LEGS!

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eliseswietek
eliseswietek Posts: 17
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've been squatting my brains out and running like a mad woman but for some reason my legs are getting BIGGER? Does anyone ever have this problem?

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  • ♥dawnwestbury♥
    ♥dawnwestbury♥ Posts: 104
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    maybe its your muscle thats growing (?)
  • ZebraHead
    ZebraHead Posts: 15,207 Member
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    Hi,

    I don't know anything about it but could it be that you are building muscle replacing what used to be there with muscle?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Probably extra water as this happens when begging a new program or increasing intensity, the muscle holds water.
  • crystal986
    crystal986 Posts: 17
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    I think maybe working them TOO much can cause you to gain a lot of muscle. Not sure...
  • sablejasiak
    sablejasiak Posts: 1
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    I know from my past, that if you are squating with weight your muscle will grow. if you want to do squats dont add anything heavier than 15lbs. you want to tone not build. And now since in High School i would leg press over 300lbs im having hell off a time toning my legs.

    Oh and dont do the same excersies more than 2-3 times a week
  • eliseswietek
    eliseswietek Posts: 17
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    Ya I'm going to lay off the squats for a while it may be to much, my mom said "they don't look fat, they just look BIG." I did pilates "Buns and Thighs" today so hopefully that will help tone.
  • eliseswietek
    eliseswietek Posts: 17
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    Thanks! Our muscles aren't like they used to be in high school! lol
  • thekoalabear
    thekoalabear Posts: 1
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    If you are doing a lot of weight, you may be bulking up. Also as you start to exercise the muscles underneath build up and give the appearance of getting larger before you start losing "fat" from your legs. Even if you just do alot of reps, the thigh muscles tone up and gain some size so your legs are larger until the outer covering comes off.

    Remember that fat comes off all over not just in the one area you are working on. Folks that workout on their abs tighten up the abs making there center section thinner, but not really losing all the fat from the waist.


    Koala Bear
  • mamacassi
    mamacassi Posts: 131
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    mine are too, it's odd. I ntoiced my pants fit tighter in the legs now! which was a problem before too. Im not sure, it could be in our heads
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I know from my past, that if you are squating with weight your muscle will grow. if you want to do squats dont add anything heavier than 15lbs. you want to tone not build. And now since in High School i would leg press over 300lbs im having hell off a time toning my legs.

    This is incorrect, the more you lift has nothing to do with gaining weight if you are in a caloric deficit; you can only gain muscle if you have a caloric surplus. I used to squat over 250lbs and had and still have skinny legs.
  • eliseswietek
    eliseswietek Posts: 17
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    me to!! and strictly in the legs of the pants, it is uncomfortable!
  • Poison5119
    Poison5119 Posts: 1,460 Member
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    I have the opposite problem. I have tried everything known to mankind, elliptical, squats, etc, and my legs look like a chicken drumstick! Big and bulky at the top end, and scrawny from the mid-thigh to the knee.... I HATE my legs.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    It's definitely in your head!!! I use all the leg machines per my trainer's recommendation and I thought my legs were getting bigger but they actually shrunk! You can keep your much-loved squats, just make sure you do a TON of cardio to also melt the fat, so you're melting fat AND building muscle instead of just building muscle under the fat, increasing the width/size of your leg. Make sense? I thought that's what was happening to me even though I do cardio everyday but I got measured and I lost 1 1/2 inches off my right leg and 2 inches off my left. I'm increasing my cardio anyway just so I can see if I'll lose inches faster and 'cause I really want to fit into some 10s!!!
  • ykantoro
    ykantoro Posts: 24
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    If you're using weights your legs will get bigger as the muscle grows and the fat has not burned off yet. Just keep with it and the fat will start to burn off. Just remember that a pound of muscle burns 6 calories a day whereas a pound of fat only burns 2 calories a day. The more muscle you build the more calories you burn each day!
  • hill242
    hill242 Posts: 412 Member
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    Listen, it takes a LOT of effort and time invested to gain enough muscle to "bulk" up. Most of us will just see a nice definition in our body develop and not see any "bulk". Any reasonably healthy adult who lifts weights (and GOOD FOR YOU FOR DOING SQUATS) will see an overall improvement in your functional strength and will be better off. Don't stop squatting! Don't stop going heavy with your weights (with proper form maintained of course)! I urge everyone (women and men included) to visit stumptuous.com and educate yourself. In particular start with this article: http://www.stumptuous.com/lies-in-the-gym

    The first question is: Do your legs _look_ bigger, or did you measure then before and now? That's the easiest way to know for sure.
  • andyxbear
    andyxbear Posts: 269 Member
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    I know from my past, that if you are squating with weight your muscle will grow. if you want to do squats dont add anything heavier than 15lbs. you want to tone not build. And now since in High School i would leg press over 300lbs im having hell off a time toning my legs.

    This is incorrect, the more you lift has nothing to do with gaining weight if you are in a caloric deficit; you can only gain muscle if you have a caloric surplus. I used to squat over 250lbs and had and still have skinny legs.

    If I were to just run 5 days a week without using any weights, do you know if I'd gain muscle in my legs or if it would just slim down? That being my entire legs. Thanks!
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    You'd probably just get chicken legs. :bigsmile: But truthfully, everyone is different...try it out, see what happens! Measure your thighs and calves now...start running... in a month, measure again. See no change? Try doing some squats and lunges... keep measuring. It's all trial and error since we're all so different. We have different genes, different metabolisms, different muscles, different percentages of fat...all these factor into how you will lose weight.
  • Channing
    Channing Posts: 617 Member
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    As some of the earlier posts said, I highly doubt your legs are actually getting bigger or "bulking up". Women do not have the testosterone levels needed to actually bulk up, so it's REALLY hard to gain that much muscle unless you're taking a supplement. Maybe you're seeing definition and your brain registers that as bulky. Don't stop the squats! They're great!
  • littlelisa24
    littlelisa24 Posts: 127
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    adocet the way to build muscle while running is to run hills.
  • andyxbear
    andyxbear Posts: 269 Member
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    Thanks! I'm not trying to build muscle. I just wanted to know if I continue to do that, would I. I wonder if just running would slim my entire legs or just my calf areas? About 2 1/2 years ago during the summer time, I would run every day while being out of school. I lost about 10-15 lbs doing that within a month and a half. Do you think just running would slim down my entire legs or just the lower halves? Should I do lunges and side lunges to shrink my hip & thigh areas? Yes, I know you can't "spot reduce". I'd just like a few tips.

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