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

Jezebel9 · May 2012

You look hot in your photo. Pears are sexy... if that is your shape, please love yourself. My momma always told me not to get obsessed with being something I am not and cannot be. Losing fat weight, I can do. Change my body structure? No... I will never be tall and slim. I will be short and, at best- lean. Next time you are alone with your body, take a few minutes to look at it with fairness, compassion and love. Emotions are chemicals in your brain and those chemicals affect your cells- your whole body... so love. Love your body. Peace~

sweetheart03622 · May 2012

So, let me get this straight - men bust their *kitten* for 4-6 months (or more) at a time to gain half an inch of muscle, yet you did it in 6 weeks? You should be a personal trainer. I've never seen honest muscle gain like that.

jlbuhrow · May 2012

I am also pear shaped and totally understand where you are coming from with the squats/lunges making you larger. I have gone through the same thing, but they do work very well at helping your leg definition. I would recommend doing pilates with a focus on your buns and thighs. This will help to tone while lengthening the muscle. I can't say for sure whether or not this will decrease the actual inches, but it does help to make them appear long and lean.

maab_connor · May 2012

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???

most of us here want to end up FIT not "really thin". muscle is a GOOD thing. it reduces risk of osteoperosis/osteoarthritis, helps posture, increases metabolism, burns fat just sitting there, and -last but NOT least - is SEXXY!

lov has accomplished a LOT and she looks FANTASTIC. you should be asking her how to do it . :flowerforyou:

volleypc · May 2012

Run.. Focus on distance, not sprints. You don't see many runners with big legs.

therealangd · May 2012

You can't spot reduce. If you've been reading information from MFP you should know this. If you are actually reading information on MFP that says that you can make your thighs smaller by doing squats and lunges, then you need to stop reading from those sources. They are WRONG.

If you are going to do exercises that build the muscle, then they are going to get bigger.

If you want your thighs to get smaller, then you need to eat at a calorie deficit and wait for genetics to reduce the fat there.

I am genuinely sorry that you took bad advice.

TrinaCH · May 2012

I find I always gain inches in my thighs before they start slimming down...KEEP GOING!!

Gilbrod · May 2012

Maybe I don't know anything....but you don't look pear shaped to me OP. More like Hour Glass figure. Anyway, good luck in whatever you do.

mistylovesmusic · May 2012

I got a personal trainer with intentions of losing 35 pounds and toning up. My thighs clapped as I walked prior to going to him. I have lost 8 pounds in the 11 weeks I've been going to him. I was very discouraged because I'm losing less than a pound per week. I have thick legs so I worried that they would get bigger. In the beginning, I noticed they weren't doing much of anything in a positive direction. Now, I can actually see space between them when standing. You can't tone up overnight. We didn't get this way overnight so we certainly aren't going to see changes overnight. Give it time, drink lots of water and keep up the good work. You will eventually see the results you are looking for!

jadedone · May 2012

Do body weight ones or lower weights. You are probably one of those women that gains muscle easily. This should keep you from adding size to your muscles.

Jfeulner151 · May 2012

I don't know how long you've been working at this,
But what's probably happening is you're gaining more muscle than you're losing fat.

I'd suggest cutting back a little on the lunges and squats, do some extra cardio to burn fat,
And make sure your diet is really good.

Also, in the long run that extra muscle will help you burn fat.

Hope this helps!

J3NZ0R · May 2012

You might have gained an inch, but how much better do your legs and bum look? Honestly. I'm guessing they look great, tigher jeans and all.

I, too, am a pear, and I'm all about squats and lunges. Personally, I'd take rock-hard quads and a high, round bum over a flat, saggy behind and pencil legs any day of the week.

If it's SKINNY legs you're after, then no, squats and lunges probably aren't your friend. If it's FIT legs you're after, keep at it! It all depends on what kind of aesthetic you're after. I just know that if I don't work my legs, I get serious skinny-fat going on.

Brittonloves · May 2012

Yesterday I had my first weigh in with measurements since starting with a trainer a month ago (and therefore doing strength training for the first time EVER as opposed to just cardio). I didn't take a copy of my results with me, but I gained in my thighs (I think almost an inch) and half an inch in my waist. HOWEVER, my BF% went down by 3%, and I lost 7 inches elsewhere (hips, calves, arms, bust).
Here's the thing-- I'm not letting those measurements freak me out... yet. The progress I made elsewhere shows me that I'm moving in the right direction, and I'm going to keep trusting the process. Now, if I continue to gain in my waist-- I'll probably pause and I consider if I'm on the right track. But for now, just breathe. By working out at all you're moving in the right direction-- don't turn around because you're at a yellow light.

DixiedoesMFP · May 2012

3 months of HEAVY lifting (145 Squats, 165 deadlifts, 125 barbell lunges) and mine are only getting smaller and less jiggly. Hmmmm. Maybe you should give it a little more time.

secretgirl4611 · May 2012

Um, duh yea they make ur legs bigger from muscle gain and your butt more firm.. I thought everyone knew that.. I do them for that reason for sure.. I like having bigger thighs and a firm butt

for you I would say STICK TO CARDIO if your looking to lose your inches and not gain them from muscle.. MAYBE not do ne workouts for muscle STICK TO CARDIO!!

tobafa · May 2012

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.

THIS...^

iron_jj · May 2012

I'm pear shaped. All my unloved fat is in my thighs/butt. After 5months of lifting I'm finally seeing a progress in my legs. Don't give up!

ZugTheMegasaurus · May 2012

While six weeks *seems* like a long time, you have to remember that we humans have bodies capable of living 80-100 years. Six weeks is next to nothing in the context of your lifespan. Your body doesn't know that you want thinner thighs and that you want them NOW; it works on its own timeline. Six weeks is simply not enough time to see the results you want; you have to work with your body, not against it.

skinnyl0l · May 2012

squats and lunges bulk up your legs... ;/ try pilates instead, and running - a looot of running!

HikeRunLift · May 2012

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???

For whats its worth.. your hips are bangin

DixiedoesMFP · May 2012

Can someone better at this than me make my pictures not so HUGE? Thanks!

reneegee23 · May 2012

Who are all these ppl saying stick to cardio (WITHOUT IRONY)???? lolz.

odusgolp · May 2012

And it's only one inch. Just one. Relax.

I say this allll the time.

I love you more and more every day.

heylatimer · May 2012

Uggghhh. I have been squatting for 4 months and am up to 225lb squats and I have not gained 1mm of size on my legs - and I am a male. I am dumping protein and food down my gullet hoping to gain some muscle... Nothing. Then OP strolls in here after lifting for a month and a half and she gains an inch of bulk.... By accident!!!

jenniejengin · May 2012

bump for later

GoldenGirl1979 · May 2012

i'm a pear... & my thighs are ginormous!! but i still do squats & lunges b/c i figure if they're gonna be big, they may as well be toned

good luck to you

medaglia_06 · May 2012

So- guess what - I have been doing lunges and running for about six weeks now. I have gained some measurement there too, but it is temporary. I have been here before. I will keep on and will lose the inches and have wonderful looking legs in the long run. I have been doing curls for about 6 weeks too - guess what ? Arm measurements are up too. They will go down. Sometimes there is a not so pretty time while working towards your goal. It doesn't mean things aren't working.

So kind of like when I clean, I pull everything off the shelves to wipe them down. Essentially making more of a mess before I can get it spotless? Sorry for the metaphor... it's how my brain likes to assess things.

I think this makes sense. I would try sticking with it longer. I know it sucks because we all want to see results right away, but unfortunately it just doesn't work that way :grumble:

ninerbuff · May 2012

I don't know how long you've been working at this,
But what's probably happening is you're gaining more muscle than you're losing fat.

Practically impossible to do on a calorie deficit and such a short time.

I'd suggest cutting back a little on the lunges and squats, do some extra cardio to burn fat,
And make sure your diet is really good.

Also, in the long run that extra muscle will help you burn fat.

Hope this helps!

Cardio burns CALORIES. You can't pick a cardio workout and have it automatically burn fat. Glycogen is the first to burn regardless if it's lifting or cardio.
But nutrition and diet are important.

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

insatiable_need · May 2012

I think all women should have strong thighs and child-rearing hips, but that's me. Did you measure the day after going to the gym? If so, wait a couple days after resting and check it again. They call that 'the pump'. It goes away.

You are my hero! I have both and I love them. I'm still working on getting rid of the extra fat that is covering my nice muscles. It is a process.

I would agree with the people that say keep it up. I am pear shaped and I am actually thinking of adding lunges and squats to my routine. I just have to modify them for my knees, first.

vim_n_vigor · May 2012

So- guess what - I have been doing lunges and running for about six weeks now. I have gained some measurement there too, but it is temporary. I have been here before. I will keep on and will lose the inches and have wonderful looking legs in the long run. I have been doing curls for about 6 weeks too - guess what ? Arm measurements are up too. They will go down. Sometimes there is a not so pretty time while working towards your goal. It doesn't mean things aren't working.

So kind of like when I clean, I pull everything off the shelves to wipe them down. Essentially making more of a mess before I can get it spotless? Sorry for the metaphor... it's how my brain likes to assess things.

I think this makes sense. I would try sticking with it longer. I know it sucks because we all want to see results right away, but unfortunately it just doesn't work that way :grumble:

I like that metaphor!

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

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