If you feel as though your thighs are expanding from cycling, you may be right. The way you train and your genetics determine how your body adjusts to a cycling routine. The foods you choose to eat also play a role in how your body looks from cycling.
Lower Body
Genetics determine the shape of your legs. Some people tend to get more muscle in their lower body, while other people tend to have leaner legs. As you cycle, you are actively working the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and glutes, building lean muscle. If you tend to build muscle quickly, you may see your thighs getting bigger, while others may not be affected, depending on your body type and your ability to build muscle.
Hill Climbs
Hill climbing requires extra effort from your thighs to propel up a hill. Extra resistance works your lower body more and builds more muscle in your legs. While a few small hills, lasting one or two minutes, during a cycling class does not affect the size of your thighs, long hill climbs lasting more than a few minutes can bulk your lower body.
Speed
Train for speed to keep your thighs slim. The Mayo Clinic explains that interval training burns more calories than traditional cardio. Interval training allows you to burn more calories and melt more fat from your thighs, creating a leaner appearance. Interval training requires short bursts of intensity followed by a recovery period. For example, cycle hard for 30 seconds and recover for two minutes. Create your own intervals and burn more calories. The Health Status website explains that a 150-lb. person can burn 720 calories in an hour when cycling at a high speed.
Diet
Your diet plays a crucial role in the way your body looks, even when you are exercising. When you are cycling, you are building muscle in your lower body. If you choose to eat unhealthy foods, you not only gain muscle from your cycle, but you also gain fat from the foods you eat. Fat on top of your muscle makes your thighs expand, giving you the appearance of even larger thighs.
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