Is it possible to loose weight in my calf’s

Options
I have bigger calf’s and I’m worried that if I loose weight my calf’s will still be bigger and I won’t loose weight in them I’ll just gain muscle and they will still be bigger

Answers

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,394 Member
    Options
    Are we talking about fat or muscles? If it's far then yeah, you'll lose weight as your weight goes down. Where it will go down first depends on genetics, but sod's law does apply: it will happen last where you most want it to happen 🤣
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,898 Member
    Options
    I have large calves (and feet and wrists and wide shoulders.) I have a large frame. This used to bother me in high school, but for whatever reason, I got over it when I went into the military. Perhaps because after boot camp I was mostly around men who were larger than me and I no longer felt overly large compared to high school girls.

    While I'm sure my calves got larger when I gained weight and the rest of me got larger, they have never gotten larger as a result of any exercises.

    As part of physical therapy, I have occasionally done exercises like heel raises that target the calves, but there was never an obvious change to my calf size. I think you'd have to intentionally work really hard to increase your calves through exercise.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 1,624 Member
    Options
    Calves are one of those areas that are highly genetically controlled. If you’re in the category of very muscular calves naturally then you’ll probably just have to live with it. If it’s fat then it will take an overall bodyfat reduction however the fat comes off of everyone differently according to genetics.
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 13,237 Member
    Options
    I remember an "Aha!" moment at the gym when I realized a person who was quite obese had no problem doing HUGE weight on the leg press machine. Well, of COURSE they could. Those legs had to be strong enough to tote them around day after day. I bet there were lots of muscles in those legs.

    It would make sense that if you're carrying around a lot of extra mass, you'll have more muscular legs. If there's also fat stores there, it will come off.

    What's the WORST that can happen? What if you lose weight and your calves stay larger than your ideal? You'll still be at a healthier weight.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,636 Member
    edited March 30
    Options
    I was quite proud of my very muscular calves while I was obese. It was probably the only part of my body where I could find hard muscle.

    Carrying around the better part of 125lbs less over the last 8 or 9 years my slim calves make me sad.... but are quite adequate to the task.

    I can even catch myself with only part of my foot planted on a stair while carrying things.... which would have resulted in spectacular crashes and thuds when my calves were way bigger and stronger.

    Maybe if you're a hill climbing cyclist putting in a lot of training and hit the weights doing SPECIFIC calf exercises, maybe you can stop them from getting smaller after you lose weight 😵‍💫
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,675 Member
    Options
    I have large calves despite being at a good weight. I was a hiker and biker for years and now run, so basically it's all muscle. I don't love the way they look, but I do love the fact that they get me where I want to go and I'd rather have strong muscular legs than thin flabby ones that won't get me up mountains.