I am a 40 year old woman, 5'4" 136lbs. I carry a lot of weight in appendages and have since puberty. A number of years ago (5-6) I used to lift heavy and had a strong, lean body, but lower legs have always been heavy/thick, including ankles (genetics is a primary cluprit, I know, mother is from "thick English stock" as she likes to say). weight has not change by more than 5-6 lbs in the past 10 years, although body composition has.
Several years ago (4) I had a knee injury followed by knee surgery. That injury combined with a time-consuming relationship with a man who did not share interests in health and fitness lead me to fall out of regular workouts and to relax diet a bit. I am trying to get back into a fit lifestyle, but question if I can commit the amount of time and energy I used to to weightlifting and cardio routine. As I try to figure out what exercises (type and amount) is truly sustainable moving forward, I have become more and more focused on fatty lower legs. Even though waist is slim, and no one who sees me on a day to day basis (in pants and long skirts) would call me "fat", I cannot wear many clothes that most women take for granted. Dresses and skirts do not look good on me and I only wear them rarely and with dark stockings. As we head into another summer, I shun the shorts and dresses most women rely upon to be comfortable. After a trip to the department store today, I am truly fed up with fatty legs. I walked around wondering if I should make own clothes - so many things are "skinny" or tapered - and I wonder what heavier women do.
To be clear I am not like other people who complain about "big, muscular calves." Mine are just big, and hang there in all their pale, flabby sadness. (And even when I worked calves regularly years ago, they did not develop into beautiful big calves, they just jiggled a little less - they are...quite simply... aesthetically displeasing).
So, to the point: does anyone have any suggestions? Does anyone suffer the same malady? internet searches have not revealed many "normal" size women complaining of this issue. (Big, muscular calves, yes. Fatty lower legs, not so much unless the person is significantly overweight). One website that actually addressed that area of the body suggested jumping rope. Does anyone here have any other ideas for getting fat off of calves, tightening up and leaning out lower legs?
Thanks very much.
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