Will I ever see toned legs?!!

[chickentrousers]

Just finished week 8 and feel fantastic about the whole this, physically and mentally. My question is when can I expect to see body changes? I do feel fitter and think my thighs may be ever so slightly more toned (my husband says he can see a big difference!) but am impatient to see real results. I suspect this may take a good 6 mths, am I correct?? Also although I can feel the muscles in my legs strengthening whilst i'm running I do not feel it in the calfs.

[monkeyfeet]

Can't answer on how long it takes, I've just finished week 9. I think running style affects which muscles you work more.

I go running with my sister who has been running on and off for a few years. She runs in trainers and lands on the heel and I run in barefoot style shoes and land on the forefoot. When we run we tell each other when our muscles hurt she always says 'I can feel it in my thighs now' and I say 'I can feel it in my calves'. Shes swopping to forefoot strike now as she started to get joint pain from heel striking, and she said she really noticed how much it now works her calves.

I've been overweight and a couch potato for ages but I've got better shaped calves than her, and I spend a lot of time barefoot around the house.

[chickentrousers Graduate]

Thats really interesting thanks. I have tried to land heel first after Laura advise but tend to favour mid foot fall. Also when I have increased my speed for short bursts I feel the running style is more natural so once I speed up generally I may notice a difference.

[monkeyfeet in reply to chickentrousers]

I have been getting a feeling also that I want to be running faster for my natral gait, i feel like I am holding my legs back. I know if I try a sprint I use my upper legs and gluts a lot. I feel like if I could only speed up a litte bit (currently run at about 5.6mph) I might use a better balance of muscles. But my cardio fitness isn't there yet.

[Mrs_Miggins Graduate]

I've just completed week 7 and I think my calves are more toned and there is definite signs of weight loss in the upper body but the tops of my thighs seem to be holding out on me and not giving up any of the excess!

When I run I just crash around like an elephant! Had a gait analysis done today and all I could hear was my feet battering the treadmill. I'm sure the entire store was staring at me! :-S

I guess I'll never be a gazelle but I'm hoping I will at least look the part and be all nice and toned up at some point. Just remind me to stay off the cream cakes!

[Misstrolly Graduate]

the area I've most noticed a difference in after 6 weeks is my midriff.My budding michelin tyre has thankfully been deflated somewhat.! I read somewhere that weight from the middle is the first to go on and the first to leave the body. Other areas take longer so it will come when your body is ready

[AnnaJ Graduate]

am hearing you, i have always carried weight and cellulite around my thighs, my husband says he can feel the difference. i have taken my measurements, stopped getting weighed and will re measure after a month and not one day earlier! just keep enjoying the fitness and and am hoping the rest will follow. afterall, i have never met a flabby long term runner xx

[chickentrousers Graduate]

Thanks for the responses. I suspect I am not quite seeing it yet as the only slim bit about me is my waist area so if thats the first to improve I'll have to wait for the legs to shape up at a later date. I've taken measurements too and will remeasure after 6 months to be realistic for me.