Any ideas for cardio that don't increase leg muscle?

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I started on MFP about 6 weeks ago and have been logging everything and getting great results. I typically exercise about 5-6 days a week. Right now I'm doing a combination of elliptical and walking at an incline on the treadmill, yoga, tae bo and zumba dvds, along with easing into weights and strength exercises. I have always had a lot of leg muscle (as do all the women in my family), but I'm noticing it continuing to increase, in my quads especially, since I started exercising more. Don't get me wrong - muscle is obviously better than fat, but I'm just wondering if there is any cardio that I can do that won't continue to increase my leg muscle. Any ideas?? Thanks!
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Replies

  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
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    Don't worry, if you're eating in a deficit you aren't gaining leg muscle. That's assuming you weren't completely immobilized.
    You might gain an ounce or two anyway.

    They will fill with water a bit until you are used to the exercise. And as you lose fat, it might appear you are gaining muscle - but this isn't the case. The water is just receding, and revealing the islands.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    None of the exercises you have mentioned increase leg muscles, so you're just fine as-is.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    keep doing that cardio. your weight will drop, including your crazy muscular legs.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Don't worry, if you're eating in a deficit you aren't gaining leg muscle. That's assuming you weren't completely immobilized.
    You might gain an ounce or two anyway.

    They will fill with water a bit until you are used to the exercise. And as you lose fat, it might appear you are gaining muscle - but this isn't the case. The water is just receding, and revealing the islands.

    ^^yep.

    Also, only a few forms of cardio have any chance of someone gaining muscle (hill sprints) so just pick a cardio exercise that you enjoy.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    It's glycogen, not muscle. You're not growing muscle in your legs. You're retaining water in them from exercise.

    When the fat starts to go away, so will the perception that you've gained muscle.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
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    If you run on a treadmill or use an elliptical don't use the incline and use the lowest resistance.
  • xoemmytee
    xoemmytee Posts: 162 Member
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    The water is just receding, and revealing the islands.
    Forever using this metaphor.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Honey bunn, in order to add 0,25 inch on my legs of muscles I had to lift heavy, stop all cardio and eat a metric ton of food for a few months

    Believe me, you won't gain muscles.
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
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    The water is just receding, and revealing the islands.

    This is beautiful.
  • gigglybeth
    gigglybeth Posts: 365 Member
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    The water is just receding, and revealing the islands.
    Forever using this metaphor.

    Right? It sounds so zen.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    It's glycogen, not muscle. You're not growing muscle in your legs. You're retaining water in them from exercise.

    When the fat starts to go away, so will the perception that you've gained muscle.
    OP... this is a good response... the rest, well perhaps they didn't notice you mentioned you'd only been on MFP for 6 weeks and were actually asking a legit question because you didn't' yet know the answer.

    Take what you can use and leave the rest! :wink:

    Great to have you join us on MFP:flowerforyou:
  • aproc
    aproc Posts: 1,033 Member
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    You won't gain any leg muscle on a deficit. Most likely you are seeing the muscle more and more from losing fat...
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
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    You don't accidentally gain muscle. Just do your cardio, you'll be fine.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    Honey bunn, in order to add 0,25 inch on my legs of muscles I had to lift heavy, stop all cardio and eat a metric ton of food for a few months

    Believe me, you won't gain muscles.

    Have you SEEN the pics of Matt's girlfriend??
  • Gsdmom2
    Gsdmom2 Posts: 20 Member
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    .The water is just receding, and revealing the islands.

    Love, love, love this.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    I started on MFP about 6 weeks ago and have been logging everything and getting great results. I typically exercise about 5-6 days a week. Right now I'm doing a combination of elliptical and walking at an incline on the treadmill, yoga, tae bo and zumba dvds, along with easing into weights and strength exercises. I have always had a lot of leg muscle (as do all the women in my family), but I'm noticing it continuing to increase, in my quads especially, since I started exercising more. Don't get me wrong - muscle is obviously better than fat, but I'm just wondering if there is any cardio that I can do that won't continue to increase my leg muscle. Any ideas?? Thanks!

    Some women do have a higher level of testosterone and more muscle mass naturally. I understand it completely. What you are experiencing most likely is a swelling of the muscle tissues now that you are stressing them. This can cause them to look much bigger, especially if you have a layer of fat on top of the muscle. You shouldn't continue to grow much larger once you get used to the increase in exercise. However, anytime you work a muscle to the point of tearing the fibers, then the repairing of those torn fibers is what causes the muscle to grow larger. So if you want to prevent large muscle growth before you lose the fat, then do as some others have suggested and stick to exercises that done cause a 'burn' to your leg muscles. Long distance walking or moderate running, with no incline, spinning on a bike at low resistance, and continue your Zumba. Squats will work your quads, so don't over do those too much. And watch the heavy weights with your legs at the gym. You probably have a lot of leg strength and can be tempted to up the weights, because you can, but be aware that the heavy weight exercises can cause your muscles to grow, if you have extra fat stores and eat enough protein.
    Many people will insist that you cannot build any muscle while on a deficit, but in certain instances you can.
  • sharitapita
    sharitapita Posts: 80 Member
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    Thanks for all of your responses. I might just be a bit more worried about it since when my sister was heavily into working out, I remember her having a lot of trouble finding jeans that would fit over her quads without gaping at the waist. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and avoiding those squats! :)
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    I started on MFP about 6 weeks ago and have been logging everything and getting great results. I typically exercise about 5-6 days a week. Right now I'm doing a combination of elliptical and walking at an incline on the treadmill, yoga, tae bo and zumba dvds, along with easing into weights and strength exercises. I have always had a lot of leg muscle (as do all the women in my family), but I'm noticing it continuing to increase, in my quads especially, since I started exercising more. Don't get me wrong - muscle is obviously better than fat, but I'm just wondering if there is any cardio that I can do that won't continue to increase my leg muscle. Any ideas?? Thanks!

    Some women do have a higher level of testosterone and more muscle mass naturally. I understand it completely. What you are experiencing most likely is a swelling of the muscle tissues now that you are stressing them. This can cause them to look much bigger, especially if you have a layer of fat on top of the muscle. You shouldn't continue to grow much larger once you get used to the increase in exercise. However, anytime you work a muscle to the point of tearing the fibers, then the repairing of those torn fibers is what causes the muscle to grow larger. So if you want to prevent large muscle growth before you lose the fat, then do as some others have suggested and stick to exercises that done cause a 'burn' to your leg muscles. Long distance walking or moderate running, with no incline, spinning on a bike at low resistance, and continue your Zumba. Squats will work your quads, so don't over do those too much. And watch the heavy weights with your legs at the gym. You probably have a lot of leg strength and can be tempted to up the weights, because you can, but be aware that the heavy weight exercises can cause your muscles to grow, if you have extra fat stores and eat enough protein.
    Many people will insist that you cannot build any muscle while on a deficit, but in certain instances you can.

    My testosterone levels are 3 times as high as the average female my age. I am not magically gaining muscle on a calorie deficit despite heavy lifting and little cardio (when I do cardio it is hill sprints). I work with a trainer and a specialized program intended to add muscle mass because I am a competitive bodybuilder. When I started out I had large thighs, but now that the fat is gone they are tiny.

    ETA: The few instances someone would gain are being very overweight and new to weight lifting. Cardio will not cause large muscles.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
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    Honey bunn, in order to add 0,25 inch on my legs of muscles I had to lift heavy, stop all cardio and eat a metric ton of food for a few months

    Believe me, you won't gain muscles.

    Needless to say, all of those things (lifting, stopping cardio, eating) are generally far more enjoyable than increasing cardio.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    Thanks for all of your responses. I might just be a bit more worried about it since when my sister was heavily into working out, I remember her having a lot of trouble finding jeans that would fit over her quads without gaping at the waist. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and avoiding those squats! :)

    I have that "problem" now, but I had the same problem when I had fat legs instead of muscular legs. It's not hard to take a little dart in the waistband.