i'm getting too bulky.

[mush]

Lately, I've been running 2-3 miles every day, and doing yoga and aerobics a couple times a week. My problem is, that instead of having the intended effect of slimming down, my body has bulked up so much! I know that exercise will lead to more muscle mass, but I'm at the point of having to buy new clothes with all this new muscle taking over :worried:

Is this something I'm just going to have to deal with, or might there be any specific exercises that I can do to tone it down a little?

[Jes]

It seems odd that you would bulk up from doing primarily cardio and yoga. Have you been lifting at all?

[crystalteacup]

They say pilates gives you slim muscles, I don't know if it's true or not.

[mush]

No, I haven't been doing any lifting.

[Jes]

I'm just throwing this out there, and feel free to tell me that I'm way off base, but have you been eating more than usual, because after you've run, you can eat whatever you want, of course?

It just seems so odd that you would gain so much muscle mass that you have to buy new clothes. It's fairly common for those of us, myself included, to put on weight during periods of heavy exercise that, regrettably, isn't muscle mass.

[Hummusisyummus]

If you're gaining so much muscle that you have to buy new clothing it would seem to me that you were under-muscled to begin with, unless you were a dude starting weight training. There are alot of good reasons to have muscle, such as increasing your basal metabolism rate and to stabilize blood sugar. I'd put up with it and buy the new clothing.

[GTChick01]

Maybe you're gaining muscle but not losing fat. If you're not doing enough to actually burn some fat, you could just be adding muscle to it. Since you're not doing any weights, I'd try to pick up the pace a little or eat a little less.

[mush]

On average I eat about 1500-1800 calories a day, so I don't think overeating is a problem. I really never ran regularly before recently so I guess Hummus had a point in saying I probably was fairly undermuscled to begin with. I don't know why I didn't realize this before, but it probably also has to do with the fact that I'm still growing and finally had that spurt that took long enough. :think:

Anyway, thanks for all the response you guys! I guess I freaked out a little, but it's all good now :guitar:

[*Star*Lass*]

Hi mush, i have this problem too, my muscles get huge when i exercise, particularly in my thighs and calfs. I'm starting to feel fat in my clothes, it's so annoying! I'm trying to cut down on things i do, but soon i'll be doing nothing at all!

To exercise, or not to exercise, that is the question! :think:

[mush]

Glad to know I'm not alone.

[zoebird]

i say exercise and redefine your definitions of appropriate sizes and appearances for your body.

strong thigh muscles are sexy--they don't have to be small.

also, pilates doesn't slim muscles. muslces have a certain shape--depending upon the person and their body type. then, our work outs either emphasize that shape or they don't.

there's nothing wrong with gaining muscle mass. its good for your health, metabolism, and bones. if you have to buy new pants, then youhave to buy new pants. trust me, it's a good thing. :)

[brahmacharya]

strong thigh muscles are sexy--they don't have to be small.

there's nothing wrong with gaining muscle mass. its good for your health, metabolism, and bones. if you have to buy new pants, then youhave to buy new pants. trust me, it's a good thing. :)

Yeah, muscle mass is hot. Or at least it better be because these legs right here could win a tractor pull. And practical. Plus, more than likely you're not going to end up all beefy; it may be a very small change that only you notice.

That being said, when I was doing some complimentary weight training on my upper body, theoretically to help me with yoga, I got larger in that area than I was really comfortable with [I looked like a drag queen]. I realized that I was devoting so much energy and tension to the area that I was "working" on that I was shortening the muscle fibers, which was not the feeling [or the look!] I was really searching for. If you're looking for nice long lithe muscle tissue, work it in that way: tai chi, yoga, swimming, low-impact stuff. Hang loose, girl.

[zoebird]

you can't shorten muscle fiber. you can't lengthen it either. muscle fiber is the shape that it is.

you can gain muscle, you can loose muscle. you can get leaner or you can gain fat.

when people say they want to look 'toned' to me that means "very little muscle mass, and not very lean." when people say they want to look "lean, but not bulky" that means, very little muscle mass, and very little fat. The best way to look this way is to do cardio vascular exercise that also has a weight bearing component, but won't increase muscle mass.

if you are increasing muscle mass from basic cardio stuff (ie, swimming, running), then it's because you didn't have much mass to begin with, and your body is going to go to it's natural muscle size when it's in use. then, it'll stop growing muscle when it gets to it's 'normal, moving' size, and then you'll get leaner in that area.

does thsi make sense?

[/usr]

Or at least it better be because these legs right here could win a tractor pull.

:lol:


I notice that my legs get bigger when I begin running, if I haven't in a while. However, I also lift weights. Personally, I wouldn't mind getting bigger if it were due to muscle.

[MezzoEmi]

I notice the same thing with the muscles in my legs as usr does whenever I start running. Because I tend to gain muscle mass so easily in my legs, I have stopped running so often and now use yoga/free weights/kick boxing/dancing/walking as the primary components to my physical fitness routines. :)

[bstutzma]

When I was taking karate I noticed the same thing. All that muscle training and I had thighs of steel! I actually didn't like it. Now I do cardio mostly and I've slimmed down again.

[LadyFaile]

i say exercise and redefine your definitions of appropriate sizes and appearances for your body.

strong thigh muscles are sexy--they don't have to be small.

:yes:
my boyfriend bikes and while he doesn't have a lot of muscle definition, he's thin but with big thighs and bum. i mean like one of his thighs is about the size of my waist. and yeah even though they're not really toned or defined muscles, i think it's really sexy. bikers have the best bodies :drool:

[hap]

unlikely -- but your body could be releasing a little cortisol (stress hormone). if your body isn't used to the mileage/running, it may take a while to adjust. you could be a little puffy, a result of your body under stress from your increased activity. try and make sure you're getting enough water during your workouts and give it a bit of time to see if the bulky feeling diminishes. you may start to lean out and see changes in body comp after a while. :D

[veganrider]

If You Cant See Your Abs, Then You Still Have Flab!!
Stop Whining, Get Move'n Get The Raw Plants In Ya.
The More You Burn The More You Learn!!!

[zoebird]

veganrider:

there are body types which naturally carry more fat than others--and need to in order to be healthy and strong. not every raw foodist is super lean--as an ecto or meso morph would be. perpetuating such a myth is detrimental to most people.

[veganrider]

well i have never met someone who trains to the limit and beyond , eats a raw vegan diet and isnt super lean and radiant. so my original statement may be 'detrimental' so some. some who like to blame other factors ,like body type and other tech talk stuff. you give me ANYONE who is willing to eat mainly real food and train hard and fun, and if they dont become sleek and super vital ,then i will get a job promoting monsanto as a responsible corporation.

yesterday i had a 100 mile bike race. i ate 300 grams sultanas , 100 grams figs for breakfast. in the race i ate 3 figs and 50 grams of sultanas. i have never got that result in that race and never finished that fresh. raw plant food is clearly the way to go. but not everyone is ready to change up a few gears .

want more hit the raw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this is coming from some one who was close to death and now has cycled 1243km in 51;30 with 40 minutes sleep on fruit and water and no drugs, legal or illegal. from chronic asthma and breathing disorders to one of the best lungs in australia. all from food and a positive mental attitude.
ONLY TAKE ADVICE FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE WHAT YOU WANT. if you want health take advice from the most healthy people you can find. i train with olympic level athletes. not fat , unmotivated chumps who whine about everything and blame others for misfortune. sure my fellow racers take a ****e load of drugs, this just ensures i get the maximum workout training and racing with them. and no other diet would let me be here.

[/usr]

If You Cant See Your Abs, Then You Still Have Flab!!

What you fail to understand, I think, is that not everyone wants to weigh 120 pounds and be incredibly lean. I, for one, enjoy being a bit bigger. However, I'm not fat, by any means. I think you should use a little reason before posting such garbage.

[medic99]

heh. i like vegan rider's attitude! it is a bit kamakaze, but hey, if it works for him/her, go for it! the hard core tend to be a bit exuberant, and i allow for that.

i've dealt with hours of listening to friends whine about how they can't lose, only to watch them stuff their faces with high fat foods and sit their butts on the couch in front of the tv. yet they'll criticize me as a fanatic for working out regularly and watching my diet.

when i was heavily into bodybuilding, i got a lot of remarks such as "when you quit working out, all that muscle will turn into fat", etc.... i got sick of hearing the constant drone of negative comments.

these days i've downsized myself to a mere 205 lbs. while i don't have the time or energy to do more than just work out a few times a week, i have a lot of respect for those that push the envelope :).

[zoebird]

veganrider:

Just because I may not fit your definition of motivated, healthy, fit, radiant, or whatever else doesn't mean that i'm a "fat, unmotivated chump who whines about everything and blames others for misfortune." it simply means that i have a different definition and perspective about what is healthy, fit, radiant, and motivated.

It's ok to have fat on your bones. It's also ok to say, this is my body type and i'm going to be realistic about what it needs to be healthy, what it will look like when it is, and how that may or may not fit into our cultural definition of what is 'fit' and 'lean' and 'attractive' or whatever.

similarly, i think that a positive mental attitude is important. there are a lot of things that we can change through positive mental attitude, movement, and nutrition. Part of my job is encouraging these sorts of changes for optimal health and well being (as a yoga teacher and thai yoga massage practitioner). Certainly, i advocate these things.

But, positive mental attitude, movement, and nutrition won't change muscle shape (ie, connections to the joint, long or short muscle bellies, amounts of fast or slow twitch muscle, etc), it won't make your bones smaller or larger or more dense or less dense, it won't change your hair color or your eye color, it won't change your Q-angle. There are some things about our bodies that we just have to accept, even if they don't fit into a certain idea or cultural mode of 'fitness' or 'beauty.'

the reason that your assertion is problematic is because it doesn't take into account that there are things that *can't* be changed--then accuses those who accept what can't be changed of being "unmotivated chumps who blame their problems on someone else." It is humanly possible to be in great shape and not look the way that you are describing "all healthy" people should look.

to insist that there is only one way to be considered healthy (based on appearance) and fit and motiviated is detrimental because it doesn't take into account the various factors that makes up an individual--physically, mentally, and emotionally. It pushes only one idea of beauty and health and abandons all other ideas. It says that those who are not that idea of beauty and health are less valuable and problematic (ie "unmotivated chumps"). This may perpetuate an individuals sense of worthlessness (as opposed to giving them motivation that will increase self esteem) and lead them into unhealthy behavoirs (such as eating disorders).

I certainly don't want to downplay your personal experience. I've never had any health problems that you mention, nor have i used diet, exercise, or positive mental attitude to overcome major disease. In fact, i have been blessed with great health and a strong body my entire life. Certainly, you have found a methodology that has worked for you.

but i also want to point out that what you describe as "training hard and fun" for a 100 km or more bike race seems like a slow torment to me. It's not my thing. Give me a 14 hour yoga class and i'm all over it. To you, that might sound like torture. For someone else, a weekend hiking trip is more their deal. For someone else, going canoing. For someone else, going for a walk through botanical gardens. People have different ideas about what "training hard and fun" is and what is appropriate for them.

And, i figure we shall now have a pissing contest because you have basicly stated that I am a "fat , unmotivated chump who whines about everything and blames others for misfortune" from which no one should take advice, because one should "ONLY TAKE ADVICE FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE WHAT YOU WANT. if you want health take advice from the most healthy people you can find." aparently, to you, i am not someone that one should take advice from because i'm willing to allow for the possibility that there are many ways of being fit, of getting fit, and many different ways of looking when one is these things.

First off, you are not the most healthy person i can find. You don't get enough sleep, and i wager that you don't live the way that i want to live. For me, health is a whole spectrum--mental/psychological, intellectual, social/relational, spiritual, and physical. I figure you probably have good things in each of those areas, but you're probably not my 'picture of health.' so, i'm not looking to you for advice anyway.

Second, i guess, then, i should state why i think that i'm a better place for advice about health than you are because i believe that i live a sort of healthy lifestyle--in a broad general sense--that i think other people want. I believe that people want to feel good physically. I believe that people want to feel good emotionally/psychologically. I believe that people want to do work that they find valuable. I believe that people want to develope spiritually and live their authentic selves.

I strive to exemplify these things, without dictating specifics. In order for people to feel good physically, they need to be healthy physically. To be healthy, people need to eat well, get plenty of movement, and get necessary rest. To eat well could involve any number of health diets (from raw vegan to whole food omnivorous). Any type of movement activity can lead to healthy, strong bodies--cycling, of course, but also group fitness classes, weight training, outdoor activities, dance, you name it. People need to get enough sleep--at nite and to rest themselves appropriately between activities.

to exemplify this, i strive to eat healthy, whole lacto-ovo vegetarian foods--both raw and cooked. I eat roughly 70% raw because i enjoy raw fruits and vegetables. I eat raw cheese and unfertilized eggs because these are healthy sources of cholesterol and saturated fat, as well as protien and various vitamins (A, E, B12, etc).

I also love to move and i encourage other people to move. To me, it's not about what a person does, or how hard they train, but that they are doing movement that they love. Movement that a person loves is naturally going to keep them motivated. Not everyone has a competitive spirit and wants to train with olympic-type athletes and go in races. In fact, i greatly dislike competeing, though i love to move! So, i strive to try new activities that strike my fancy and encourage people to try things to see if those are a good fit for them.

similarly, i am devoted to getting out and about. On average, i 'exercise' anywhere from 3 to 6 hours a day. I know that for many, this seems excessive--and perhaps it is. For 'general fitness' i 'need' about 1.5 to 2 hours of exercise a day (some people need far less). This is for me to fit my idea and understanding of fitness, as well as what my body (an ecto-meso body) simply desires. The other 1.5 to 4.5 hours are fun activities that i simply enjoy doing. It keeps me happy--physically and otherwise.

I make certain that i get enough sleep. I'm usually in bed by 10 and up by 7 am. that's nine hours of sleep a nite--what a blessing! sometimes, i stay up until 11. Being well rested is important, and i encourage people to rest (usually by turning down the lights at nite and also letting go of tv!).

There are so many other areas in life that make us happy and healthy. I practice meditation, scriptural study/wisdom study, contemplation, and yoga in order to bring about spiritual growth, mental clarity, self knowledge and inner peace. I strive to help others develope similar practices. I strive to read a number of fiction and non-fiction books, articles, magazines each week in order to maintain my intellectual development. I do a job that i love because it makes me feel good about myself and i know that i'm contributing to the world with my talents.

My life is very integrated. my spiritual life and my understanding of my authentic self drives every aspect of what i do--from being here on veggieboards and giving encouragement and advice (and asking for it too) to my daily work as a yoga teacher and thai yoga massage practitioner. I strive to help other people integrate their lives to become full, happy, healthy human beings who are living out their authentic selves in every aspect of life.

I also recognize that people are different--we are given different types of bodies, different life circumstances, different talents and abilities. Because of this, i cannot simply say "you must do this, or you're just less valuable!" Truthfully, everything has it's place on this earth, or it wouldn't be here for us to experience, to learn from, to utilize to the betterment of ourselves, others, and our whole world.

I'd say that i'm a healthy, radiant, motivated person who lives the kind of healthy lifestyle that other people want to lead.

[bluegrrrl79]

Zoebird I just wanted to say that was a great post :) You seem to know a lot about health and exercise! I can't imagine doing that much exercise in a day though, wow! Is that lots of yoga everyday? Could you post more about this subject? I barely ever exercise and I want to get in shape...I'm a fine weight already, but I need to be healthier!

Veganrider- I disagree. First off, not everyone is able to have a 6 pack. For example even when I had rock hard abs, and a BMI in the mid 19's, I still didn't see any muscles there. I definitly had muscle and when flexed was solid, and my tummy was fairly flat, but I didn't have any muscle you could *see*. So no, just cause you can't see your stomach muscles, does NOT mean you're fat, not everyone's muscles get that "Cover of muscle magazine" look. Also, not everyone can have a raw diet. I can't do a raw diet, for me that's not the healthiest, I would be in severe pain. You can't lump everyone together like that. And 40 minutes sleep? Why would you do that?