Not Big Boned!

lcarr1020
lcarr1020 Posts: 62 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have gained about 40 pounds since being pregnant with my son. Now that he is 5 months old I am trying to lose all this horrific weight that was gained. I have been in the gym for about 5 days a week for two weeks (just started) and I have been doing BOTH Cardio and Strength training with each work out. I am really trying to lose my thunder thighs so I have been doing a lot of leg weights but I am afraid that by doing the leg weights it will tone my fat instead of help shed it and I will become “big boned” in my thigh area which is NOT what I want. I want to slim down my legs/thighs as well as tone, so I guess my question is will doing a lot of leg/thigh weighs make me more “big boned” instead of help shed the fat?
Thanks!

Replies

  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
    I have gained about 40 pounds since being pregnant with my son. Now that he is 5 months old I am trying to lose all this horrific weight that was gained. I have been in the gym for about 5 days a week for two weeks (just started) and I have been doing BOTH Cardio and Strength training with each work out. I am really trying to lose my thunder thighs so I have been doing a lot of leg weights but I am afraid that by doing the leg weights it will tone my fat instead of help shed it and I will become “big boned” in my thigh area which is NOT what I want. I want to slim down my legs/thighs as well as tone, so I guess my question is will doing a lot of leg/thigh weighs make me more “big boned” instead of help shed the fat?
    Thanks!

    Fat is shed via diet, primarily. You can't spot reduce, but you can train the muscle groups to make them more compact. I'm in the same situation...based on how I know that I lose weight, I will lose ALL other fat, before my hips and thighs go. Diet, be patient, and train your entire body, so you'll look nice when the fat comes off.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,993 Member
    Well first off "big boned" is a myth. People frame size and length of bones are definitely true, but when it come to actual circumference, from person to person the percentage is about the same.
    You can "tone" fat. Fat cell get bigger by over consumption not exercising. Consistent calorie deficit is what's going to help you lose excess body fat.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    Well you can't "tone" fat and you aren't going to become "big boned".

    You're working out doing both cardi and strength which is great. Ir you're eating at a calorie deficit the weight will start dropping soon.
  • MichaelVRenner
    MichaelVRenner Posts: 92 Member
    It should take you realistically around 4 months to lose 40 lbs by doing strength and cardio.

    Just relax and enjoy the exercise.
  • charbear94
    charbear94 Posts: 43
    You don't tone fat by lighting weights, you tone your muscle, so no worries there! :) you should keep up your cardio though, because you could be building your muscle but not burning off the fat. Then you just have a layer of fat over the muscle. but even then you wouldn't look "big boned". I think you are confusing that term with something else. If you are "big boned" you are born that way, and that term is incorrect anyway. Some people have a larger frame than others, but it isn't because you have big bones.
    But to answer your last question, keep doing your cardio AND weight lifting; you have to burn fat as well as build muscle. keep it up! :)
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    I can absolutely promise you that lifting weights will not make your leg bones grow.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    I can absolutely promise you that lifting weights will not make your leg bones grow.
    It'll make them grow in density. If you're lucky. You want that, OP! The weight-bearing exercise you do now will help prevent osteoporosis when you're older.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    I can absolutely promise you that lifting weights will not make your leg bones grow.
    It'll make them grow in density. If you're lucky. You want that, OP! The weight-bearing exercise you do now will help prevent osteoporosis when you're older.

    Hmm I thought it was helping to slow osteoporosis not reversing it... off to find some science lol
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    :smile:
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    You can't 'tone' fat, only muscles. And you can't change your bone structure by doing resistance exercise. You can make your bones and muscles stronger, which is a good thing.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    I can absolutely promise you that lifting weights will not make your leg bones grow.
    It'll make them grow in density. If you're lucky. You want that, OP! The weight-bearing exercise you do now will help prevent osteoporosis when you're older.

    Hmm I thought it was helping to slow osteoporosis not reversing it... off to find some science lol
    who said reverse?
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
    Well first off "big boned" is a myth.

    cartman_angry_animated_gif_by_fartoons-d48781f.gif
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    You can't 'tone' fat, only muscles. And you can't change your bone structure by doing resistance exercise. You can make your bones and muscles stronger, which is a good thing.

    This.

    Also, this, which basically says don't worry about getting "bulky" until you are at goal weight.

    http://bretcontreras.com/how-to-attain-a-slender-look-like-jessica-alba-zoe-saldana/
  • lcarr1020
    lcarr1020 Posts: 62 Member
    Thanks Guys! I guess what I meant by the big boned thing is that I was afraid that a lot of weight lifting would just tone the fat instead of shedding which would make me look big in the legs from "toned fat" LOL I’m not originally big boned just gained a lot of weight from the pregnancy, but you guys helped me understand better of how this all works! Thanks :-)
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    I can absolutely promise you that lifting weights will not make your leg bones grow.
    It'll make them grow in density. If you're lucky. You want that, OP! The weight-bearing exercise you do now will help prevent osteoporosis when you're older.

    Hmm I thought it was helping to slow osteoporosis not reversing it... off to find some science lol
    Here ya go:
    http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtricks/a/ExerciseandBones.htm
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12537080
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8335581
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Thanks Guys! I guess what I meant by the big boned thing is that I was afraid that a lot of weight lifting would just tone the fat instead of shedding which would make me look big in the legs from "toned fat" LOL I’m not originally big boned just gained a lot of weight from the pregnancy, but you guys helped me understand better of how this all works! Thanks :-)

    You still can't "tone fat". You can build muscle under your fat (this pretty much requires a calories SURPLUS). Or you can preserve muscle and lose the fat above it.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    you can't become "big boned" - frame size is genetic and fixed for life. If you have a large frame you'll always have a large frame. If you don't, no amount of exercise will make you have a larger frame. Your bones can get denser from exercise (which is a good thing because it reduces the risk of osteoporosis), but not actually bigger. And large framed =/= fat, large framed people still look lean and "toned" at a healthy body fat percentage. They'll just be heavier for their height at the same body fat percentage as a smaller framed person, and wear a slightly bigger dress size.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    omg the amount of facepalm in this thread is overwhelming.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
    omg the amount of facepalm in this thread is overwhelming.

    My brain exploded...
  • lcarr1020
    lcarr1020 Posts: 62 Member
    LOL I didnt see where they said reverse either? lol
  • DeltaZero
    DeltaZero Posts: 1,197 Member
    Not what i thought this was about.
  • jrowens3224
    jrowens3224 Posts: 31 Member
    I can absolutely promise you that lifting weights will not make your leg bones grow.
    It'll make them grow in density. If you're lucky. You want that, OP! The weight-bearing exercise you do now will help prevent osteoporosis when you're older.

    +1
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    LOL I didnt see where they said reverse either? lol
    Well, in point of fact, I didn't; I said prevent. I was implying that you lift to bank bone density now and maintain it as you get older (still lifting). But you may be starting to get to the age where you've maxed out the bone density bank; I don't know.

    However, those studies I linked showed evidence for increased bone mineral density with impact load exercise.

    Anecdotally, my husband has said that Olympic lifters and those people that punch boards or whatnot do have increased bone density too. I didn't ask him for the DEXA scan proof though.

Categories