What's up with my metabolism?

jess_c05

After losing 60 pounds through diet change , calorie reduction and taking up running , I decided its time to put on some more muscle. For a while I was eating between 1050-1300 a day while running around 2-4 miles a day.

When I did my first 10 mile, I was only eating 1400. Once I realized I didn't need to lose much more , I started eating about as many calories as I ran. Ex: 1500 for 5 miles, 1600 for 6. But still lost weight. Then upped to 1200+ another 100 for every mile .

My suggested calories are about twice as high as I'm eating, yet I'm maintaining weight as it is? If I ate double I am now, won't that cause rapid weight gain? Plus I find myself cramming and being uncomfortably full trying to eat more than 1200 calories (not including what I burn through workouts) . Any comments ?

Thanks !

ndj1979

first - You are not going to gain any muscle running two-four miles a day and eating 1050 to 1300 calories. You need to be in a caloric surplus, and start a progressive lifting program to add any appreciable mass. The only caveat to that would be untrained beginners, which you may fall into that category; but with that small of an intake and that much cardio, I am not sure if you would get newbie gains.

Second - Are you sure that you are accurately tracking? Do you use a food scale to weigh all solids? Do you eat back 100% of exercise calories? Are you logging everything and using correct MFP database entries?

Third - how long have you been dieting for and how many average calories per day were you consuming?

jess_c05

@ndj_4421 I've managed to put on some already, however , serious mass is not my goal. I'm an endurance runner just looking for a little more . I've seen my running buddies build through h.I.I.t and weight training without having to reduce cardio .

Anyway, I've struggled with poor food habits the past 7 years. I went from 120 to 106 , then this past year I went from 173-105 at my lowest. Since I first hit teen years I've been maintaining weight on a diet recommended for the average toddler . it doesn't make sense. I have energy , I'm not starved or lacking nutrients. Do I just have an abnormally slow resting metabolism for my age ?

ndj1979

jess_c05 wrote: »

@ndj_4421 I've managed to put on some already, however , serious mass is not my goal. I'm an endurance runner just looking for a little more . I've seen my running buddies build through h.I.I.t and weight training without having to reduce cardio .

Anyway, I've struggled with poor food habits the past 7 years. I went from 120 to 106 , then this past year I went from 173-105 at my lowest. Since I first hit teen years I've been maintaining weight on a diet recommended for the average toddler . it doesn't make sense. I have energy , I'm not starved or lacking nutrients. Do I just have an abnormally slow resting metabolism for my age ?

how do you know that you are putting on muscle?

by appreciable I mean adding some muscle…

Do you currently lift and run?

Finally, how many calories have you been consuming - roughly - over this period? If you have been chronically under eating for a prolonged time then you could have slowed your metabolism down….

jess_c05

@ndj1979 I've cut back about 10 miles a week and increased my caloric intake by 300-500 a day for the past month. I've also added in max weights instead of just H.I.I.T and strengthening. The scale ranges from a gain of 2-6 lbs . I understand water weight is part of this , but Im seeing more definition and slight increase in bicep, calf , thigh ect. measurements

I have a feeling this is an underlying problem from my childhood habits . When I weighed my heaviest last winter at 173 pounds , I was consuming the same amount of calories as I am now . The difference being where the calories came from and I was less active due to an ankle sprain

FatFreeFrolicking

jess_c05 wrote: »

@ndj_4421 I've managed to put on some already, however , serious mass is not my goal. I'm an endurance runner just looking for a little more . I've seen my running buddies build through h.I.I.t and weight training without having to reduce cardio .

Anyway, I've struggled with poor food habits the past 7 years. I went from 120 to 106 , then this past year I went from 173-105 at my lowest. Since I first hit teen years I've been maintaining weight on a diet recommended for the average toddler . it doesn't make sense. I have energy , I'm not starved or lacking nutrients. Do I just have an abnormally slow resting metabolism for my age ?

Unless you use a food scale and weigh every single food item you consume, you are most likely eating way more than an "average toddler."

ndj1979

OP - can you at least address these questions.

do you use a food scale?
do you eat back 100% of exercise calories? Or are you doing TDEE method?
How may calories do you average per day?
What is your current strength training regimen?

I would think the increase in measurements you are seeing are from water retention, but I could be wrong.

MamaBirdBoss

If you're 105lbs, your BMR will be very low. Less than 1200 a day. Because you're so light, adding 100 calories per mile is overestimating unless you're doing 8 minute miles and could cover your NEAT on higher mile days.

You'll probably end up maintaining, at that weight and a VERY active lifestyle, under 2000 cal a day. I don't realistically think you're burning 3000 or even 2800 calories.

MamaBirdBoss

If you weren't working out before, it would make perfect sense for you to be eating 1400 cal a day and maintaining on that. Maybe even 1350 at that weight if you're REALLY sedentary.

Now I would expect you to be closer to 1700 to 1900.

Francl27

I'm guessing you're underestimating your calories by a good 30%.

terbusha

I'm a practical guy. Go with what works. If you can eat 2000 calories/day and maintain weight, do it. Having a ramped up metabolism is a blessing and sets you up to keep your weight off. Congrats on the awesome work