When Transitioning from walking to running, is intial weight gain normal?

brentvadams1
brentvadams1 Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been walking 4 miles almost every night for the last 4 months. I have been losing weight at a steady pace of 1.5 to 2 lbs. a week for the last 2 months. Recently I reached a weight the I felt comfortable starting to introduce running into my routine. For the past 3 weeks my weigh lost has stopped and I have started gaining weight. Is this normal? Could I just have hit a plateau? I love running but I will go back to walking if this trend continues.

Replies

  • PAtinCO
    PAtinCO Posts: 129 Member
    I gain a few pounds whenever I have a big run, but I think that's because I don't run often and it causes soreness and water retention. It always goes away in a few days.

    Sounds like you're experiencing something similar.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    When you subject your body to new demands one of the responses is to store more glycogen in muscle tissue in anticipation of future energy demands. 1g of glycogen bonds with 3g of water when being stored which is probably most of the weight gain you've noticed.

    Another question....has your diet changed with starting to run? It's a paradox but running makes people hungry (jokingly referred to in running circles as being rungry), when I'm ramping up for a longer race I'll scarf down 1,000 cal just for breakfast on a long run Sunday. Running (or any other form of exercise) does not in itself promote weight loss......it's still all about the calorie deficit.
  • splashtree2
    splashtree2 Posts: 277
    brentvadams1 wrote: »
    I have been walking 4 miles almost every night for the last 4 months. I have been losing weight at a steady pace of 1.5 to 2 lbs. a week for the last 2 months. Recently I reached a weight the I felt comfortable starting to introduce running into my routine. For the past 3 weeks my weigh lost has stopped and I have started gaining weight. Is this normal? Could I just have hit a plateau? I love running but I will go back to walking if this trend continues.

    Muscles raising and also with the lactic acid you might retain water, running is a great exercise it shapes you and remember that muscles weight more than fat so....

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