Slim down your Calves
There is a couple of reasons why your calves are possibly thick and then there is a couple of exercises you can do in order to slim them down.
You think you have big calves? Then let’s find out the reason first. Choose one of the following possibilities:
A) Actually they are not that big but I want to be skinny and I think I should start with slimming down my calves.
B) I have had a couple of cheat days and it feels like my calves have doubled in size!
C) I have fatty calves and I want to get rid off that fat layer urgently.
D) My calves are super muscular and I don’t like it.
If you are a candidate A…
There is nothing like spot fat reduction. You can not tell your body to please not touch the fat in your boops and the face but burn it all off your calves and the tummy. But if you use up more calories than you consumed by eating healthy and exercising, you will bring down your body fat percentage and your calves will eventually get slimmer. Eat lots of seasonal vegetables and fruits, experiment with chia seeds and discover the beauty of herbal teas. Put on a pair of sneakers and get out of the house. Walk on flat ground for 50 minutes 3-5 times a week.
If you are a candidate B…
Don’t panic, you are just retaining lots of water. Don’t eat dessert for while and stay away from ready meals and fast food. Try to use only little salt and lots of fresh herbs instead when cooking. Drink lots of water to wash out the toxins and the fluids that your body is retaining. If you don’t get enough water into your system, your body panics and holds on to the water, causing retention and bloating. After about a week, your calves’ size will have gone back to normal.
If you are a candidate C…
Similar to candidate A, you need to burn more calories than you consumed. I suggest you go for long walks or runs in a flat area and avoid hills or stairs. Jumping the rope is a great way to warm up and burn calories at home but it will also make your calves larger, so don’t jump. You may use the elliptical or bike without a high-resistance setting instead. Swimming is a good cardiovascular exercise to slim down your calves too. Keep exercising up and pay attention to your diet: ban sugar, salt and saturated fats. Choose good carbs like oatmeal, quinoa and brown rice and make vegetables your main menu component. Make sure you get around 30 grams of protein with every main meal so you can build up muscle and burn excess fat. Eggs, wild fish, lean meat, legumes and diet yoghurt are excellent protein sources.
If you are a candidate D…
Step on your entire foot whenever you can, this is the easiest way to make your calves smaller. Maybe you are wearing high heels a lot? Then you should immediately switch to flats because having all your weight on the toes makes your calve muscles grow. Maybe the reason for your big calves is that you are walking on your toes even when wearing shoes without heels. Make sure you are first stepping on your heel and then rolling off to your toes. When you squat, try to lift your toes slightly off the ground and push up through your heels when coming back to the basic position.
I prepared four stretching exercises that are suitable for all four candidates. They will help to lengthen your calve muscles and by doing so make them look slim and lean.
Sit down on a yoga mat with your legs close together and reach for your toes. Try to gently pull them towards you, until you feel a nice burn in your calves. Hold this pose for 15 seconds and repeat three times.
Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders and your legs stretched out in the back. Now push yourself off the floor, shifting your weight to your heels while your hips move up. Your neck is relaxed, your ears are between your arms and your heels stay as close to the floor as possible. Hold this pose for 15-30 seconds and repeat three times.
Lean with your elbows against a wall and stretch out the left leg behind you. Now bend the knee of your front leg, trying to keep your heel flat on the ground. Hold this pose for 15 seconds and repeat three times.
