Please...what do I do?! Calf issues

cllmetatrsld
cllmetatrsld Posts: 58 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have been getting into running lately. I started C25k a couple months back and have been going strong (I did the first 4.5 weeks twice each and am now doing it normally and am on week 6). I have made it through each workout and can feel the improvement in my stamina. However, you know what else I can feel? Bigger calf muscles. Guess what part of my body I have always hated because it was too big? Yup. My calves.

I figured that they would get smaller with weight loss and running, but no. Not one bit, I just feel them getting harder, not smaller. That didn't bother me too much because I figured it was probably just in my head that I had big calves...until today. I have wanted a pair of boots for forever and I finally bought them for myself as a congrats for hitting my first weight loss goal. Didn't fit. Couldn't make it over my huge calves.

I have been feeling good the past few months when my running journey and now I have lost all motivation and really want to just cry. What do I do about these huge things? I don't get why they aren't getting smaller and gaining some shape.

My size:
5' 6"
160 pounds
36 bust
31 waist
41 hips
26 thigh
15.5 calf

Are they ever going to shrink??!! Help!

Replies

  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
    I can't really speak to the calf issue, because my calves were the same size as yours even with significantly smaller hips and thighs and I think they look strong not huge. They will shrink and show more definition as you lose weight but they may never be tiny and that is really OK, shapely legs come in a variety of lengths and dimensions. :flowerforyou:

    Regarding the boots, manufacturers have a hard time...too loose and you have people complaining how they will not stay up, too tight and people can't get them on. There is not a lot of middle ground, especially if the boots don't have any stretch to them...those boots are pretty much made for one size calf and a LOT of people will not fit them. I guarantee you that there are boots out there that will fit your calves the way they are right now, you just need to try on a few pairs until you find the ones that look good on YOU, not just look good on the shelf. I bought some knee high boots this fall and they look and fit great, even with my sturdy calves.
  • georgina1970
    georgina1970 Posts: 333 Member
    Nup, won't shrink.
    I bought my first pair of boots several years ago and then completed my first Triathalon. Just a beginners one, nothing fancy. Haven't been able to where those boots since.
    Some shops do make them for women with larger calves. Just keep looking...
  • hananah89
    hananah89 Posts: 692 Member
    My calves have shrunk about 0.5" or so since I started this summer and I both run and lift. As for the boots, I found some really nice wide calf boots last weekend that fit perfectly. They have that little elastic triangle at the top that help them stretch some. I've always had trouble fitting my calves in nice boots but if you can afford it, higher quality (and more expensive) boot makers tend to have wide calf options. The ones I just bought are from Bandolino and I've bought some before from another company before too. Of course, I'm also willing to shell out good money for high quality shoes (real leather boots) because I want to be comfortable. I wore my last pair of good boots into the ground over probably 6-7 years. They only died because I went off to college and did so much walking around campus.
  • chrissievet
    chrissievet Posts: 11 Member
    I too carry weight in my calves - to the point where they are nearly as big as my thighs! Makes pants shopping a nightmare. I found that when I lost weight the 1st time and reached my goal weight, my calves were the last place to shrink - but they did. Its just a matter of reducing your bodys overall bodyfat percentage to the point where you start losing it off your "trouble" spots. The first time I lost weight I lost 15kg, went from a size 12 to a 6 (US equivilant of a size 0) was running 5km 5 times a week, biking all the time, lifting heavy 3x a week, swimming 3k 3x a week - and I think it took right until the last couple of kilos for there to be any real change in my calves.

    Good luck, i too know the pain, know it can be done, its just going to take persistance :)
  • lailalakhaniali
    lailalakhaniali Posts: 9 Member
    Zappos has some awesome wide calf boots. I have man calves myself and no amount of exercise I've ever done reduces my calves. It's insane. I've always written off boots as an option and recently saw a friend who also has big calves rocking some cute ones. From Zappos. I just placed an order for like 16 of them literally. In case you've never shopped Zappos, it's genius. Order whatever you like. Gets delivered to you super fast (to your door). You try them on, see which you like and keep them. Rest of them you put back in the box and it's free shipping back to Zappos. Oh, and you have a YEAR to return them. No shoe store will have this much variety.
  • shutyourpieholeandsquat
    shutyourpieholeandsquat Posts: 1,394 Member
    Girl you don't even KNOW what big calves are. Mine are 18.5.... HARD AS A ROCK too. LOL :flowerforyou:
  • TheLadyBane
    TheLadyBane Posts: 299 Member
    I've been lifting weights, running, and losing weight. This year was the first time my calves were small enough to fit into boots and I have to say I LOVE them. I now have I knee-high pair and two that hit about mid to a little above mid-calf. My calves are bigger than yours so I bet you can find boots that will fit you. I know for sure not every style will fit me. My calves do look developed and muscular, but not overly so. I've had more than a few guys compliment them. I wonder if maybe you perceive your calves as bigger than they are?... Not sure, but you will know your body and what you want from it better than I do.

    My stats:
    5'7"
    158.8
    Bust: 37"
    Waist: 29"
    Hips: 39"
    Thigh: 23.75"
    Calf: 16.75"
  • changergirl
    changergirl Posts: 81
    They will get smaller. Mine have gone from 18" to about 16.5" after losing just over 40 pounds. I've run and lifted a bit but lost most of the weight through diet alone. I still have 10-20 pounds to go and I'm really hoping to lose at least another inch.
    My stats for reference:
    5'7
    168
    Bust: 39
    Waist: 29
    Hips: 43
    Thigh: 24.5
    Calf: 16.5
  • cllmetatrsld
    cllmetatrsld Posts: 58 Member
    Perhaps I will keep the boots in hopes of my calves dropping .5 to 1 inch. They would fit then. Maybe it will be a good motivator and measure of my progress...

    Thanks everyone!
  • Carrie_Dabs
    Carrie_Dabs Posts: 7 Member
    looking at your stats, you're not fat. not really at all. so i'd say that you, like me, are "blessed" with big calves. I blame all the cycling I did as a kid. But seriously... i've fluctuated about 4stone my entire adult life, and my calves have never got bigger..... or smaller. They're muscley as all hell, and there's not a damn thing i can do about it... I can usually get into the zip up boots, and ones that either begin just before my calves or just under the knee... but mid calf, no way. And even if I could, it wouldn't be very flattering if that was your widest point.

    Take what you got and make the most of it. Your legs will look cracking in heels ;)
  • xiamjackie
    xiamjackie Posts: 611 Member
    At 5'0 125 pounds I have the same size calves as you do. I have just learned to accept it and look for boots that stretch, have two zippers, or are lower cut. It stinks- can't even wear some skinny jeans because of the size of my calves... but it's just the way I'm built. I focus on making them more shapely and defined through lifting.
  • kirschkuchen
    kirschkuchen Posts: 29 Member
    I know your pain. Never had calves that fit into decent boots. I started running in March and it got worse. Some time around August, something strange happened, though. They started shrinking. I started lifting weights in September and they kept shrinking. Now that I'm wearing my boots from previous years, I'm amazed at how loose they are. I still have big calves, but it's a work in progress. Give it some time before you quit!
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Buy boots a half size bigger and wear thick socks. The bigger the shoe size the bigger the rest of the boot. Half a size will give you lots of space to fit the calves in and yet a thick pair of socks will make them fit your foot well.
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    I ride horses and have to buy those dreaded tall boots (I hate them). If your boots are leather a good shoe repairman should be able to stretch them for you. There are ways online to stretch them but I would have it done.

    I also have 15.5" calves. I have extra wide tall boots which are now too big because when I started running I lost fat in my calves and they are now very well defined and I have get my boots shrunk so I feel your pain when it comes to boots.

    Just my two cents. From your measurements your body seems very well proportioned.
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
    I am smaller than you but my calves are 14.5 inches.
    Height: 5'4"
    weight: 127 (keeps fluctuating by a few)
    waist: 27
    Hips: 37
    Bust: 34.5

    Calves: 14.5 -- yet I don't think they look huge. Why do you think yours are huge?
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    Girl you don't even KNOW what big calves are. Mine are 18.5.... HARD AS A ROCK too. LOL :flowerforyou:

    Exactly! Mine are 18" and I would no way consider them 'huge' - in fact, my legs are probably my favourite and the most shapely part of me! Buying boots is a bit of a bummer, but they look great in heels!

    OP, if you are eating at a calorie deficit you will not be building muscle. I'm not even entirely sure if running would build your calf muscles anyway.

    Keep doing what you are doing, fat comes off where it feels like it, which is very rarely where you want it to go!
  • AZ_Gato
    AZ_Gato Posts: 1,270 Member
    I have problems adding mass to my calves. A good friend on here suggest I try uphill running after my normal calf routine. I was able to add 3/4" to my calves within a couple of months.

    Soooooo, if you are doing a lot of uphill or incline running, this could be the source of your problem.

    Good luck, sometimes we are just stuck with a certain part of our body that seems to gain more muscle than other areas. I'll leave you with this, we are our harshest critic. We often tend to magnify something to immense proportions when in reality most wouldn't even notice it.

    Good luck!
  • CookieDoughYummy
    CookieDoughYummy Posts: 58
    I've always had massive muscles in my calfs as well as everywhere else. I gain muscle as quick as anything, but my calfs have never changed, they've always been massive. I think it's partly genetic, but the calfs are one of the most stubborn things to sort out. For me though, I don't think a bit of muscle or weight on the calfs look that bad. I tend to notice it more when people have skinny calfs :P
  • S3r3knitty
    S3r3knitty Posts: 159 Member
    I have been getting into running lately. I started C25k a couple months back and have been going strong (I did the first 4.5 weeks twice each and am now doing it normally and am on week 6). I have made it through each workout and can feel the improvement in my stamina. However, you know what else I can feel? Bigger calf muscles. Guess what part of my body I have always hated because it was too big? Yup. My calves.

    I figured that they would get smaller with weight loss and running, but no. Not one bit, I just feel them getting harder, not smaller. That didn't bother me too much because I figured it was probably just in my head that I had big calves...until today. I have wanted a pair of boots for forever and I finally bought them for myself as a congrats for hitting my first weight loss goal. Didn't fit. Couldn't make it over my huge calves.

    I have been feeling good the past few months when my running journey and now I have lost all motivation and really want to just cry. What do I do about these huge things? I don't get why they aren't getting smaller and gaining some shape.

    My size:
    5' 6"
    160 pounds
    36 bust
    31 waist
    41 hips
    26 thigh
    15.5 calf

    Are they ever going to shrink??!! Help!
    I am 5' 9", weigh 146lbs and right now my calves are at 15". I have come to a point where I accepted that I will never have skinny legs. Yes, it sucks sometimes because I want to have these awesome boots or cool skinny jeans but it is what it is. From your measurements I would say don't get hang up about your calf. You have a nice waist and I bet you have pretty sweet curves. My bust / hip / waist ratio is pretty similar to yours and my thigh and calf measurements were even higher than yours a few months ago when my weight was at 156lbs

    Recently I found a shoe producer here who labels their boot leg s, m, l. That was pretty awesome because I just skipped the whole s line and the whole shoe shopping process was less excruciating and I can tell you the M boots are snug. I am not allowed to gain anything right now or they won't fit anymore.
  • dietcoke29
    dietcoke29 Posts: 38 Member
    If they shrink it won't be dramatic. If the boots are real leather take them in to get stretched!
  • cllmetatrsld
    cllmetatrsld Posts: 58 Member
    Well I don't run on an incline but I can tell my calves are harder. They don't jiggle like they used to either. If it's not muscle gain is it perhaps just swollen muscle or something to that effect? I have been told I eat too much sodium (I have been doing much better and now keep it under 2500 and really try to keep it at 2000) and I really don't drink hardly anything throughout the day as I am never thirsty (but I drink about 14 ounces of water when I run). I don't know if this would have anything to do with it...
  • justlistening
    justlistening Posts: 249 Member
    I'm not sure if this is relevent, but do you run mostly on your toes w/o putting your heal down? This will work your calves more than your other leg muscles, similar to what the previous poster mentioned about running up hill.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Buy boots a half size bigger and wear thick socks. The bigger the shoe size the bigger the rest of the boot. Half a size will give you lots of space to fit the calves in and yet a thick pair of socks will make them fit your foot well.

    Just sharing this again. I have 19" calves and they haven't gained or lost size since I started lifting (genetics). I buy my boots half a size big and the calves fit.
  • aimeev2
    aimeev2 Posts: 49 Member
    The only time I was able to fit into "regular" size tall boots was right after I had my leg cast removed after 6 weeks of not bearing weight. I thought I would love the (however temporary) look and feel of a skinny calf muscle. Instead, it made me really depressed because all it represented to me was the miles I hadn't run, the spin classes I hadn't attended, and the pilates sessions I'd missed. I ask you to be kind to yourself and thankful for the calf muscles that carry you through the day and are a symbol of being healthy and strong!:smile:

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