For women who had large legs before weight loss

i think some people just have larger calves, especially if you tend to carry your weight on your lower half. i know i do. i've lost like a little over 20 pounds in the past 2 & a half years and my calves have maybe reduced by like 1-2 inches. i just have thicker, shorter legs like my momma had. genetics.. you can still make them slimmer over time and tone/build muscle but i think for the most part it's just some people's body types! which isn't a bad thing, just a different thing.

Sometimes I wonder if my calves are bigger because of my restless leg syndrome I get while sitting at my desk all day lol

Mine used to be be big and I hated them, now they're 15" ( just measured). Tbh I don't feel like they're HUGE anymore (although fitting into boots is probably still an issue?). I'm not concerned with how they look and I assume they'll shrink even more as I approach my goal weight.

I've recently taken up running in hopes of performing a miracle cure. Hey, if we can bring a three-year-old thread back to life, maybe it can happen for me.

From past experience I know my calves reduce more or less last in the weight loss process but they do go down eventually.

sarbu24 wrote: »

Anybody here have very large calves before they lost alot of weight? How do your legs look now? My calves are so big around I feel like they will never get smaller. I think they are 17" around.

I couldn't wear high boots before I lost weight and had to get a large size when I had one of those boots they give you with a simple broken leg these days (which was somewhat humiliating to me).

Now I think my legs look pretty good--slender, some muscle. Being able to wear cool boots and feeling good in yoga pants are nice NSVs.

(I lost a LOT of weight, though, and for me the legs were one of the places it seemed to go on last and come off easiest.)

Hey, if we can bring a three-year-old thread back to life, maybe it can happen for me.

Heh, didn't notice that at all. Oops. Well, I hope OP has the answer to her question!

My calves are something like 20 inches, its all muscle, ridiculously toned, and the first place I gain muscle. I'm definitely a woman, and I'm a rancher. Boots are the only shoes I wear unless I'm running or in heels. Try justin brand, nice boots for people with muscling because they're built for ranchers.

This is an interesting discussion for me; I have very big calves too, always have done and they make me self conscious wearing shorts and skirts. I've never been able to wear a pair of long leather boots. They just won't do up over my calves. I'm heartened to hear some people have lost an inch or two from their calves with weight loss, and boots are doing up easier. Nice one KarenB927. ;-) Are there any trainers commenting on here who could maybe help by suggesting exercises to help tone down calves? I'm only 2 days in, a newbie, and planning to start running.

kristi_asco wrote: »

i've been told that running helps legs to thin out but so far i haven't been having any luck

Kind of true. It helped my legs to become less jiggly (built a little muscle), but I didn't loose much when I started running. Solid legs look better than jiggly legs though.

Not sure if there's my truth to it, but my friend got a trainer and she started running a lot (long distance) and she complained to her trainer that her legs weren't slimming down they were getting bigger. He told her it was because the amount of running she does builds muscle in her lower half, and that if she wanted to lose weight/trim her legs that she should do less running for awhile and do something like the elliptical. Had something to do with what muscles are used for each activity.

Again...don't know how valid that statement is, but anytime her legs started to "bulk up" per se from running she would limit the number of days she ran and swap out for elliptical. It was a catch 22 for her because she felt like running helped her slim down overall, but felt it didn't help her legs so she did as he advised. Worked for her!

So not to be a downer here, but when gaining weight over time, that weight gets carried by the legs. The legs respond by progressively getting stronger and GROWING (hypertrophy). If they are big around now, and unless you have A LOT of weight to lose, most people won't lose more that a couple of inches around their calves. Sorry, but losing muscle isn't that easy, especially in the legs because we use them every day and any activation will keep the muscle from atrophying.

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

led6777 wrote: »

Try swimming or pilates! Some exercises overuse the calves and will lead to bulking while swimming and pilates generally work the smaller muscle groups.

Any exercise on the legs will keep them activated and deter any atrophy.

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