I Want to LOSE My Muscle
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For reference I'm a 27" waist (is that small? idk? I can see my ribs though) and my calves...I cannot believe I'm saying this...are 17" around the bigger part. ISN'T THAT MESSED UP?!
I have a 24" waist and 14" calves. I think my calves are d*mned sexy.
My calves are 14" too. I am the same height as the OP and I have muscular calves too due to genetics. They were big when I weighed 90 lbs and are big now that I weight 146 lbs. The more I work out, they bigger they get. It's not pretty but it is what it is. I understand the OP and yes calves are sexy but at 5.3" with shorter legs, they can be quite un-sexy also
But hey at least I have legs and calves so I accept them as they are. 0 -
Your legs look great in all four of those pictures hon! Don't EVER listen to a discouraging Mom. I had one, they get in your head like nothing else can. What's worse, is your size 20 Mom telling you you're fat at size 5. That's a whole bunch of crap!0
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For reference I'm a 27" waist (is that small? idk? I can see my ribs though) and my calves...I cannot believe I'm saying this...are 17" around the bigger part. ISN'T THAT MESSED UP?!
I have a 24" waist and 14" calves. I think my calves are d*mned sexy.
My calves are 14" too. I am the same height as the OP and I have muscular calves too due to genetics. They were big when I weighed 90 lbs and are big now that I weight 146 lbs. The more I work out, they bigger they get. It's not pretty but it is what it is. I understand the OP and yes calves are sexy but at 5.3" with shorter legs, they can be quite un-sexy also But hey at least I have legs and calves so I accept them as they are.
^
Yes, this is exactly where my disdain for them comes from. On a short frame, it's very easy to look like a tree stump. Calves on taller women are beautiful. Mine? Not so much =/
But you're right, this is what I have. I'm learning to love it, but it wont happen in a day, week, or even a year.0 -
For reference I'm a 27" waist (is that small? idk? I can see my ribs though) and my calves...I cannot believe I'm saying this...are 17" around the bigger part. ISN'T THAT MESSED UP?!
I have a 24" waist and 14" calves. I think my calves are d*mned sexy.
My calves are 14" too. I am the same height as the OP and I have muscular calves too due to genetics. They were big when I weighed 90 lbs and are big now that I weight 146 lbs. The more I work out, they bigger they get. It's not pretty but it is what it is. I understand the OP and yes calves are sexy but at 5.3" with shorter legs, they can be quite un-sexy also But hey at least I have legs and calves so I accept them as they are.
I'm 4'11 with 14" calves.. it's not unsexy... My chunky belly... little unsexy... my calves are hot though
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For reference I'm a 27" waist (is that small? idk? I can see my ribs though) and my calves...I cannot believe I'm saying this...are 17" around the bigger part. ISN'T THAT MESSED UP?!
I have a 24" waist and 14" calves. I think my calves are d*mned sexy.
My calves are 14" too. I am the same height as the OP and I have muscular calves too due to genetics. They were big when I weighed 90 lbs and are big now that I weight 146 lbs. The more I work out, they bigger they get. It's not pretty but it is what it is. I understand the OP and yes calves are sexy but at 5.3" with shorter legs, they can be quite un-sexy also But hey at least I have legs and calves so I accept them as they are.
^
Yes, this is exactly where my disdain for them comes from. On a short frame, it's very easy to look like a tree stump. Calves on taller women are beautiful. Mine? Not so much =/
But you're right, this is what I have. I'm learning to love it, but it wont happen in a day, week, or even a year.
Nope. Looking at your pictures, they do not look like tree trunks at all. They are very shapely.0 -
Ignore the comments by your friends and mother. You have beautiful symmetry and shape.
I see a lot of female athletes develop some body image issues when most of their friends are underweight and skinny with below-average muscle mass. Looking at that one photo, it seems your friends fit that category and can likely gain some weight themselves.0 -
Your legs look great in all four of those pictures hon! Don't EVER listen to a discouraging Mom. I had one, they get in your head like nothing else can. What's worse, is your size 20 Mom telling you you're fat at size 5. That's a whole bunch of crap!
In defense of my mom, she wasn't nagging. She was legitimately worried because in her head abnormally large calves points towards hormone imbalance which can cause breast cancer (which she survived 10 years ago). She was truly looking out for me, but it hurt my feelings. I stopped talking to her for 2 weeks because of it. But I understood that I was projecting my insecurities onto her and she sat me down to let me know she thinks I'm beautiful and perfect and all that other motherly mumbo jumbo.0 -
I struggled with the fact that my calves were so muscular for a long time as I was growing up and always thought that working them would help, and it did, but only by a .5" to .75" at most. You see, some people have muscular calves, some have muscular arms, some legs are long, some are short, some are tan, some are pale... You need to learn to embrace those calves and all their glory and rock them because I can almost guarantee, unless you do some strange cosmetic surgery, they will always be large. There isn't anything wrong with being muscular and I bet they look pretty damn hot in a pair of heels... amiright?
P.S. Based on your pics, I think they look quite lovely.0 -
I don't even need to read your post to tell you that no you don't want to lose your hard earned muscle, which gives you strength, reduces risk of injury, gives your body definition and raises your BMR.
Just No. No, no no and more nope.
End of story. 0 -
Casual maintenance running will not trim your calves. It is the people that run through their muscle with tons of mileage a week that end up with teeny lean legs. I work at a running store so I know this. It would require a ton of commitment on your part and a lot less protein methinks. My opinion? Embrace your gorgeous calves and instead of being ashamed of them start being proud of what your mama gave you.0
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Reduce your bf% and you will reduce your calves.. 7 lbs is a drop in the bucket.0
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Did I somehow miss the part where she mentioned caring about what most guys like? I know that's what I base all my fitness/performance goals around... :huh:Most guys I know like a pair of athletic legs.
No, but you did miss the part where I was trying to encourage her by giving her a man's opinion, which I am, and you're an idiot.0 -
Hi everyone!
I am new here. I am on a fitness journey and every time I googled a question, this website came up. So I joined!
My qualm is that I have massive calves. They are most likely genetic, and also a result of always being in sports as a child and a teen--specifically tennis. I am 152 lbs at 5'3, but appear extremely small and I HAVE to guess that's because of my muscle mass (my BMI says I'm overweight--ugh). I've always had strong legs (and a rather lean upper body), but according to others my calves have gotten bigger. Not in a "that's gross" way but in a "you've been working out I see" way. I can't wear high knee boots ever, and since I'm so short, I sometimes look wonky in skinny jeans, flat shoes, etc. etc. (although I will admit to looking KILLER in heels--too bad I don't wear heels). These comments discouraged me and I have always had a hate/kinda like relationship to my legs.
I started out at 156lbs about 3 weeks ago. I've radically changed my diet to cleaner eating and have been working out 5 or 6 days of the week for at least 40 minutes, strength training and cardio.
I REALLLLLY want to catabolize or at least lean out my calve muscles but am having no luck. I've read stretching, yoga/Pilates, and low impact, flat ground cardio (running, elliptical) can help--but I've been running since March and no results. Now I'm afraid my calves will forever be big. There is no fat around them, and they aren't retaining fluid--they are just big and disproportionate to my upper body. Moreover, since they are so big, I feel like even though I look trimmer, that number on the scale wont budge.
Can anyone relate?? I eat a more high protein diet to feed my muscles (I'm ALWAYS hungry) but while I want to promote strength and growth in some areas (my abs!) I want to lean out and get rid of other areas (my calves!) I'm also afraid of losing weight everywhere else and my calves staying the same. I'm no circus freak, but they make me upset.
For reference I'm a 27" waist (is that small? idk? I can see my ribs though) and my calves...I cannot believe I'm saying this...are 17" around the bigger part. ISN'T THAT MESSED UP?!
I'm 5'2" tall, currently 190lbs...and I have 17" calves. I am not worried about them in the least bit.
As for your BMI saying you are obese...don't worry about it! I know 2 men who have single digit body fat percentages, yet have been told that their BMI says they are obese. I can tell you, they are NOT anywhere NEAR obese.0 -
Guess what? It's probably not all muscle.
You'd be surprised at what fat you could be carrying in places that "appear" to only be muscle/primarily muscle simply because they're firm and/or can be flexed. You might have some great muscle underneath, but until you've lost weight, it's a good bet to focus on reducing body fat % (which HAVING muscle helps accomplish) instead of shooting yourself in the calf.
If you're truly a great deal of muscle at 153~ at 5'3", I'd... call it into question. If you're THAT well-muscled, then yeah, go ahead and eat at a deficit while laying on a couch doing nothing. Afterall, your self-esteem is more important than your health as you age (bone density, for one).
Actually, how about just therapy to start. If you're legitimately thinking of catabolizing a necessary part of your human health because "isn't that messed up," it might be time to talk to someone to deal with how you see yourself.
On board with this calling some ??? on too muscular. My bestie is 5'5 and PURE muscle at 125.
I weigh 10 lbs more and I'm pretty solid.
sounds like some balancing is in order.
I would rather work around my large body part than try to shrink it by losing very valuable muscle mass....
oh wait. I already do that.0 -
For reference I'm a 27" waist (is that small? idk? I can see my ribs though) and my calves...I cannot believe I'm saying this...are 17" around the bigger part. ISN'T THAT MESSED UP?!
I have a 24" waist and 14" calves. I think my calves are d*mned sexy.
My calves are 14" too. I am the same height as the OP and I have muscular calves too due to genetics. They were big when I weighed 90 lbs and are big now that I weight 146 lbs. The more I work out, they bigger they get. It's not pretty but it is what it is. I understand the OP and yes calves are sexy but at 5.3" with shorter legs, they can be quite un-sexy also But hey at least I have legs and calves so I accept them as they are.
^
Yes, this is exactly where my disdain for them comes from. On a short frame, it's very easy to look like a tree stump. Calves on taller women are beautiful. Mine? Not so much =/
But you're right, this is what I have. I'm learning to love it, but it wont happen in a day, week, or even a year.
I really couldn't tell you what my waist is at the moment. Last time I actually measured, I know I was in the 30s (no hourglass figure for this 5'3" girl!), but I've always thought I had large calves.
...until I decided to embrace them and stopped caring. You know what? It's a part of who I am. I have my dad's strong, muscular legs instead of my mother's chicken legs. I think I would look even stranger with my mother's genetics! My legs look damn good in heels, and even without heels, I've learned to love them.
Looking through your pictures, you really don't look disproportionate. Your legs look great on your frame, you just need to get out of the mindset that your mother is always right.0 -
I've posted this link a few times:
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
The point to take away from this is that she looked better when she weighed more. Embrace your calves. Keep up with the strength training. Make your body into a fat burning machine by packing on the muscles. You will look leaner for it.0 -
I don't really have advice about trimming calves but about the knee high boots...they make boots with "extended calf sizes" to help with this issue, have you tried looking into those? A lot of them give the calf circumference, so if you know yours go online and search for boots that way. They also make zip in extenders that you can zip into the boots with the zipper up the back. I have never used them so I can't comment on their functionality but I have a friend who struggled with finding boots that fit and she rocked them all the time.
It is not the 1950's when there were limited options. Rather than trying to lose muscle, dress for the body you have!0 -
Uhh, what HUGE calves? I don't see them.0
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You are overweight. Your calves need to be big because they need to carry you around all day. If you lose weight, your calves will get smaller. Do you wear a lot of high heels? This will contribute to larger calf muscle.
Trying to lose calf muscle on purpose will result in you losing muscle all over, which is very bad for your health.
^wtf? Even at 5'3" and 27 inch waist is AWESOME. You must be very muscular (and sexy!!!) to be that small and still weigh 156. Which is NOT that heavy, btw. I'm 3 inches taller but 156 is a very healthy weight for me (I'm currently 165 with a 31" waist).
But I do agree with not trying to lose muscle, Definitely. Muscle is healthy and sexy. And who wears high heels? Crazy.0 -
Learn to love them. They are a part of you.
If the ankle is in proportion with the calf then I doubt you will see much of a size reduction. Mine are 16.5 inches around, but I am significantly taller at 5'8"- they still look big and I have a hard time with boots and skinny jeans too. I just buy another style that flatters me. You can create your own style- thats the beauty of fashion. Trends come and go, but classic style lasts.
People rarely notice the flaws we see in ourselves.0
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