Calves!

AlexanderK1994
AlexanderK1994 Posts: 243 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
So I haven't been on this site for a long, long time. Gained back some serious weight that I need to lose but the main thing that I want to focus on are my calves.

I'm generally short and stocky, a lot of my weight is in my lower half, especially in my thighs.

The reason that I came back is simple and quite a vain one, too: my calves didn't want to fit in my new knee high boots. So I need some help in order to reduce the size of them until late May.

Replies

  • jonsmithkidd
    jonsmithkidd Posts: 1,204 Member
    Hey, welcome back! :-)

    I'm guessing you know that you can't spot reduce fat and so you can't directly focus on losing weight off your calves, but by being in calorie deficit one of the places you will hopefully lose from is there......so good luck with it!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    don't buy boots that don't fit your calves

    eat at a defecit and lift heavy with a shed-load of weighted squats and lunges and more squats
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    You really bought new boots that didn't fit and hope to lose enough fat to wear them...like tomorrow until May? I don't know how much weight you need to lose, but big calves are usually because of muscle and it would take longer than a couple of months to shed muscle.
  • May_Rose
    May_Rose Posts: 119 Member
    Take your boots to a shoe repair shop or high end boot store and have them stretched so that they will fit your calves :).
  • EddieHaskell97
    EddieHaskell97 Posts: 2,227 Member
    nfl_u_lebron12_300x300.jpg
  • calf raises! Having muscley calves does not mean they will be big! You strengthen the muscles on your calves and you will lose the fat on them! Muscle eats fat!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    calf raises! Having muscley calves does not mean they will be big! You strengthen the muscles on your calves and you will lose the fat on them! Muscle eats fat!

    WTF is a calf raise?
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    calf raises! Having muscley calves does not mean they will be big! You strengthen the muscles on your calves and you will lose the fat on them! Muscle eats fat!

    WTF is a calf raise?

    It is where you raise your calf to be a cow.... I bet you would feed it carbs...
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    calf raises! Having muscley calves does not mean they will be big! You strengthen the muscles on your calves and you will lose the fat on them! Muscle eats fat!

    WTF is a calf raise?
    213_fig1.gif
    you can do it other ways as well
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    Chibilice wrote: »
    So I haven't been on this site for a long, long time. Gained back some serious weight that I need to lose but the main thing that I want to focus on are my calves.

    I'm generally short and stocky, a lot of my weight is in my lower half, especially in my thighs.

    The reason that I came back is simple and quite a vain one, too: my calves didn't want to fit in my new knee high boots. So I need some help in order to reduce the size of them until late May.
    Losing overall body fat will help, however since calves are genetic and a very very dense set of muscle, reduction for some won't be possible. If one has been overweight for quite some time, the calf muscles grew to compensate for carrying the weight. Muscle atrophy happens when a muscle ISN'T being used, which would mean staying off ones feet for a considerable amount of time (like months or at least a year) to see some atrophy happen.
    More than likely, you'll just have to accept what you have.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    calf raises! Having muscley calves does not mean they will be big! You strengthen the muscles on your calves and you will lose the fat on them! Muscle eats fat!

    Oh, is that how spot reduction works?
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Chibilice wrote: »
    So I haven't been on this site for a long, long time. Gained back some serious weight that I need to lose but the main thing that I want to focus on are my calves.

    I'm generally short and stocky, a lot of my weight is in my lower half, especially in my thighs.

    The reason that I came back is simple and quite a vain one, too: my calves didn't want to fit in my new knee high boots. So I need some help in order to reduce the size of them until late May.

    Not happening, unless you are considering sirgery to alter the shape of your calves. Return the boots and in the future buy shoes that fit. Sorry :(
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    calf raises! Having muscley calves does not mean they will be big! You strengthen the muscles on your calves and you will lose the fat on them! Muscle eats fat!
    Muscle utilizes calories and usually from glycogen first when training physically. As I mentioned, if one already has big calves, training them isn't going to make them smaller.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Chibilice wrote: »
    So I haven't been on this site for a long, long time. Gained back some serious weight that I need to lose but the main thing that I want to focus on are my calves.

    I'm generally short and stocky, a lot of my weight is in my lower half, especially in my thighs.

    The reason that I came back is simple and quite a vain one, too: my calves didn't want to fit in my new knee high boots. So I need some help in order to reduce the size of them until late May.
    Losing overall body fat will help, however since calves are genetic and a very very dense set of muscle, reduction for some won't be possible. If one has been overweight for quite some time, the calf muscles grew to compensate for carrying the weight. Muscle atrophy happens when a muscle ISN'T being used, which would mean staying off ones feet for a considerable amount of time (like months or at least a year) to see some atrophy happen.
    More than likely, you'll just have to accept what you have.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    z9grqjod6yoo.png
    This is the difference 10 weeks in a cast can make. Not really that much but it's definitely noticeable. I'm sure my cousin wouldn't recommend this method, however.
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
    I naturally have thick calves, mostly muscle due to me teetering around in 4 inch pumps all day, so I feel your pain. But since I have lost weight my calves shrunk enough to zip up my knee high boots (even in jeans) with even a little wiggle room :)

    But maybe you should look into extended-calf sizes for now.
  • squirrlt
    squirrlt Posts: 106 Member
    edited March 2015
    Get your boots stretched. Or return them and get a different pair. Boots come in different circumferences, it should be stated on the website or sometimes on the box.

    "Calf raises" are going to make your calves muscles bigger, sorry. Losing weight MIGHT make them slightly smaller, as your whole body gets smaller, it's really a crapshoot as to when or how much of a different you'll see in that area. For example, I lost 20 lbs and my calves did not change at all. Boots are an expensive and possibly frustrating goal, because you may NEVER get into them, if the circumference is wrong, no matter how much you lose. It's harder if you are petite, because tall boots tend to hit you at your calf's widest point. It's not fair, I know!

    Maybe this will be helpful info. What is your current calf circumference? Standard boots are made for calves up to 14 - 15". If you are anything over that, you are may need to buy a wide-calf boot, especially if you are looking to tuck jeans into them. If you are only a 1/4" away from getting in that boot, you might get lucky. If you are significantly further from that, I would recommend returning the boots, or asking a cobbler how much they can stretch them if you are in too in love with the boot to part with it.


  • AlexanderK1994
    AlexanderK1994 Posts: 243 Member
    MB_Positif wrote: »
    You really bought new boots that didn't fit and hope to lose enough fat to wear them...like tomorrow until May? I don't know how much weight you need to lose, but big calves are usually because of muscle and it would take longer than a couple of months to shed muscle.

    Right, okay. I know all this stuff, thanks. Also, online shops exist - I had no idea it wouldn't fit.
  • AlexanderK1994
    AlexanderK1994 Posts: 243 Member
    squirrlt wrote: »
    Get your boots stretched. Or return them and get a different pair. Boots come in different circumferences, it should be stated on the website or sometimes on the box.

    "Calf raises" are going to make your calves muscles bigger, sorry. Losing weight MIGHT make them slightly smaller, as your whole body gets smaller, it's really a crapshoot as to when or how much of a different you'll see in that area. For example, I lost 20 lbs and my calves did not change at all. Boots are an expensive and possibly frustrating goal, because you may NEVER get into them, if the circumference is wrong, no matter how much you lose. It's harder if you are petite, because tall boots tend to hit you at your calf's widest point. It's not fair, I know!

    Maybe this will be helpful info. What is your current calf circumference? Standard boots are made for calves up to 14 - 15". If you are anything over that, you are may need to buy a wide-calf boot, especially if you are looking to tuck jeans into them. If you are only a 1/4" away from getting in that boot, you might get lucky. If you are significantly further from that, I would recommend returning the boots, or asking a cobbler how much they can stretch them if you are in too in love with the boot to part with it.


    Thanks! I am roughly 1/4" away from that^^ so high hopes.
  • squirrlt
    squirrlt Posts: 106 Member
    Chibilice wrote: »
    squirrlt wrote: »
    Get your boots stretched. Or return them and get a different pair. Boots come in different circumferences, it should be stated on the website or sometimes on the box.

    "Calf raises" are going to make your calves muscles bigger, sorry. Losing weight MIGHT make them slightly smaller, as your whole body gets smaller, it's really a crapshoot as to when or how much of a different you'll see in that area. For example, I lost 20 lbs and my calves did not change at all. Boots are an expensive and possibly frustrating goal, because you may NEVER get into them, if the circumference is wrong, no matter how much you lose. It's harder if you are petite, because tall boots tend to hit you at your calf's widest point. It's not fair, I know!

    Maybe this will be helpful info. What is your current calf circumference? Standard boots are made for calves up to 14 - 15". If you are anything over that, you are may need to buy a wide-calf boot, especially if you are looking to tuck jeans into them. If you are only a 1/4" away from getting in that boot, you might get lucky. If you are significantly further from that, I would recommend returning the boots, or asking a cobbler how much they can stretch them if you are in too in love with the boot to part with it.


    Thanks! I am roughly 1/4" away from that^^ so high hopes.

    Well that is good!!! Good luck with your goal :) The other good news is, 1/4" is likely no problem to get stretched if they are real leather and all else fails.
  • ShibaEars
    ShibaEars Posts: 3,928 Member
    May_Rose wrote: »
    Take your boots to a shoe repair shop or high end boot store and have them stretched so that they will fit your calves :).

    YOU CAN DO THIS??!!! My calves are big, even the "wide calf" rarely fit, and they'll never fit over jeans. I didn't even know stretching them was an option... This could be life changing.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited March 2015
    Send them back

    There are online shops that sell boots to specified calf dimensions ...in the UK there's https://www.duoboots.com who make gorgeous boots (my boot purchases pre and post weight loss have had a 2.5" difference :smile:)
  • squirrlt
    squirrlt Posts: 106 Member
    edited March 2015
    ShibaEars wrote: »
    May_Rose wrote: »
    Take your boots to a shoe repair shop or high end boot store and have them stretched so that they will fit your calves :).

    YOU CAN DO THIS??!!! My calves are big, even the "wide calf" rarely fit, and they'll never fit over jeans. I didn't even know stretching them was an option... This could be life changing.

    If they are leather, YES! but we are talking sometimes just 3/8"-1/2" here, don't get too excited...
  • ShibaEars
    ShibaEars Posts: 3,928 Member
    squirrlt wrote: »
    ShibaEars wrote: »
    May_Rose wrote: »
    Take your boots to a shoe repair shop or high end boot store and have them stretched so that they will fit your calves :).

    YOU CAN DO THIS??!!! My calves are big, even the "wide calf" rarely fit, and they'll never fit over jeans. I didn't even know stretching them was an option... This could be life changing.

    If they are leather, YES! but we are talking sometimes just 3/8"-1/2" here, don't get too excited...

    Lol. I have one pair that I can squeeze into, but they're tight - even that little bit would help!
  • squirrlt
    squirrlt Posts: 106 Member
    edited March 2015
    ShibaEars wrote: »
    squirrlt wrote: »
    ShibaEars wrote: »
    May_Rose wrote: »
    Take your boots to a shoe repair shop or high end boot store and have them stretched so that they will fit your calves :).

    YOU CAN DO THIS??!!! My calves are big, even the "wide calf" rarely fit, and they'll never fit over jeans. I didn't even know stretching them was an option... This could be life changing.

    If they are leather, YES! but we are talking sometimes just 3/8"-1/2" here, don't get too excited...

    Lol. I have one pair that I can squeeze into, but they're tight - even that little bit would help!

    Hey, with a good shoe repair guy and a prayer, there's chance it could work! Sometimes I wish I could suck in my calves like I suck in my stomach with tight jeans, lol!
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    You can get botulism toxin injections into the calf muscles that will atrophy the muscle or you can buy knew boots. Cost is about the same.
  • squirrlt
    squirrlt Posts: 106 Member
    edited March 2015
    You can get botulism toxin injections into the calf muscles that will atrophy the muscle or you can buy knew boots. Cost is about the same.

    Or...the shoe repair/cobbler can stretch boots for $8-12 dollars, with far less side effects :smile:
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