Increased biking mileage, increased bulk?

We're going to need a picture of your thighs and butt to properly assess the situation and give you useful advice

I feel a request for pictures coming on.........but seriously, I don't ride in canyons, or anything close to it, but I do ride a lot and now have thigh muscles that actually get commented on quite frequently, and a butt that was missing from the rest of my life previous to getting on a bike. I just don't think it's avoidable if you're serious about biking, no matter what elevations you bike. Seems like the only possible way to counter balance this if that is your desire, is long low impact cardio sessions and lots of them. But yuck, I'd rather be riding!

What may be happening is that you are building muscle but also keeping the fat you had before. To complicate the issue, women tend to "marble" fat into their muscle so its less obvious than you'd think to figure out what is muscle and what is fat. If you are really concerned that bulk is slowing you down- I'd say- drop your calories to lose a little of the non-useful bulk (but not too far- you don't want to lose that muscle either).
Unfortunately some of this is genetics and if this is just an appearance issue, you might want to just make peace. (Haven't been able to do that as well as I'd like personally, but if you can, please tell me how!)

Where is it that you ride? I live in Spanish Fork and I will ride over to Genola and back for a 40 mile ride, and that will take me up and down a small canyon pass. I am seriously sucking wind after I crest that climb, so much respect for you hitting the canyons! Are you registered for the St. George Tri? Your canyon work will deifnately pay off there.

Good luck with the slim down thing. The only suggestion I have is the same as some of the others -- cut out any fatty foods you may have in your diet. If you are increasing your milage, it has been my experience that the fat will come off and you will be left with that slim, muscular figure you want.

But what is wrong with a little junk in the trunk?

Mike

I have cut my diet as well. I am not freaking out that I am getting fat, but have controlled other variables except the biking, which is why I thought the riding was contributing. Foxy, I agree with you. I think my leg muscles are just getting bigger faster than any fat loss in my legs. Thanks for the suggestions. I guess I will just continue as is.
Mike, I would be interested to know about some good rides down by where you live. I hit Big Cottonwood yesterday, City Creek today. One of my favorites is to go up by Mountain Dell Golf Course and ride up part of East Canyon and the back side of Emigration. I had to wait to register for the St George tri until I got my finals schedule. Unfortunately, I have a final that day. Luckily, it's in the morning so I can fit in some rock climbing in the afternoon
As for a pic, what good is it if you don't have a before to compare with the after?

I am not sure I could keep up with you -- those are some serious rides. I am impressed with your skills. Now if only you had nunchuck, bow staff and bow hunting skills, you could join my gang.

Mike

I am having the same "problem". My dilemna is, I feel like I need to choose either fitness or trimness. I made a decision that it was more important to me to push myself with the biking than to have skinnier thighs. Skirts still work for me. My legs still look good, but they are getting bigger as I build more muscle. BTW, I do all my training on flats as there are no hills here. I do a once a week spinning class, so that might have something to do with the added muscle.
Jessica

And be prepared for cat calls!

*Applause!* Great post, Marmadaddy!

Mike, I never said I FINISHED Big Cottonwood! Or that I went even moderately quickly!! Dang it; I was so close to getting into your club but I only have computer hacking skills...

I guess I won't worry about it. What happens, happens. I was not going for the Ally McBeal look but don't want to look like I take steroids either.

Thanks for all the advice!! Happy cycling!

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Why doesn't yours wiggle?

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Are you talking about her butt?  I'm sure it wiggles. 

By the way, I'm first in line for the pictures...wait your turn!

Mine has a clarity of purpose yours lacks....

 

Yes, I can see that now.

Women get big butts and thighs when they bike. They just do. Ever see Norba women cyclists, or figure skaters in person? HUGE thighs. gorgeous thighs. Baby Got Back. If you are tall and lanky it won't happen, but if you are at all stocky, riding will do to you what lots of squats at the gym would. Building a balanced body is important, so do the long slow runs that burn fat. Swim hard to tone the upper body (swimmers never seem to get really skinny, ever notice?). Riding all those canyons is perfect. Jealous, cause I'm in Texas flatland.

Also, you legs feel full when you ride, cause of the bloodflow. How they look and feel during a workout is probably not how they look in normal life.

Lastly, there is too much emphasis, IMO on sport drink consumption for new athletes especially triathletes. if you still have fat to lose, you shouldn't be chugging Gatorade at every workout. The best way to get fast is to get light, first. super long ride, sure, take some energy with you. Otherwise, water, until you are at a fighting fat%.

It is not a club, we are a gang. The difference between a club and a gang is we wear headbands. We have special wristbands we wear when a headband may not be appropriate.

As for the Ally McBeal comment, I would say I may be in the minority here, but if a girl is athletic, I like it when she has a little "junk in the trunk."

Where do you climb by the way? There are some great routes up Big Cottonwood Canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon. I gave up climbing a couple go years ago for two reasons -- 1. I had to consolidate hobbies/interests and 2. I was getting bigger and I had a hard time finding people I trusted to belay me. Even my brother dropped me about 20 feet once. Not cool.

I'll take all the muscle I can get on my thighs and butt. I think it looks way sexy, and makes me feel sexy too. More muscle burns more calories which burns more fat and makes me ride faster and further!

I'm free to spout off in this thread cause you've all already seen my butt!

Well, I'm tall and lanky (less than 2 lbs per inch of height), and I'd love to have killer thighs and glutes. I'm a het girl, but I think big quads/hams and glutes look absolutely fantastic on women. Men, too.