getting bulky legs

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iluvgymnastics

New member
I've been running quite a bit to try to lose about 10 pounds. I've lost maybe 3 or 4, but my legs have gotten a lot bigger. They are slightly more muscular, but still definitely not toned or anything close. How do I keep them from getting bigger. It hasn't really had any effect on the rest of my body either. I still need to do more resistance training, I know, but I don't want to stop running. What do I do?
 
Running for any long distance is catabolic to your leg muscles, meaning that it should break down and destroy excess musculature of your legs. However, if you come from a position of having very little leg muscle, like from being sedentary, you are still going to gain muscle as your body responds and adapts to the new stimulus.

As your body begins to respond and adapt this type of muscle growth from running will slow down. Unfortunately the size you gained will have to be offset by fat loss on your thighs and to a lesser extent your quads over time. I know it seems like a bit of a catch-22 at the start.

Michael
 
So basically, just keep going and I'll see the results I want eventually? This will give me better definition as well? The fat will go away?
 
Unfortunately running by itself will not help you lose the fat. You have to burn more calories than you bring in to see fat loss (in general).

For example, if you increased your caloric intake when you started running, the fat is not going to go away. Running is a great start. Your diet is extremely important though.

If you run for long distances, your legs should also stop getting bigger from muscle. And since I dont know you, there is a chance that your increased leg size is from an increase in fat (like for example, have you started fueling your workouts with huge pasta binges?). While great for athletic performance, it doesnt help fat loss.

Michael
 
Only by looking at them do I know my legs have gotten bigger. I don't have a measuring tape, but is that the way I should keep track? What stats do you want? I am 24, 5 foot almost 6 inches, weigh 145 pounds. Anything else?
 
Let me let you in on a little secret :). Life's not perfect and neither are our bodies. There's often no choice but to make the best of our situations and work with what we've got rather than wishing for something unrealistic that "aint gonna happen".

Here's an example. I'm short, 5'1.5", and very curvy. Always have been, never was one of this thin types without an ass, some hips, thick legs. Some people are more stocky and put on muscle easier and other body types are thin and small muscles even when toned. I'm the former. So I realized about 14 years ago when I first starting working out in gyms that the only way I would be able to maintain a sexy looking body and still be able to eat even partially the amount of food I not only need, but WANT (like most of us on here, I like to eat and I get hungry a lot as well), is to build up my muscles and consequently speed up my metabolism to burn more calories.

My choice was either to be flabby and over time it would become impossible to manage my weight and control the natural weight gain people have when they dont make a specific effort, or be more bulky/muscular yet curvy (I'm not talking body builder type as for that you need to be really lean, work out for hours and hours, and often be on steroids). The thin thing just wasn't ever going to happen with my appetite; maybe for a short period of time while I stick out some austere diet but definitely not in the long term. So I really only had two choices: (a) curvy but muscular and toned or (b) curvy and fat.

Sometimes I'd rather not have these bulky muscular legs, but the leg muscles burn an awful lot of calories because they're huge and when you work the larger muscle groups you also burn more calories. So if the result of burning more calories so I can afford to eat more and not gain is larger leg muscles, I'd roll with it. Be happy or at least come to terms with how you're made rather than trying to be something that may not work.

P.S. You sound really small already though so I would be even less inclined to worry about it.
 
iluvgymnastics said:
Only by looking at them do I know my legs have gotten bigger. I don't have a measuring tape, but is that the way I should keep track? What stats do you want? I am 24, 5 foot almost 6 inches, weigh 145 pounds. Anything else?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't go by look.

Get yourself a tape measure and keep track. Many people confuse becoming leaner with getting bigger. As you lose fat, muscles become more pronounced/exposed. This doesn't mean that they're getting bigger.

If you aren't doing any serious lifting and you haven't been completely sedentary, I highly doubt your legs are getting bigger from simply running.
 
embrace muscle for it burns fat. yeah your legs will bulk if you've never run before. but when the fat sheds oh my strong legs are the shit! skinny chicken legs are nasty why would anyone want those.
 
BIG_CHEESE said:
embrace muscle for it burns fat. yeah your legs will bulk if you've never run before. but when the fat sheds oh my strong legs are the shit! skinny chicken legs are nasty why would anyone want those.
Click to expand...
I have a muscular build so even when I'm very skinny (for me) I have definite calves.....very defined muscles in my legs. Well....my legs have always gotten compliments. I was once stopped by a flight steward who told me I had the finest legs he had seen since Angie Dickinson (who carrried a million dollar policy on her legs).

Muscular legs are sexy.

Now I just need to lose the fat that is hiding the muscle definition in my legs.

:)
 
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