longlegzs80 Posted January 27, 2004 Posted January 27, 2004 I been going to the gym since September 2003, and I have noticed good results, well I should say results. Anyways, I am having a problem with my legs and calves. I do the same excersizes everyother day or whenever I go to the gym, and I do have alittle definition in my legs, but they are not slendering down at all. My legz and calves are muscular but they are not very defined, or look like they are slendering down, so my main concern is what can I do to slenderize my legs and calves so I don't have that nice tree trunk effect?
Author longlegzs80 Posted January 27, 2004 Author Posted January 27, 2004 Where is RYAN? I know it has been ages see I have seen him post. Hummmmm. Anyways, can someone help me or are my legs pretty much shot to hell and there is just no hope.
cdn Posted January 27, 2004 Posted January 27, 2004 Ryan left about a month ago. Maybe more. Tell me what you are doing (weights, reps, sets, movements) and your current weight & height. I will try to help.
Arabess Posted January 27, 2004 Posted January 27, 2004 GOOD DEAL! cdn knows alot about this stuff and will be able to help you. I DO think people have a certain body shapes though and can only work within the realm of the shape they have. Like, I basically have a flat butt.....I could exercise till the cows came home and not change it. .........I also have boobs which will never be real perky again....but that's another link.....HAHA!
wideawake Posted January 27, 2004 Posted January 27, 2004 For the most part definition is usually determined by your body fat percentage, and how your genetics determine your body fat distribution (i.e., woman hold bf in hips, glutes, etc.. men in abdominal and lower back.) Sometimes woman will also hold more subq body fat in their legs as well as thier thighs. If you're happy with your overall body fat level, you may find it difficult to get more definition in just your legs. For the most part, spot reduction of body fat levels in any one body part, but not effecting the body as a whole, is pretty much bunk. I would say your best bet for the goal of more definition would be to cut your overall body fat percentage down via diet and exercise.
Author longlegzs80 Posted January 31, 2004 Author Posted January 31, 2004 I know I have to do something about this little problem that I have. Now, I am not fat by any means, it is just there has been alittle weight loss, and muscle, but the muscle is not defined. So, here it is. I am 5'10", and at the gym when I weight myself with sneakers on I am 163. So, you figure with sneakers off, I am roughly I would say 157, maybe alittle thinner. Not sure. I just feel like I have a dumpy figure and with my mom always on my case about my figure and going to the gym, it has just make me into a crazy freak because I feel like I need to loose weight. And the thing is I am not fat, but I think she wishes my body would look like it did when I used to have a nice body. But, things have filled out. So, please help me out here. I don't know what to do. I would say I am comfortable with my body, but do want to work on the definition part. So, what would you recommend I do?
Samson Posted January 31, 2004 Posted January 31, 2004 Hiya Legz, most of what you've said sounds very typical, to me at least, except: my mom always on my case about my figure and going to the gym, it has just make me into a crazy freak because I feel like I need to loose weight. And the thing is I am not fat, but I think she wishes my body would look like it did when I used to have a nice body. I'm just wondering: Do many women feel pressured from their mothers to loose weight? I really don't know, but you sound healthy enough without your mother's "input." Is she ready to go to the gym to workout with you?
Author longlegzs80 Posted January 31, 2004 Author Posted January 31, 2004 My mom won't go to the gym. She thinks it would be boring, and too she has her own ways as far as her walking in the park that she loves. But, I think that parents or some parents I should say add the pressure to their kids to loose weight.
stranger Posted January 31, 2004 Posted January 31, 2004 Originally posted by longlegzs80 So, here it is. I am 5'10", and at the gym when I weight myself with sneakers on I am 163. So, you figure with sneakers off, I am roughly I would say 157, maybe alittle thinner. Not sure. Six-pound sneakers? Wow!
Gym Junkie Posted January 31, 2004 Posted January 31, 2004 Hi LL. I have been reading your posts for awhile and must say I sympathise with your situation. Although we have very different body shapes (I am 5'1'' and 107), I remember when I first started going to the gym and the dissapointment of plateuing on my weight loss/shape up goals. Wideawake is right... if you want to start 'defining' your leg muscles, there is no way around it - you MUST lower your body fat levels. This means going on a diet, or changing your eating habits so that you start consuming less than you are expending throughout the day. No amount of squats or leg presses will give you shapely legs unless you start getting rid of the fat that is hiding those lovely lean muscles. The key is patience... I lost weight dramatically after my first couple of months at the gym. Then I stabilised for a few months after that, and had to learn to mix things up and push myself harder to continue to see results. I also learnt that I would never get Madonna arms by pushing myself with the weights then pigging out on cake after my workout. Hmm! The main reason I write, however, is in response to your comments about your mum's attitude to your weight. My mum is naturally very thin, and she has always associated fat with laziness. When I turned 21 and started to get a bit of meat on my hips, she turned very critical and was sometimes even cruel in her comments, although I was not overweight my any means. This was psychologically damaging and I went through a period of bulimia and excessive exercising in the hope of gaining her approval. But I remember even when I did shed the puppy fat, I reached for a chip at dinner one night and she made a comment about me 'stacking on the pounds' again in front of the whole family. It was shattering. I've since learnt that she never meant to be 'mean', she just didn't understand that being thin didn't come naturally to everyone. She didn't realise the effect she was having on me - driving me into a very unhealthy attitude towards food and exercise. I don't think she will completely understand that being thin isn't a measure of life success, but it's something I can't continue to take personally. LL, you have to want to lose this weight for YOURSELF. I'm sure your mum would rather you be the weight you are now and happy, then a few pounds lighter and with serious self esteem issues. Explain to your mum that you are trying your hardest to maintain a healthy weight (and that you are, indeed, at a healthy weight now), and that her side comments are having a negative effect on your fitness goals. Most parents don't respond well to such criticism though, so maybe you just have to learn to ignore your mother's remarks and know that you are a balanced individual and look great, defined legs or not!
Author longlegzs80 Posted February 3, 2004 Author Posted February 3, 2004 THanks everyone for responding. Anywho, I would say I go to the gym roughly 3 to 4 times a week, and no matter what I do, my mother is not happy. She told me she doesn't want me to just give up on myself as far as my eatting habbits go and gaining some weight. Now, to be honest, I like my weight. I don't want to loose weight, and I know it can do some tremendous work to getting myself lean, but I don't want to do that. I accept my body, stretchmarks and all. Too, I find I don't eat good. I lots of times don't have time to eat breakfast in the morning so I end up going to work and sperging there. Which is bad, but I need some kind of energy. I find I don't eat veggies, very much fruit, not much meat, so I don't eat much overall. I find cooking for one person to be not worth it. But I guess I have to start. ANywho, I want to learn how to eat better. What kinds of foods should I be putting in my body for overall energy and goodness? I need to focus on myself which I am doing. My mother who is not skinny but lost weight doing her thing thinks that she can say comments to make me keep going to the gym. But the reason why I go is because of myself and wanting to do it for myself. I don't expect my mom to be a positive role model in my life because she never was, but I am taking the initiative to do stuff for myself to get myself on a better track. Thanks again for everyones help.
bellatina Posted February 3, 2004 Posted February 3, 2004 I have had similar problems with my mother. If it's not my weight, is my hair, or the way I decorate my house, or my career choices, or my tatoo. She will always find something to say about what I choose to do. What I have learn is that she will never be happy with anything I do because she isn't happy with her own life. I have learn to accept that. I can't make anyone one else happy. But I can make myself happy. As long as I am happy with my life others comments really don't matter. People who are very critical of others are usually unsatisfied with their life. Happy people are open minded and respecful.
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