How on earth do I tone my legs up

[HelsBell25]

I have been steadily getting back into exercise and losing weight after a pretty fallow year - illness, broken bones, crazy work schedule. I didn't put on loads just over a 1.6 stone I've just got a few pond to go.

I have been doing what I used to do - 5-6k twice a week, plus a short 2.5/3 km, pilates session now on the reformer since Christmas, plus two HIIT and or calisthenics exercise sessions - the calisthenics with plenty of bum and thigh isolation.

My arms and stomach look amazing, legs less so. Still full of cellulite it's even below my knees - almost on my shins, bum still saggy AF. Calves just looks chunky.

My legs were never amazing but I kept the above routine up for a few years prior to '24 and within 6 months they looked great. They seemed to have given up the ghost. I am not skinny willowy even at a size 6 so I am loathed to start doing lots of blocky leg exercises.

What do I do??

Weights

Yep

As in what weights / how. I am just worried they'll start to look chunky with too much weights.

Unless you are starting a cycle of steroids and deadlifting 200kg you are not going to get bulky. I would recommend compound movements as it’s the most bang for your buck in terms of progress. So deadlifts, lunges and squats are great. Also glute bridges and sleds also great. The heavier you lift, the more your muscles mass increase, your fat decreases and your calorie needs go up as maintaining lean muscle mass requires more calories.

Cellulite is mostly genetic though, women tend to have it as the collagen matrix in our skin is actually a different shape to mens allowing tissues structures underneath it to bulge through and appear as lumps and dimples. Also as we age your estrogen levels decline and this means the skin starts to sag etc.

Sounds like you are very fit and healthy with a good routine, don’t be so hard on yourself you are doing an excellent job.

Cycling will sort a lot of that out. Build up to 20/30 miles a couple of times a week with a couple of shorter 10 mile rides.

Squats with weights.

Have you ruled out lipedema?

Weights