I've lost weight but why are my thighs getting bigger?

misshoneyz2dab
misshoneyz2dab Posts: 62 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
For the past four weeks I've been doing intense exercise at the gym and I have lost 10lbs so far. What I've noticed is my thighs are getting bigger. What is going on?

Replies

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited May 2017
    How do you know they're getting bigger? Have you measured them? If so, are you measuring them immediately after a workout? How much have they grown in size?
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    When you say intense... you mean... running, biking, elliptical??

    Your thighs are getting bigger because
    1. you're retaining more water
    2. You're gaining muscle
    3. You haven't started losing fat on your legs.

    If the OP is in a calorie deficit it is almost definitely not option 2. It's more than likely option 1.

    I know you've got to boost your post count, but posting this on every thread doesn't make it true.. or useful
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    edited May 2017
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    How do you know they're getting bigger? Have you measured them? If so, are you measuring them immediately after a workout? How much have they grown in size?

    This. Is it possible they just look bigger due to the fact that you are losing fat that previously covered muscle?


    Also,
    tumblr_o2punq0bHN1r000uao1_500.png
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    When you say intense... you mean... running, biking, elliptical??

    Your thighs are getting bigger because
    1. you're retaining more water
    2. You're gaining muscle
    3. You haven't started losing fat on your legs.

    If the OP is in a calorie deficit it is almost definitely not option 2. It's more than likely option 1.

    I know you've got to boost your post count, but posting this on every thread doesn't make it true.. or useful

    You think she gained noticeable muscle in 4 weeks while losing 10 lbs?

    4 weeks is plenty of time... especially since neither you nor I knows what "intense" exercise is.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    When you say intense... you mean... running, biking, elliptical??

    Your thighs are getting bigger because
    1. you're retaining more water
    2. You're gaining muscle
    3. You haven't started losing fat on your legs.

    If the OP is in a calorie deficit it is almost definitely not option 2. It's more than likely option 1.

    I know you've got to boost your post count, but posting this on every thread doesn't make it true.. or useful

    You think she gained noticeable muscle in 4 weeks while losing 10 lbs?

    4 weeks is plenty of time... especially since neither you nor I knows what "intense" exercise is.

    For a woman in a calorie deficit?
  • Ironandwine69
    Ironandwine69 Posts: 2,432 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    When you say intense... you mean... running, biking, elliptical??

    Your thighs are getting bigger because
    1. you're retaining more water
    2. You're gaining muscle
    3. You haven't started losing fat on your legs.

    If the OP is in a calorie deficit it is almost definitely not option 2. It's more than likely option 1.

    I know you've got to boost your post count, but posting this on every thread doesn't make it true.. or useful

    You think she gained noticeable muscle in 4 weeks while losing 10 lbs?

    4 weeks is plenty of time... especially since neither you nor I knows what "intense" exercise is.

    I think you are underestimating how difficult it is to gain muscle especially for women.

    Maybe she is related to Hulk. Or maybe she's a newbie. Or maybe her thighs didn't really get bigger.
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    optical illusion?
  • Ironandwine69
    Ironandwine69 Posts: 2,432 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    optical illusion?

    When I look down, I think my legs are monsters. Then I take a pic and then go back to squatting
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    Ironandwine69 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    optical illusion?

    When I look down, I think my legs are monsters. Then I take a pic and then go back to squatting

    lol. your legs look great. haha. keep up the good work
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    How do you know they're getting bigger? Have you measured them? If so, are you measuring them immediately after a workout? How much have they grown in size?

    This. Is it possible they just look bigger due to the fact that you are losing fat that previously covered muscle?


    Also,
    tumblr_o2punq0bHN1r000uao1_500.png

    Yes to both of these...
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    When you say intense... you mean... running, biking, elliptical??

    Your thighs are getting bigger because
    1. you're retaining more water
    2. You're gaining muscle
    3. You haven't started losing fat on your legs.

    If the OP is in a calorie deficit it is almost definitely not option 2. It's more than likely option 1.

    I know you've got to boost your post count, but posting this on every thread doesn't make it true.. or useful

    You think she gained noticeable muscle in 4 weeks while losing 10 lbs?

    4 weeks is plenty of time... especially since neither you nor I knows what "intense" exercise is.

    I think you are underestimating how difficult it is to gain muscle especially for women.

    I'm female. While I was losing, I took a full set of measurements every week along with weighing myself. After I had lost significant weight, and already been working out (including running) for several months, I started doing sprints instead of slow, steady runs. Within a VERY short period of time...like six weeks, I gained about a quarter inch...which then increased to a half inch a short time later...on my thighs that never went away. They looked even more defined because I also lost more fat. This was muscle. And yes, I was in a deficit the entire time.

    It is possible.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,055 Member
    misshoneyz2dab wrote: »
    For the past four weeks I've been doing intense exercise at the gym and I have lost 10lbs so far. What I've noticed is my thighs are getting bigger. What is going on?

    Did you take Before and After measurements, and were they under the same conditions? (For example, both times you measured immediately after working out.)

    My lying eyes say my biceps are bigger, but when I measure I learn they are not.
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    My lying eyes say my biceps are bigger, but when I measure I learn they are not.

    Same for me. When what has in fact happened is that I've lost the fat that used to surround them, so I look more cut and veiny.
  • ziggyc
    ziggyc Posts: 191 Member
    so what some of you are saying is that OP is definitely wrong, everyone gains and loses in exactly the same way, and literally nobody has ever gained any muscle while in calorie deficit. good to know.
  • ent3rsandman
    ent3rsandman Posts: 170 Member
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    When you say intense... you mean... running, biking, elliptical??

    Your thighs are getting bigger because
    1. you're retaining more water
    2. You're gaining muscle
    3. You haven't started losing fat on your legs.

    If the OP is in a calorie deficit it is almost definitely not option 2. It's more than likely option 1.

    Can't you get newbie gains even in a deficit? I know they're nothing significant, but my thighs definitely got a little bigger once I started biking/running/doing light squats.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Have you actually measured, OP, or do they just feel/look bigger to you?

    You can build some muscle in a deficit. It is a lower amount than you would build in ideal (i.e., excess calorie) conditions. A lot of times what we think is more muscle is either less fat or more water.
  • lilolilo920
    lilolilo920 Posts: 184 Member
    edited May 2017
    Ironandwine69 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    optical illusion?

    When I look down, I think my legs are monsters. Then I take a pic and then go back to squatting

    This ^^

    Also, OP have you been measuring your thighs? If not, honestly, it's probably an optical illusion. I have days where I think my thighs, waist, hips, etc have gotten larger. But then I measure them and realize that, nope, they haven't changed a bit.
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