I want to lose muscle

[skinnyme]

I want to lose muscle. Yes, I know a lot of you guys are shaking your head, like "what is this girl thinking? / what is she on!", but hear me out...

... my quads are really thick. Like they're really muscular because I walk everywhere etc etc etc, but they're so THICK! They look disproportioned to my body because they're that way, and I... well, want to get rid of some of the muscle tone there, so they'll be slimmer and more attractive. Is there anyway for me to thin out my quads? Any stretching exercises, etc, for example? Or am I going to be just stuck with thick quads forever?

Thanks in advance for your input!!

 

[*MissFit*]

What is your current routine
and what are your current stats

 

[skinnyme]

I'm 5'7", 147 lbs (looking to weigh 133 in the future). I still have love handles and thigh fat that I'm looking to shed - although I know you can't spot reduce.

I walk literally everywhere, so sometimes I skimp out on cardio. And because it's summer, and I'm travelling (walking 4-7 hours a day, touring), I don't go to the gym. When I'm at school, I do cardio for 40 mins 2-3 a week. I lift 3x/wk, full body each time. I use the machines at the gym.

My diet is pretty clean. Staples are oatmeal, eggs and egg whites, chicken, tuna, and veggies. My only "cheat" foods are maybe a tbsp of peanut butter and/or Nutella with my oatmeal in the morning. I eat from 1000 (low) - 1900 (high) calories a day.

 

[skittles]

Heres a link for you:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=227366

 

[musclemom]

I want to lose muscle. Yes, I know a lot of you guys are shaking your head, like "what is this girl thinking? / what is she on!", but hear me out...

... my quads are really thick. Like they're really muscular because I walk everywhere etc etc etc, but they're so THICK! They look disproportioned to my body because they're that way, and I... well, want to get rid of some of the muscle tone there, so they'll be slimmer and more attractive. Is there anyway for me to thin out my quads? Any stretching exercises, etc, for example? Or am I going to be just stuck with thick quads forever?

Thanks in advance for your input!!

Jesus, I'd kill for thick quads! But I can tell you one thing, it's not your walking, per se, because I can walk until doomsday and have all of my life, plus I regularly do cardio on the elliptical and treadmill. Your situation comes down to the whole genetics thing, you put on muscle a certain way. I mostly have long ectomorphic muscles with ZERO peaks. I do deadlifts, quad extensions, standing calf raises and have have really strong, but extremely lean legs (GOD what I wouldn't give for a bulgy heart shaped calf muscle!!!) but it's not in the genetics card, my muscles don't attach that way.

IMO, humans always seem to want what we don't have ... if you have straight hair you wish for curly, if you're tall you usually wish you were closer to average height, if you have long ectomorphic muscles that don't develop impressive bellies then you wish for chunky mesomorphic muscles ...

Stretching is supposed to help, quad stretches, runner's stretches, things like that (yoga???) ... and if I were you, I'd think about placing emphasis on training above the waist to offset legs and maybe work the calves to balance the quads. You might want to avoid weight training quads entirely if they're already thick enough and just try for overall balance ... and stay off of bicycles!

 

[superqt4u2nv]

I have huge legs but rather then kill them I am bring up my back shoulders and upper body. I really don't see the sense in killing muscle I would much rather add more to my upper body then take any away. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

I have huge legs but rather then kill them I am bring up my back shoulders and upper body. I really don't see the sense in killing muscle I would much rather add more to my upper body then take any away. Just my 2 cents.

Very true. Sometimes it is smarter to ADD to genetics, rather than try to constantly fight it.

Also, "big thighs" are USUALLY due to extra BF. Unless you are around 14%, it is likely just extra fat on your thighs. Women are genetics programmed to hold more fat there. You yourself admitted you still had extra fat, even on the thighs. I would just keep trying to lose overall BF, and when you are at the BF you want and the thighs are still too large for your liking - THEN worry about muscle reduction.

Funny thing about muscle is that once you lose it - it is hard to add it back. And less muscle means lower metabolism. This will make overall fat burning MUCH harder. Less muscle you have, lower your metabolism. I bet THAT is not what you want.

Adding upper body muscle, especially shoulder width, will give you a more proportionate look. It will make you more appear more "hourglass". And that extra muscle will help speed your metabolism up!

 

[nikkita]

I agree with Daisy, because you are mentioning that you have love handles and thigh fat... IMO if you loose that fat you may have the size you want. How much do your thighs measure compared to your calves and waist?

 

[skinnyme]

I have FAT thighs, and I do have love handles. I do know that I have to lose more weight and I will lose the fat ... but everytime I look at my legs I want to cry. It's so awful because they serve me so well, etc, but they're not at all elegant or pretty! They're... thick. Like I could compare it to my guy friends' and mine would be thicker. What's so terrible about that is that the thickness makes my legs look stumpy, and trust me when I say they are unattractive! I know most of my quads is muscle, but I have just about 15-20 lbs to go, how much fat could possibly come off and make my legs slimmer? It's unproportional as it is!

I don't know what to do anymore. I'm really sick of dieting, I really am. I have f*cked around with my metabolism so much, with weight loss pills and crash dieting etc etc etc. And I'm only 19! My body is filled with stretch marks, and I am convinced that I'll never have a normal relationship with food. I guess it's like one of those days where you just automatically hate your body... but for me, that day is like every day.

Thanks for everything, especially listening.

 

[nikkita]

I have FAT thighs, and I do have love handles. I do know that I have to lose more weight and I will lose the fat ... but everytime I look at my legs I want to cry. It's so awful because they serve me so well, etc, but they're not at all elegant or pretty! They're... thick. Like I could compare it to my guy friends' and mine would be thicker. What's so terrible about that is that the thickness makes my legs look stumpy, and trust me when I say they are unattractive! I know most of my quads is muscle, but I have just about 15-20 lbs to go, how much fat could possibly come off and make my legs slimmer? It's unproportional as it is!

I don't know what to do anymore. I'm really sick of dieting, I really am. I have f*cked around with my metabolism so much, with weight loss pills and crash dieting etc etc etc. And I'm only 19! My body is filled with stretch marks, and I am convinced that I'll never have a normal relationship with food. I guess it's like one of those days where you just automatically hate your body... but for me, that day is like every day.

Thanks for everything, especially listening.

Don't be so hard on yourself... because some of us would kill to have that leg genetics.

you have come to the right place... many knowledgeable give advice on this board

Anyways... For some people high weights is the only way on having a big leg. But for you the training must be focused on trimming them and giving them nice shape. You could try training your legs low weight but high repetitions and circuit training... one to two times per week

You mentioned that you lift 3x/wk, full body each time, try separating your training split so that you can lift something like this: 1. legs, 2. back-shoulders, 3. chest-triceps-biceps... and can repeat it 1-2 times per week adjusting to your physical condition and without forgetting your cardio.

IMO the focus must be in circuit training so that you can aid in fat loss.

Send us the your current diet, and I'm sure many of us can make recommendations so that you can make necessary adjustments.

The wonderful thing about this sport is that anything is possible... you can see how people achieve extraordinary transformations with the right guidance and consistency.