‘I’m a gym mum – there’s a secret way to tone legs without making them bigger’

A fitness enthusiast mum, known for her toned physique, has revealed her secret to achieving lean legs without adding bulk.

Shannon Collins, 44, also known as The Gym Nurse to her impressive 150,000 Instagram followers, regularly shares her fitness tips and tricks online.

She’s completely transparent about the hard work she’s put into sculpting her body. Recently, she disclosed that she’s been doing intense leg workouts for seven years without gaining excessive muscle mass.

Shannon believes it’s not the muscles you should worry about when it comes to working out, but rather the stubborn layer of fat. Lifting weights can actually help you lose this unwanted fat, so there’s no need to fear looking “bulky”.

She encourages people not to abandon weight lifting due to fears of gaining size, as there are ways to gain strength without getting too muscular.

Achieving your dream results is all about playing the long game and adhering to a few key steps. And, believe us, it becomes straightforward once Shannon explains it.

On Instagram, Shannon advised: “Please don’t stop lifting. I got this question in my QandA and I get it often.

“The fear of getting bigger when we are trying to get smaller in certain areas or all over. Muscle will only help you on your journey to improving your body composition. Don’t stop lifting to just get smaller or worse yet to weigh less.

“If you are unhappy with the size of an area it is a body fat issue. It is so hard and time consuming to build muscle. You aren’t going to end up getting too big with muscle.

“Over the years, I’ve had many clients convince themselves they have too much leg muscle, so they eliminate or majorly reduce the training, when they lose body fat they finally realise they didn’t have as much muscle as they thought they had. So back to building it they went.

“Years ago I detested my legs. But I never once contemplated to stop training them thank goodness. And years later, I am exceedingly chuffed with the shape I’ve sculpted combined with some short periods of calorie deficit.

“If you don’t ever train them, they will lack structure and sag when the fat diminishes. Surely not an appealing look in my view.”

Shannon herself looked remarkably different years ago, as her transformation photos vividly trace the impressive changes she embarked upon. She once leaned more towards the curvaceous side, sparing minimal concern on health and fitness until she hit the decisive path to overhauling her lifestyle.

Fast-forward to present day, she’s one fit and toned lady who’s not only thriving but also holding her followers captivated on her fitness journey. Fans have even rated this post as among the “best” information she has so far shared.

An admirer noted: “Big dose of patience. Love this. 100% true.”

Another chimed in: “Learning this firsthand! My legs are changing so much!”.

One individual shared their struggle, saying:”I feel that way about my arms! I hold fat there and sometimes it makes me not want to train them heavy because I don’t want them to get ‘bigger'”.

Another joined the conversation, adding: “Yes! I have some body fat on lower body I still want to get rid of but I am concentrating on building muscle. Patience is key… it takes time.”