Is exercise making my thighs bulky?
Whenever I focus on working my lower body for a few days in a row by using the treadmill, rower or cross-trainer, my thighs seem bulkier than normal and my trousers and skirts seem tighter. If I stop working out for three to four days, my thighs seem to slim down again but subsequently aren't as toned. I use weights occasionally, seldom do aerobics or use the stepper and I stretch for ten minutes to warm-up and cool-down. Any idea where I'm going wrong? Why do my thighs become bigger after just a few sessions at the gym?
One idea is to check the intensity at which you're working out. If it's very high, lower it a little. When you're weight training, muscle bulk does increase slightly if you work your legs to momentary failure with each set, so try lightening the weight or reducing the number of repetitions you do. However, continue to do a combination of cardiovascular and strength training exercises as well as the all-important warm-up and cool-down including stretching, all of which should help prevent you from getting too bulky.
Finally, you may want to try adding a resistance class like yoga or Pilates to your exercise regime. These kinds of workouts help strengthen the body without bulking up muscles as much as weight training. Doing these exercises, in combination with fat burning ones like sessions on the treadmill or cross-trainer, should help you to stay toned without becoming too muscular. Good luck.
Why not chat to other iVillagers about exercise on the Love Your Body message board. Take a look at some of the LIVE discussions happening now on the board:
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