Lower body getting bigger

ckanuckel

Cathlete
Hi Cathe,
I'm new to using your workouts(about a month now) and love them, but I have a concern/question. Is it possible that my lower body could be getting bigger? I haven't changed eating habits or anything that would make me gain weight, but I do notice my pants fitting tighter in the around my middle and my thighs. I do cardio 3x a week, weights 2x a week and pilates 2x a week. Can you give me any help or advice on this please?
 
I have the same concern...seems the more I do, the bigger my thighs are getting as well. I've taught aerobics and weight trained for ten years now and have muscular thighs to begin with. And I've been even more strict with my diet, too.

Please....we need an answer. THANKS!!!!!
 
Glad to hear someone else has this concern. I was beginning to think I was crazy. My husband says I nuts, but I know my body. Cahte, PLEASE answer us.
 
Not Cathe obviously. But I will share my experience. My background is that I am an avid Cathe workout devotee since 1998. My legs are quite muscular, similar to Brenda of Cathes background exercisers.

When I regularly do workouts that utilizee squats and lunges with weights, my thighs get bigger. I use a slim fitting pair of jeans from 1999 for my guide.


I keep the workouts with weighted squats and lunges to a maximum of once per week or less. And I add in running and increase FLOOR leg work. This seems to slim my legs nicely. I do not do the standing work of PLB,S&H, PS, or GS legs. I have done Leaner Legs in rotations and the legs in PH adn MM and ME and not gotten bigger. My legs get a great workout with kickboxong and the interval workouts so I don't worry about them not getting challenged. Of course everyone is different, so trial and error is crucial. What has worked for me may not work for others... i just thought I share my results.

Judy
AKA "Likes2bfit"
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Thanks Judy!!!

After reading your comments, it does make a lot of sense to me. I think the standing squats and lunges with weights, along with all the Step I do are increasing my quads. My legs are not flabby, but I don't want them to be quite as big as they are. I'll add in some running as well. That really seems to be a key.

THANKS!! :)
 
I had this problem when I was working out with the Firm. My hips were up to 38 inches and my thighs 23 inches. Anyone who Firms knows you do leg work almost daily. Since I've stopped Firming and switched to Cathe doing lower body only once or twice a week, I am now down to 36 inches in my hips and 22 inches in my thighs. Some days my thighs are a little smaller than 22 inches. I have experimented several times going back and forth between Cathe and the Firm workouts, and I get bigger every time. I have also found that floor work and kickboxing help slim my thighs when I do it consistently.
 
What are some good workouts with floor work. I now too have cut out all weighted standing work and just get my leg workout from my step cardio. I rotate between, Imax 2, Low Max, Step Works and sometimes I throw in Circuit Max. I can't take up running, it hurts my knees and gives me a headache. Should I incorportate in kickboxing and cardio everyday?
 

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