One thing I hate is they hit each other when I walk. Anyone else have that problem
  • Listen, you are fit, and look terrific.. Please do not berate yourself.... enjoy your youthful, fit and womanly physique and respect yourself... the day will come when age will set in and things will shift....then, you'll have to contend with the facts of life--aging changes the body..
    Believing what the media and society promote as unattainable for most people is simply unrealistic and quite frankly, not what most of your average people out there consider of utmost importance.
    Just keep doing the next right thing with regard to health and fitness and don't waste your mental energy on standards that simply aren't realistic... nor desired.
    You look fabulous- as others have said in response to your post.

    We're being honest with you!
    thank you
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
    Thanks guys, I love my legs being strong but my calves especially won't fit in boots, some jeans etc. There doesn't seem to be any fat on them so I don't know if its possible to slim them down or not

    I think they look great!!! I know it sucks to not always be able to wear the exact style you want though. I have unusually broad shoulders for a woman (regardless of my weight) and have trouble with finding blouses/jackets that accommodate my shoulders while not looking baggy on the rest of me.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Rockin' legs...don't change a thing about them
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    Your calves are killer! Very shapely legs!
  • KickassAugust
    KickassAugust Posts: 1,430 Member
    <~ 17 inch ol' world potato hauling calves!

    There are something about yourself you just have to decide to love, like them or not!
  • lindabee77
    lindabee77 Posts: 14 Member
    Same here. I used to show horses and always had to buy wide calf boots. I cannot wear skinny jeans because if they fit in the calves, they are huge everywhere else. They are as big now at 132 pounds as they were at 160 pounds so I don't think there's much you can do about them.
  • amann1976
    amann1976 Posts: 742 Member
    i will echo what everyone else is saying your legs are fine.
  • shyeban
    shyeban Posts: 121 Member
    I have the same problem. My calves won't fit in boots and struggle in skinny jeans, even when the rest of me is fine. Soooo frustrating but I'm learning to accept it.
  • Your calves are killer! Very shapely legs!
    thanks
  • I put my profile pic of my huge calves, legs for that matter. I bought an elliptical for my house , will that thin out my legs. I still want them strong, I'm proud of that

    Your legs are gorgeous hunni. Looks like that's there natural structure, not sure of you can change that.
  • SuzieQ724
    SuzieQ724 Posts: 86 Member
    I too have large calves. So did my mother and so does my daughter. I get loads of compliments on my legs - even from complete strangers. And I'll bet you do too. I can't wear knee boots either. But i don't fret over it. Don't try to hide your beautiful legs. Embrace them. Wear skirts and dresses and shorts. Wear sexy heels. Your legs are terrific!!
  • I too have large calves. So did my mother and so does my daughter. I get loads of compliments on my legs - even from complete strangers. And I'll bet you do too. I can't wear knee boots either. But i don't fret over it. Don't try to hide your beautiful legs. Embrace them. Wear skirts and dresses and shorts. Wear sexy heels. Your legs are terrific!!
    I do get compliments a lot also. I don't mind showing then off their just the size of some peoples thighs. Their bigger than my boyfriends thighs lol
  • justgowithit17
    justgowithit17 Posts: 1,392 Member
    i agree with the others, embrace your calves!!! my calves measure around 15.5 inches (idk if that's big or not) but they look pretty small and awkward on my body (especially in skinny jeans) because i have big thighs and hips. i would love to get bigger calves, more shapely calves!
  • I put my profile pic of my huge calves, legs for that matter. I bought an elliptical for my house , will that thin out my legs. I still want them strong, I'm proud of that

    Your legs are gorgeous hunni. Looks like that's there natural structure, not sure of you can change that.
    thanks
  • roxbox2013
    roxbox2013 Posts: 95 Member
    I'm 5'3", 103.6 lbs, and yet have 13.5" calves. There's a picture on my profile. EMBRACE THEM! Big calves are beautiful. :)
  • I'm 5'3", 103.6 lbs, and yet have 13.5" calves. There's a picture on my profile. EMBRACE THEM! Big calves are beautiful. :)
    those are good sized calves for only weighing 103
  • You have pretty legs. I don't think they look big, they are symetrical with your all over physique.
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
    try long distance running. Most long distance runners I see are very lean and "twiggy" overall.