PISSED. Squats & lunges made me bigger.. wtf!!

AmandasJourney2012
AmandasJourney2012 Posts: 50
edited October 17 in Fitness and Exercise
Feeling on the downside today. I've started to do squats & lunges as reading tips from some MFP members being pear shaped or well carrying most fat on thighs/hips.... and with also eating healthy it has only made them BIGGER. i'm not even overexaggerating, I gained an INCH. an INCH!!! Yes they have more muscle but I was aiming to slim them down / lose inches.

What works for some of you doesn't work for EVERYONE.
I just want to give up. My jeans feel super tight on that area and a girl in the gym who is pear shaped that i've seen have great success told me she stopped doing squats/lunges due to the fact that pear shapes don't always have the best success in that area, so she does alot of cardio and HIIT..

NOW.. to anyone who REALLY has some success stories in that area.. what SERIOUSLY has helped you???
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Replies

  • HealthyThinFit2012
    HealthyThinFit2012 Posts: 32
    wow, i thought I was the only oneee!! same here.. i am also pear shaped!
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    how long have you been doing them? it might be stored water for repair
  • AmandasJourney2012
    AmandasJourney2012 Posts: 50
    how long have you been doing them? it might be stored water for repair

    I doubt this.

    I've been doing squats & lunges for about over a month and a half... along with running on the treadmill. I do not eat anything "processed" either.. I eat healthy and cut out bread, pasta, junk food, sweets, all the bad stuff.
  • MissLaurenR88
    MissLaurenR88 Posts: 36
    this makes me want to stop the lunges & squats.. definitely carry most of my fat on my thighs as well.. is there any hope? :cry:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    It happens, but if you continue (since weight loss isn't just a month and a half ordeal), they will slim down. You can't base it being non effective since you've only done it a short time.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    how long have you been doing them? it might be stored water for repair

    I doubt this.

    I've been doing squats & lunges for about over a month and a half... along with running on the treadmill. I do not eat anything "processed" either.. I eat healthy and cut out bread, pasta, junk food, sweets, all the bad stuff.

    You gained an inch of muscle in a month? Impressive.

    And what does it matter if you don't eat anything processed you can still put on weight eating so called clean foods

    Oh and body somatypes are pseudoscientific nonsense people use as an excuse imo
  • gseburn
    gseburn Posts: 456 Member
    What is wrong with strong muscled thighs? If you are still carrying bodyfat, then overtime, as you reduce that, it should come off your thighs too. Nothing wrong with shaply legs though.
  • mrsdizzyd84
    mrsdizzyd84 Posts: 422 Member
    You still have to work on bringing down your body fat %. It's not a one or the other sort of deal.
  • MotorCityFemmeFatale
    MotorCityFemmeFatale Posts: 222 Member
    It happens, but if you continue (since weight loss isn't just a month and a half ordeal), they will slim down. You can't base it being non effective since you've only done it a short time.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition


    this
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
    All my weight is on my hips and thighs. I've been doing squats and lunges for about 10 days now. My thighs are actually starting to look damn sexy.

    Maybe it's based on the individual, and not their fruit shape.
  • ruststar
    ruststar Posts: 489 Member
    1 inch? Relax - I fluctuate an inch in my thighs and calves whenever I'm retaining water. As your body fat percentage gets lower this will be less noticeable. It sounds like you are what the guys call "swole" - it will go away.
  • Shfiftyfive
    Shfiftyfive Posts: 261
    LIEK OH EM GEE AN INCH?!?!?!

    Stop having unrealistic expectations. I doubt anyone is going to see 1" of a difference.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Feeling on the downside today. I've started to do squats & lunges as reading tips from some MFP members being pear shaped or well carrying most fat on thighs/hips.... and with also eating healthy it has only made them BIGGER. i'm not even overexaggerating, I gained an INCH. an INCH!!! Yes they have more muscle but I was aiming to slim them down / lose inches.

    What works for some of you doesn't work for EVERYONE.
    I just want to give up. My jeans feel super tight on that area and a girl in the gym who is pear shaped that i've seen have great success told me she stopped doing squats/lunges due to the fact that pear shapes don't always have the best success in that area, so she does alot of cardio and HIIT..

    NOW.. to anyone who REALLY has some success stories in that area.. what SERIOUSLY has helped you???

    Water.

    It happens when you start incorporating a weight resistance training program. It will pass. Relax.
  • Shfiftyfive
    Shfiftyfive Posts: 261
    Btw, what weight are you squatting/lunging?
  • ThatLadyBecky
    ThatLadyBecky Posts: 16
    I don't think you guys are helping the situation here..

    for gods sake, it CAN happen!

    <~~ Pear shaped here too, been on this weight loss journey since February to lose 15 lbs and squats & lunges have definitely NOT helped with trying to lose inches/fat off my thighs.. I KNOW YOU CANNOT SPOT REDUCE but all i'm saying is that it definitely made them bigger for me too!

    and with trying to lose fat, I also incorporate running.. and hiit on the elliptical and started lifting weights with eating healthy. still no progress in that area.
  • kellyyjean
    kellyyjean Posts: 499 Member
    Feeling on the downside today. I've started to do squats & lunges as reading tips from some MFP members being pear shaped or well carrying most fat on thighs/hips.... and with also eating healthy it has only made them BIGGER. i'm not even overexaggerating, I gained an INCH. an INCH!!! Yes they have more muscle but I was aiming to slim them down / lose inches.

    What works for some of you doesn't work for EVERYONE.
    I just want to give up. My jeans feel super tight on that area and a girl in the gym who is pear shaped that i've seen have great success told me she stopped doing squats/lunges due to the fact that pear shapes don't always have the best success in that area, so she does alot of cardio and HIIT..

    NOW.. to anyone who REALLY has some success stories in that area.. what SERIOUSLY has helped you???

    I'd keep doing them. You look gorgeous.
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
    Water retention, most likely. Maybe you measured in a slightly different spot.

    And it's only one inch. Just one. Relax.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    You still have to work on bringing down your body fat %. It's not a one or the other sort of deal.

    This.

    Strengthening/building muscle isn't going to slim down anything. Over time, a greater amount of muscle will help you burn more calories in everything you do, but they're not a means to fat loss exactly.

    You need to do cardio/fat burning in order to lose the fat over top of the muscles. Otherwise, yeah... wherever you put on muscle will get bigger unless you're losing the fat along with adding muscle.
  • ThatLadyBecky
    ThatLadyBecky Posts: 16
    BTW, since incorporating squats, lunges/side lunges.. I gained 2 inches off my thighs and my thighs were at 21" to begin with.. I have a 24" waist with 37" hips... now my thighs are at 23"

    some of u must not know how it feels.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    An inch?

    How much were you squatting?


    Squats made me look better, and made me stronger. I'll take it.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    And it's only one inch. Just one. Relax.

    I say this allll the time.
  • mdmchoco
    mdmchoco Posts: 15 Member
    Have you seen my profile pic?

    I am a pear too and carry my weight in my hips and thighs. I would love some good exercises for slimming that area too. My waist has always been proportionally much smaller which makes it hard to buy jeans/trousers.
  • Shfiftyfive
    Shfiftyfive Posts: 261
    Have you seen my profile pic?

    I am a pear too and carry my weight in my hips and thighs. I would love some good exercises for slimming that area too. My waist has always been proportionally much smaller which makes it hard to buy jeans/trousers.

    You're one sexy pear.
  • _AylaMarie
    _AylaMarie Posts: 2
    oh cmon, is there anyone who seriously has had success in that area without trying to say "relax, just an inch" how about you relax and actually say something HELPFUL?
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    You should sell your recipe to bodybuilders everywhere, you would be millionaire.


    It is temporary
  • StarvingDiva
    StarvingDiva Posts: 1,107 Member
    What is wrong with strong muscled thighs? If you are still carrying bodyfat, then overtime, as you reduce that, it should come off your thighs too. Nothing wrong with shaply legs though.

    THIS ^^

    I've been lifting weights and my arms have grown, I'm not sweating it, I know it's a positive.
  • LovelyLifter
    LovelyLifter Posts: 560 Member
    Im not a pear....honestly Im not sure how youd describe my shape but ive gained an inch in both my thighs and its muscle and its sexy and im damn proud of my legs so my question is exactly what are you complaining about.....you don't like muscle???
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    I don't think you guys are helping the situation here..

    for gods sake, it CAN happen!

    <~~ Pear shaped here too, been on this weight loss journey since February to lose 15 lbs and squats & lunges have definitely NOT helped with trying to lose inches/fat off my thighs.. I KNOW YOU CANNOT SPOT REDUCE but all i'm saying is that it definitely made them bigger for me too!

    and with trying to lose fat, I also incorporate running.. and hiit on the elliptical and started lifting weights with eating healthy. still no progress in that area.
    EVERY area of the body when trained will expand a little. Some areas more than others. Let me say that I have trained many a pear shaped female and it took a good 6 months of CONSISTENT hard training (with squats, lunges, leg curls, stiff legged dead lifts, etc.) for them so start realizing that their legs were starting to respond and reducing in size. Patience and discipline is what it takes.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Shfiftyfive
    Shfiftyfive Posts: 261
    oh cmon, is there anyone who seriously has had success in that area without trying to say "relax, just an inch" how about you relax and actually say something HELPFUL?

    There IS nothing to fix it. It can be water retention for a decent amount of time. But go ahead. Quit. But don't keep telling people you're doing it for your health because as far as exercise goes, weight training has one of the highest effects on reducing rates of osteoperosis.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    oh cmon, is there anyone who seriously has had success in that area without trying to say "relax, just an inch" how about you relax and actually say something HELPFUL?

    Keep squatting. Eat at a deficit.
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