Cankles (don't laugh)

BAM!

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone out there suffers from or knows how to improve cankles? I'm not very overweight, a size twelve mostly, but have quite large legs in general. In particular I have really big calves and horrible cankles- I mean my calf attaches straight to my foot, no slimming down or indent or anything! It really gets me down as I feel so unattractive and never wear cropped trousers, skirts etc. and don't feel a bit dainty next to my boyfriend, more like a person with two baked hams growing out of their arse!

I was wondering if anyone knows how to improve this "condition"? I'd worry that if I start doing a huge amount of squating/weight excercises that I'd just make my legs get even bigger

Can anybody help? Any advice or similar stories appreciated!

jim o doom

The way womens & mens bodies work - if a women does the same exercise, she won't bulk up & become muscular - you have a different hormonal balance, so it doesn't work like that - those muscular body building freak women you see, tend to be steroid abusers, which gives them the hormones they need to build muscle like that. The best thing to do are exercise that work the entire body and get you fat % down all over - there's no such thing as "localised fat loss" i.e. if you have a belly and do situps, it wont get rid of the belly, it will only develop the muscles in that region - best thing to do is go to a gym and get an exercise program, or just get some free weights & look up exercises online - also a healthy controlled diet is part of it. The unfortunate thing is, you can't lose weight from only one area, it has to be whole body and fat percentage in general.. it's tough, but worth it once you start - more energy, excess fat starts melting away & nice new muscle in its place - im a bit overweight myself & have been working for months, but all the hard work is finally starting to show! I used a book called "the absoulte truth about six pack abs" its all about full body exercise & nutrition (im also in to martial arts so thats a help too) - just pick a nice healthy activity you like - start cutting out unhealthy foods & dont eat take aways etc. hope this helps!

BAM!

jim o doom wrote: »

The way womens & mens bodies work - if a women does the same exercise, she won't bulk up & become muscular - you have a different hormonal balance, so it doesn't work like that - those muscular body building freak women you see, tend to be steroid abusers, which gives them the hormones they need to build muscle like that. The best thing to do are exercise that work the entire body and get you fat % down all over - there's no such thing as "localised fat loss" i.e. if you have a belly and do situps, it wont get rid of the belly, it will only develop the muscles in that region - best thing to do is go to a gym and get an exercise program, or just get some free weights & look up exercises online - also a healthy controlled diet is part of it. The unfortunate thing is, you can't lose weight from only one area, it has to be whole body and fat percentage in general.. it's tough, but worth it once you start - more energy, excess fat starts melting away & nice new muscle in its place - im a bit overweight myself & have been working for months, but all the hard work is finally starting to show! I used a book called "the absoulte truth about six pack abs" its all about full body exercise & nutrition (im also in to martial arts so thats a help too) - just pick a nice healthy activity you like - start cutting out unhealthy foods & dont eat take aways etc. hope this helps!

Thanks Jim,

I get a bit intimidated down the gym though, a bit insecure! What do you make of work out DVDs? I suppose it's never the same as being down the gym and giving it loads on the threadmill.

jim o doom

BAM! wrote: »

Thanks Jim,

I get a bit intimidated down the gym though, a bit insecure! What do you make of work out DVDs? I suppose it's never the same as being down the gym and giving it loads on the threadmill.

I understand feeling indtimited - I don't use a gym myself (have never liked them), have free weights (barbells & bench sort of set up) at home & then train in a kenpo club or go swimming sometimes too.. Diet is a very important part of it - I was training my a$$ off but not eating good and wasn't losing anything at all - switched to healthy brekkie cereals like all bran flakes (read cardboard flakes ) brown bread sambos or salads for lunch, fish or chicken with a few taters and veg for dinner every day - that's when body shape started changing more (still have a ways to go though). Also for fat loss you are supposed to eat around 300 calories under our bodies requirement per day & then pick one day and eat over your requirement; the reason for this is if you eat a lowered amount constantly your body goes into "starvation mode" and lowers it's intake needs. When you over eat one day, it goes back to it's normal mode & it's all good, for weight loss during the week. Also on the over eating day it's important to eat healthy stuff - not unhleathy, just more healthy stuff if there are any activities that interest you - sports like tennis or football or just cycling, that's a good way to lose weight without having to be scruitinized in a gym. The good thing about gyms and health clubs is the other people working around you can help motivate you to push harder (i know this from the kenpo club)