losing muscle mass

This may seem like an odd post, but I am completely lost on how one would go about losing weight in the form of muscle mass while still eating properly and doing light exercise (just enough to stay healthy and active).

I used to play soccer as a child/teen about 5 days a week and run cross country and so my legs have always been bulky (making it hard to find pants that fit both my waist and thighs).  I am not overweight now (after coming close and losing some due to healthier food) but my legs are still massive (and yes, it is muscle...I have very little fat left on them), so that they are actually out of proportion, especially given the less intense lifestyle I'll be living now.  I simply don't need the huge legs, nor do I really need the extra metabolism that muscle provides...I will adjust accordingly.

Everything else seems to fit my body type/size, etc. so I can't just "bulk up my arms" or something.  I wouldn't look very feminine if my arms grew to match my legs and would feel bulky all over.

I am trying to start lifting weights at the moment to even things out and just gain a bit of strength in the ignored areas.  I haven't lifted weights in years and will be making sure I don't gain bulk, but I doubt it will decrease my legs.  Yet I don't want to complete ignore them.

I think I heard something once about a way to train that actually results in loss of muscle...only I have no clue if that's true or whether I am making that up.

Any ideas?

you need to do a ton of cardio with no incline, that will help the muscles shrink and the cardio will help get rid of the mass. just work your legs once a week with extensions and leg curls. once a month work them with leg press or squats. you are gifted with big legs, so they will respond to any weights you do, so do the minimum to keep them firm.

that sounds like a plan, thanks.  :)

now, re: no incline

running/walking/treadmill - pretty easy to figure out what no incline means...and a stairmaster would obviously be incline...but what about an elliptical machine...would that actually be putting some incline-like effect in there based on the way the machine requires movement?  and what about something like dance or gymnastics?

The elliptical works better on an incline, that is the way it is designed, I would put it a little lower than than middle to get less resistance. Dance would be nice but Gymnastics might make them bigger, it requires a lot of explosive movements that can make muscle bigger.

I have the same problem with my huge thighs.  Currently I'm working out 6 days a week doing cardio for an hour 3 days, and a combo of weights for 30 mins and cardio for 30 mins the other 3 days.  I'm guessing this is too much weight lifting?  And when you say a ton of cardio, just how much is a ton?

an hour of cardio at least 5 times a week

I have the same problem big strong thighs but with flabby butt and jiggling big triceps on small bust and thin waist Are  lunges ,squats and leg extensions bad for me ?I am 53 old  and 4:10 tall .can two hours of walk will make my thighs thinner?pls help

it sounds like youve got some body fat. if youre gonna walk, mix it up HIIT style... thats high intensity interval training. walk a few minutes, then do minute (or two) sprints. this burns fat quick. you're better off doing this for 45 minutes than you are walking at a steady pace for two hours. your body wont respond if you dont shock it. as for the flabby butt, do step ups, jump squats and straight leg dead lifts (low weight, high reps) and itll lift and firm. arms? tricep kickbacks, skullcrushers and rope pull downs at a moderate weight build muscle so youll firm up and have tone, but it comes down to that intense cardio for fat loss. good luck!

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