Mega-Calves!

[JenniRP70]

One things that I'm really irritated by when I dress as my favourite persona is the size of my calves!  At 5' 10" I have 18" calves that just don't look right, with 25" thighs 

I've read that endurance exercise is good to reduce them so I use a cycling machine on low-mid tension for anything between 30-60 mins.  I'm losing weight generally, but my legs just stay the same old tree-trunks 

Does anybody else have a similar issue they've managed to get a grip of and see some positive progress in reduction?

Jenni

[sparrow]

I'm not sure that cycling is such a good idea.  Cycling is why my legs are built like tree trunks.  Stretching and inactivity are the only plausible methods I've heard to reduce muscle bulk, that don't come with serious risk to your health (to wit, fasting or a "raw chicken diet").

That said... I got some skinny jeans the other day.  My wife got mad at me when she saw them this morning.  Jealous mad.  I wish I was flattered by the reaction, and not just hurt by the jealousy.    But anyway, you might try to see how tight of spandex jeans you can fit into.  They really do an extraordinary job of defining shape.  Caveat: I'll never pass and I don't try to, I just look like a dude who wandered into the wrong aisle.

[Dena]

If you are carrying extra weight, you might have a problem like I have. My gain point is my tummy and spare tire. It's the first place I put weight on and the last I take it off. I am working on getting my body back in shape but I have 10 pounds to go and I hope at least 5 of those pounds come off my tummy and spare tire. I don't have weight anywhere else where I can afford to lose it.

You may have put your first weight on in your legs and the rest of you body will have lose the extra weigh before you see much of a difference in you legs. I hope you get into shape.

[warlockmaker]

I have attended many seminars on exercises on the development and reduction of muscles to ensure a balanced muscular development to prevent muscular and skeletal injuries. Mega calves are beautiful to so many people and you can build them by low rep high with heavy weights or you may be overweight or you may just be lucky or unlucky to have the genes. The good news is that you can reduce your calves muscles by exercise and if overweight, by weight loss.

For exercise bicycling in a gym is excellent and the best is "spinning",  this is a high rpm cycling with little reistance which you should do for 30-60 minutes within your aerobic capabilities. Watch TV while you do it, or if you want fun there are so many spinning studios in Health Clubs that have a party atmosphere. Losing calf muscle is perhaps one of the hardest to lose but if you diligently apply yourself it will be successful.

Finally, just as a mention only, as I'm not in favor of this. In Korea they have a surgery that can reduce calf muscles and I have seen the excellent result.

[JenniRP70]

Thanks for the responses.

In response to Warlockmaker, I'm actually using a Cycling machine in a low-mid resistance and going for 30-60 mins every few days.  I'm not watching the TV as such, but playing Wii U/Xbox games as I go.  It's amazing how the time passes quickly without realising how much effort you've actually put in!  If I was otherwise distracted I'd be clock watching and groaning about only having done X number of minutes when it seems like XXX!  I guess time will tell if it'll reduce my calves and perhaps the weight needs to go elsewhere before my legs are next on the list!  I've lost about 5Kg since December, with a target weight requiring another 8Kg.  Although I can squeeze into a 16 (UK) I'm aiming for 70-75Kg as a weight to begin any transition.

[saraht123]

I've been trying to get my calves a bit bigger because I think it would look more proportionate on me. I've been doing quite a lot of cycling and walking and I maybe lost half an inch on my calves while gaining an inch or two on my thighs. Calves are now super lean ripped looking which is kind of cool but probably less feminine than when I started, so not really what I set out to achieve. I'm not on hrt yet so that might affect things.

The reason I wanted bigger calves is that many women I see tend to have relatively bigger calves than the men. I think having bigger calves is probably a more feminine trait.

[JenniRP70]

Oh the irony saraht123    We both want the opposite of what we're getting.

I'll have to try and get some pics so I can show just how massive they are in proportion.  Do people feel comfortable posting their calf sizes with height, as an experiment to see any trends?

As I said, I'm 5' 10" with calf size of 18" left/17" right.

[Dena]

For a good cause, I am 5'14" and 176 pounds as of today. People like my legs and both are about 15 inches.

Also, I hit the point where I am losing wast and tummy. I dropped about 4 pound and lost two inches off my wast.

[Cynobyte]

For a good cause, I am 5'14" and 176 pounds as of today. People like my legs and both are about 15 inches.

Also, I hit the point where I am losing wast and tummy. I dropped about 4 pound and lost two inches off my wast.

Is that a new way for those who don't want to admit they are over 6' tall?  I guess I'll admit I was once 5'13" 

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[Dena]

Is that a new way for those who don't want to admit they are over 6' tall?  I guess I'll admit I was once 5'13" 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

No respectable woman is 6 foot or taller The truth is I picked it up in reader digest before I transition and loved it so much I even gave it to the doctor who did my surgery and he wrote it in his records. If you haven't figured it out yet, I have a really twisted sense of humor.

[Ms Grace]

lol - in that case I'm 5'15"!! 

Sorry Jenny, no specific suggestions. Maybe stairs? They're meant to be good for toning calves. I go up and down the stairs at work instead of take the lift. I'm on the fourth floor so that's almost 100 steps.

[JenniRP70]

Loving the 5' >12" heights    There's nothing to be ashamed of as a lady over 6ft.  I quite often compare my height when I'm standing in queues for trains, just to see where I fit.  Pleasingly there are a lot of tall women, especially close to the 6' mark so I'm comfortable with my height......it's just my belly, calves, shoulders and face I need to sort out!  Hmm, Perhaps a body transplant might be a better option!