Exercise for slimmer legs?

[DingbatsFur]

Hi,
Any advice on exercise for slimmer legs? I'm a firmly built woman, size 12-14 and strong and muscular due to running after two small boys. I find as I've hit forty that my ability to chase them has declined and I feel heavy so I know I have to do something.
My calves are really big though, would running make them less so? Or is there something I can twin it with to help make my legs slimmer? I eat well, but probably too many carbs.
Thanks!

[KeyserSophie]

Um no- if anything running will give you bigger calves. That said, no exercise will really make your legs slimmer. The only way to do that is lose fat or waste off muscle (not that I'm recommended encouraging muscle waste as it would look bad but it is an option ).

Running will tone your legs so they have a better appearance. Weightlifting (squats, lunges, deadlifts, Kettlebell swings etc) would build muscle and give your legs a toned, shapely appearance even if they're "chunky" (mine are, but I get a lot of compliments as they have good definition despite my slightly creepy knees through a combination of trail running and Crossfit style strength training.

You could also do calf stretches (warm up first) to lengthen the calf muscles. This can make them appear less bulky.

[MrsMook]

I'm naturally a pear shape and find that very little changes the size of my legs. However tone from exercise does improve their shape. Running has been good for tone and strength without increasing volume.

The only time my legs looked thinner than usual was when my water retention had gone after DC1, and the muscles in my legs had wasted due to being stuck in the house with SPD. I don't recommend that method! It also only took a few weeks of building up the movement for them to return to their usual size.

[Rinceoir]

Calf size is mostly genetic I'm afraid. I have muscular calves as does my father. When I had a bmi of 19, I still couldn't get standard sized boots to fit. In my case they look even larger due to having small feet and very skinny ankles. I've learned to make my peace with it!

[curren]

I always hated my calfs, when I was a runner.

I have been doing weight lifting for the last three years and enjoyed it but hated how huge my quads got. I don't have to do that much to to get massive quads.

I do full body weight regime once a week, kick box and do boxercise which includes lots of body weight exercises.

I am still as strong and can do stuff I couldn't do when I just lifted weights. But my legs are noticeably slimmer, including my calfs.

However they aren't ever going to by really slim. They just fit my proportions better.

Losing fat will make them smaller, but some people just have bigger calfs naturally so them may never get as small as you want.

[fourage]

We all carry fat on different places. Op do your legs get bigger if you put on weight?

[DingbatsFur]

Thanks for all the advice folks!
Excess weight tends to go to my thighs more than anything else but those are a reasonably nice shape though chunky.
I think looking at these posts that the best I can really hope for is to tone the muscles I have.
Running and maybe boxercise?