Losing muscle or making it leaner.

Options
jolielouise
jolielouise Posts: 14 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all,

I'm no fitness expert so please do not judge me for asking this question, but as I have been losing weight I have noticed how toned my upper arms and back of my thighs have got, to the point where they look disproportional to the rest of my body, ie. the muscle actually sticks out... I was wondering if there were any exercises to make these muscles more lean. Does stretching, or yoga help?

Any tips would be appreciated.

Thank you

Replies

  • Milly406
    Milly406 Posts: 39
    Options
    Great question! I have the same issue but with my legs. I run for cardio and it seems my calves just get bigger and bigger and I don't really like it.
  • jolielouise
    jolielouise Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    Im glad I'm not the only one! It's great being in shape but itd be nice to feel lean and not muscular.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Options
    No there is no way. You often here things such as Yoga, Pilates etc saying that you can make your muscles "long and lean" This is false, and usually to further attract women to those sorts of exercise groups who have the fear they will get bulky. The length of your muscles is already pre-determined, and you can't make them leaner, muscle is muscle.

    You can only make muscles bigger (heavy lifting AND a calorie surplus) or smaller (losing all over weight, no weight training)

    If I'm right in guessing it is that your muscles show more than you would like? This is usually the case in lower BF%'s. Do you know your body fat level? Generally if you stay above 18-20% you won't have loads of definition and it will look a little softer.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Options
    Muscles are beautiful. Why would you want to lose them? The solution is continue to lose more fat so the muscles in your legs are defined as well to balance you out.
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
    Options
    Muscles are beautiful. Why would you want to lose them? The solution is continue to lose more fat so the muscles in your legs are defined as well to balance you out.

    This. If you don't like muscle definition then don't lower your body fat percentage any more.

    But you cannot change the genetic cards you are dealt... you can't make muscles longer or leaner - they are connected to bones and you can't make those longer either :wink: you can let them atrophy and get soft - but flab is soooooo not sexy.
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
    Options
    Muscles are beautiful. Why would you want to lose them? The solution is continue to lose more fat so the muscles in your legs are defined as well to balance you out.

    This. If you don't like muscle definition then don't lower your body fat percentage any more.

    But you cannot change the genetic cards you are dealt... you can't make muscles longer or leaner - they are connected to bones and you can't make those longer either :wink: you can let them atrophy and get soft - but flab is soooooo not sexy.

    True.
    But you could try Tae Bo. I hear that is amazing.
  • Scott613
    Scott613 Posts: 2,317 Member
    Options
    Can't change genetics! That's how your body is made focus on other bodyparts to bring the rest up to par.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    Options
    Muscles are beautiful. Why would you want to lose them? The solution is continue to lose more fat so the muscles in your legs are defined as well to balance you out.

    This. If you don't like muscle definition then don't lower your body fat percentage any more.

    But you cannot change the genetic cards you are dealt... you can't make muscles longer or leaner - they are connected to bones and you can't make those longer either :wink: you can let them atrophy and get soft - but flab is soooooo not sexy.

    True.
    But you could try Tae Bo. I hear that is amazing.

    Tae Bo also cures cancer and can beat Chuck Norris.
  • grapenutSF
    grapenutSF Posts: 648 Member
    Options
    I'm working hard to make my muscles stick out. More.

    :flowerforyou:
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    Great question! I have the same issue but with my legs. I run for cardio and it seems my calves just get bigger and bigger and I don't really like it.

    My calves did the same thing when I ran. And I did not have a very low BF%. I don't know what my BF% was, but I was 5'5" and still wearing a size 9 with 38 in hips and wearing a D cup, so it wasn't very low. I used to joke that I should have married a cowboy because they like fat calves.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    Options
    You can't do anything against genetic dear. Try to be the best you can with the body you have
  • jolielouise
    jolielouise Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    Okay thank you! I guessed it was probably generics more than anything. I suppose the best option would be for me to avoid doing strength or weight training on the areas that bulk easily... And bulk up the ones that don't.
  • foster59803
    foster59803 Posts: 439 Member
    Options
    I'm working hard to make my muscles stick out. More.

    :flowerforyou:

    Amen sister :)
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
    Options
    Great question! I have the same issue but with my legs. I run for cardio and it seems my calves just get bigger and bigger and I don't really like it.

    My calves did the same thing when I ran. And I did not have a very low BF%. I don't know what my BF% was, but I was 5'5" and still wearing a size 9 with 38 in hips and wearing a D cup, so it wasn't very low. I used to joke that I should have married a cowboy because they like fat calves.

    When my calves did this, it turned out it was because I was fat. I've been lifting heavy, my body fat percent is lower and lately, my lower legs are weridly skinny. I thought my calves were muscular and that was the problem. They were muscular, but the problem was there was a bunch of fat on top of them.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Options
    I'm working hard to make my muscles stick out. More.

    :flowerforyou:

    Smart girl! Very attractive. What is it about our culture that tells women they shouldn't look lean, just skinny? I personally think an atheltic looking woman is beautiful and a skinny looking woman looks like she needs a meal!

    But to answer your question, as others have said, you have just reduced you BF to the point where your muscle deintition shows. They haven't gotten any bigger. For the lady that runs a lot, if you want smaller calves, don't run and do other kinds of training like weights and HIIT.
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
    Options
    Muscles are beautiful. Why would you want to lose them? The solution is continue to lose more fat so the muscles in your legs are defined as well to balance you out.

    This. If you don't like muscle definition then don't lower your body fat percentage any more.

    But you cannot change the genetic cards you are dealt... you can't make muscles longer or leaner - they are connected to bones and you can't make those longer either :wink: you can let them atrophy and get soft - but flab is soooooo not sexy.

    True.
    But you could try Tae Bo. I hear that is amazing.

    Tae Bo also cures cancer and can beat Chuck Norris.

    only when you use a shake weight as well
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Options
    Okay thank you! I guessed it was probably generics more than anything. I suppose the best option would be for me to avoid doing strength or weight training on the areas that bulk easily... And bulk up the ones that don't.

    Honestly, you are not bulking up. Women bulking up seems to be one of the most repeated myths on this board.

    To bulk up, you would have to be in calorie surplus and be supplementing with testosterone as a woman. Men have trouble bulking up while in calorie deficit even with the benefit of testosterone. You've just melted away fat and gotten the muscles you have in good shape. So they show more. If you've been in deficit, you haven't added muscle tissue. It may look like it after strength training because the muscles have taken on water and glycogen in response to the training. Over time this will subside. Truly, it is nothing to worry about. If you are concerned, lift lighter weight, more reps and less sets to just maintain a level of fitness but your picture looks great. You do not look bulked up.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Options
    Not trying to sound like a wise *kitten*, but a picture or two illustrating what you're talking about would make this clearer. The word "toned" means different things to different people. And I think we all suffer from some degree of body dysmorphia. So if we could see what you're talking about, we may have more focused advice.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Options
    Okay thank you! I guessed it was probably generics more than anything. I suppose the best option would be for me to avoid doing strength or weight training on the areas that bulk easily... And bulk up the ones that don't.

    I don't think you are "bulking". Your muscles will not physically increase in size unless you are eating more calories than it would take to maintain your weight AND if you are your doing heavy strength training 3-4 times a week. I know. I just got finished purposely bulking.

    What is happening is that you are losing fat. Due to your genetics it seems this fat is coming off your upper body first. (My body does this too) This fat previously hit your upper body muscles. Now, with less fat, the muscles you've always had are showing. The muscles on your legs are there as well, they are just still hidden due to fat.

    I'd actually recommended adding heavy weight training to your routine. If you let your body start using your muscles for energy (weight training prevents this) you'll become even more disproportionate as you lose more weight (although I doubt you are as disproportionate as you think you are).

Categories