My calves are huge! How do I fix them?

[ToujoursPur]

I hope I'm posting in the right place, apologies if this should be elsewhere.

What could I do to slim down/tone up my calves? I'm not overweight so not looking to lose weight as such but really need to do something about my legs!

I don't wear heels and I walk a lot, could this be why my calves are so big? Would cycling help? Tia xxx

You can't lose weight specifically from one area. Sorry. It doesn't work.

I have massive calves and thighs too (compared to the rest of me).

Some people carry weight on their belies, some on their boobs, some on their hips, and some of us apparently carry our excess weight on our legs. At least it's healthier than having it around our organs.

I don't think you can spot reduce unfortunately, the only way would be to lose some weight all over (I tell myself this is why I can only wear stretchy knee boots and that if I lose 4 stone I'll fit normal leather non stretchy ones)

I reckon cycling will develop muscles even more from what I see driving behind keen cyclists in shorts whose calves look like they are made of iron (fans self, goes for lie down!)

Sorry!

Me too! I have thunder thighs aswell
Will be nice to see if we can lure in a calf expert to tell us where we are going wrong!

I have magnificent calves. The only time they reduced in size significantly was when I was in hospital for six weeks and unable to get out of bed. The muscles wasted and my calves were much slimmer. As soon as I started walking again my calves returned to their normal size.

If I lose weight and get smaller calves (still larger than most) my boobs disappear. :(

I have huge calf muscles. Doesn't matter what size I am - thin or fat still enormous calves- they are bigger than my thighs. I do a lot of cycling so at least they are muscle not fat and I'm short so it is not attractive. Nothing I can do really except wear trousers.

If it's muscle not fat, there's not much you can do about it, other than stop walking and let the muscle waste away - not recommended.

It's your genes. Some of us are never going to have long, thin legs no matter what we do (and no matter what magazines and gyms promise).

I only even noticed because after years of living in bootcut jeans I decided to buy a pair of skinny ones... only to find that every single pair in the world is too tight around my calves (to the point that dh has to pull them off me with quite some force! Sexy it is not!)

I'm going to start cycling more - at least more of them were muscle there would be less wobbling!

Lose weight all over. Or gain upper body muscle mass and lose body fat.

Exercise, like running and cycling will only make them bigger.

i have massive calves - I've just learned to live with them (& when I say massive I mean 16.5 inches).
re exercise do not do exercise which make them bigger - things that involve standing on the balls of your feet.

Yes, lilymaid, me too. Disabled for a year, and they shrank to real elegance, but I'm glad to be on my feet even if my legs have gone back to hockey-girl size.

If you have big calves and your lean I'm sure that's just genetics or am i wrong?

I naturally have big calves and thighs (for my size). The only thing that has ever helped is long distance running (by which I mean regular runs of up to 20 miles) to keep my body fat levels low.

Ha. Skinny jeans?

I once tried a pair on. Bootcut from the same brand I wear a size 10. Skinny - I couldn't get the thigh part over my calves.

It's a much healthier place to store fat than around my organs

Why do you worry about big calves? They are the sexiest muscles on your legs because they can be seen all the time. You might have magnificent quads, but the dresses usually cove that area. Calves are the source of much delight by the people behind you ascending the stairs, for example. Constantly flexing the calves as you go up the stairs must show the people behind you how much effort you have put into you gym workouts.

Roger.