Is cardio making my thighs bulky?

As a semi serious answer to this...I have what my family call Aitutaki thighs...I'm an islander, my genes are destined to make me 'solid'.
I lift.
My legs are not bulky they are fricking awesome.
Muscle compacts more than fat.
I hate to say it, but you gotta be cray cray if you're eating at a deficit and doing cardio and think your legs are getting bigger while the rest of you is getting smaller.
Have you actually taken measurements?

Since I have started my weight loss journey (about 5 months ago) I have concentrated mainly on cardio paired with some body weight exercises. I will do 30 minutes of cardio on the eliptical at a decent resistance (4 out of 10). Or I will run on the treadmill alternating light jogging with a 30 second sprint.

The only strength I have done for my legs is a few body weight exercises like lunges, squats, leg raises etc.

Is the cardio making my quads really bulky? My stomach is small, my butt is small, but my thighs can't even fit into my jeans - they are too big.

My calves have also gotten HUGE.

As a semi serious answer to this...I have what my family call Aitutaki thighs...I'm an islander, my genes are destined to make me 'solid'.
I lift.
My legs are not bulky they are fricking awesome.
Muscle compacts more than fat.
I hate to say it, but you gotta be cray cray if you're eating at a deficit and doing cardio and think your legs are getting bigger while the rest of you is getting smaller.
Have you actually taken measurements?

I would measure myself... LOL.. sometimes in our weight loss journey we tend to lose weight in some places... yet making other places look larger than before.... I have had other girls say this before... I had a boyfriend reply.. shes not gotten bigger.. shes gotten thinner and noticing herself! OUCH... but maybe it is the truth!

yep, measurements make more sense than the scales often.
I'm not sure what's ouch about a boyfriend sticking up for you? Or did I read that wrong?

As a semi serious answer to this...I have what my family call Aitutaki thighs...I'm an islander, my genes are destined to make me 'solid'.
I lift.
My legs are not bulky they are fricking awesome.
Muscle compacts more than fat.
I hate to say it, but you gotta be cray cray if you're eating at a deficit and doing cardio and think your legs are getting bigger while the rest of you is getting smaller.
Have you actually taken measurements?

I would measure myself... LOL.. sometimes in our weight loss journey we tend to lose weight in some places... yet making other places look larger than before.... I have had other girls say this before... I had a boyfriend reply.. shes not gotten bigger.. shes gotten thinner and noticing herself! OUCH... but maybe it is the truth!

yep, measurements make more sense than the scales often.
I'm not sure what's ouch about a boyfriend sticking up for you? Or did I read that wrong?

Yup, people can feel like something looks disproportionately large or small depending on how they lose weight. Genes being a big factor here. I shrank in the waist and my *kitten* and hips stayed huge and only shrunk slightly be it with cardio or lifting or sitting on my *kitten*. My legs stayed scrawny. It seems the first thing that wants to change on me is my waist.

My problem is actually my top half, which is weird considering the rest of my family have the thigh and butt problem. The bottom half of me dropped way quicker than the top. I suppose I shouldn't complain because I got to keep my boobs.
But I had (and still have) to keep buying new pants because I'm shrinking without the scales moving much.
Hence the measurements.

I do think the OP should measure first for awhile...

As a semi serious answer to this...I have what my family call Aitutaki thighs...I'm an islander, my genes are destined to make me 'solid'.
I lift.
My legs are not bulky they are fricking awesome.
Muscle compacts more than fat.
I hate to say it, but you gotta be cray cray if you're eating at a deficit and doing cardio and think your legs are getting bigger while the rest of you is getting smaller.
Have you actually taken measurements?

I would measure myself... LOL.. sometimes in our weight loss journey we tend to lose weight in some places... yet making other places look larger than before.... I have had other girls say this before... I had a boyfriend reply.. shes not gotten bigger.. shes gotten thinner and noticing herself! OUCH... but maybe it is the truth!

yep, measurements make more sense than the scales often.
I'm not sure what's ouch about a boyfriend sticking up for you? Or did I read that wrong?

Yup, people can feel like something looks disproportionately large or small depending on how they lose weight. Genes being a big factor here. I shrank in the waist and my *kitten* and hips stayed huge and only shrunk slightly be it with cardio or lifting or sitting on my *kitten*. My legs stayed scrawny. It seems the first thing that wants to change on me is my waist.

My problem is actually my top half, which is weird considering the rest of my family have the thigh and butt problem. The bottom half of me dropped way quicker than the top. I suppose I shouldn't complain because I got to keep my boobs.
But I had (and still have) to keep buying new pants because I'm shrinking without the scales moving much.
Hence the measurements.

I do think the OP should measure first for awhile...

One thing I'll point out is weight loss isn't linear, even on the measuring tape. We grow and shrink throughout the day for many reasons. Particularly when exercising. I see a lot of 'but I'm getting fatter' threads from people who obsessively measure themselves over a very short period of time.