Running 2- 3 times a week but gaining weight

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KittyS1986
KittyS1986 Posts: 23 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Help!!

I have a lot of weight left to loose (66lbs total left) CW:205. I'm training for a 10k in july and run 2-3 times a week varied lengths. I have been under my calorie goal every single day and eating as clean as I can but I'm gaining weight. Is this normal? What can I do so that I'm loosing again?

Any help, advice and ideas greatly received
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  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Something is wrong with your logging. Double check the database entries you are using and if you are logging without a food scale, get one to make sure your portions are not bigger than you think.
  • KittyS1986
    KittyS1986 Posts: 23 Member
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    I already measure and weigh everything i eat
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    How are you measuring your calorie burn from running?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    How much have you gained and in what time frame?
  • KittyS1986
    KittyS1986 Posts: 23 Member
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    I have the runkeeper app on my phone and im gaining 1-2 lbs a week over a couple of weeks. It doesnt sound alot but my doctor has said i need to loose it. Its frustrating. I lost 1.6lbs for the whole month of feb
  • Becca_250
    Becca_250 Posts: 188 Member
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    I have a desk job so I set my activity to sedentary and then log my workouts separately, do you do something similar? Are you eating any particularly salty foods that could cause you to hold water weight? Are you eating back the exercise calories?
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
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    Has the weight gain just happened? Is it time of the month?
  • KittyS1986
    KittyS1986 Posts: 23 Member
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    I am on my feet all day as I work with small children so I have a fairly active job. I try and stay away from salty foods and bread as my body doesnt like them. No its a gradual gain and it isnt time of the month.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    KittyS1986 wrote: »
    I am on my feet all day as I work with small children so I have a fairly active job. I try and stay away from salty foods and bread as my body doesnt like them. No its a gradual gain and it isnt time of the month.

    Create a bigger deficit.
  • blueboxgeek
    blueboxgeek Posts: 574 Member
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    How many calories are you eating and how many calories from exercise are you eating back?
  • tiny_clanger
    tiny_clanger Posts: 301 Member
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    I've found the same thing happening to me. I lost a lot when I started training, now as my body has adapted, I'm slowly gaining weight, though I'm logging and eating a deficit.

    The advice my doctor gave to me (was seeing her for something unrelated to weight but I mentioned it) was to take a break from the scales, but concentrate on measurements - waist, hips, thighs, etc. I'm definitely seeing a difference in centimetres lost, especially from "bad" fat places (tummy) and her attitude was that this is just as significant as weight loss.
    She also recommended upping my water intake significantly - running is dehydrating and you don't always drink back your fluid deficit afterwards. Dehydration will impact on your body's ability to metabolise energy and digest effectively.

    Weight loss is not as straightforwards as CICO - the body is a black box which consumes energy in different ways and with different levels of efficiency. I found that, after a 3 week plateau/marginal weight gain, suddenly everything came together - run speed improved, run efficiency and technique improved, weight came off, centimetres came off, etc. You might find the same thing too.

  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
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    If you open up your diary we will be able to give better advice.
  • 4leighbee
    4leighbee Posts: 1,275 Member
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    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »
    Has the weight gain just happened? Is it time of the month?

    This is a great point. I ignore the scale for a week every month - and then magically, it is a beautiful number! But I was going to also say that when I start back running after a break, I *always* gain a few pounds. It's happened enough to definitely be a pattern. So, I just ignore it. If your diet is under control as you say (and appropriate choices are being made for nutrition), then keep your head down and don't let it get to you. Sprinkle in some hill work and intervals to your training, too - not just monotonous, comfortable running. That will keep it interesting and challenge your mind as well as your body.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
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    KittyS1986 wrote: »
    I have the runkeeper app on my phone and im gaining 1-2 lbs a week over a couple of weeks. It doesnt sound alot but my doctor has said i need to loose it. Its frustrating. I lost 1.6lbs for the whole month of feb

    Are you eating back your calories from running, etc? if so, try not eating back at least 300 of the calories. Hopefully the math is just off with your estimates and its not something else.

  • drachfit
    drachfit Posts: 217 Member
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    KittyS1986 wrote: »
    I already measure and weigh everything i eat

    I am sorry, but if you are gaining weight then one of two things is happening:

    1. Your calorie goal is too high
    2. You are measuring and logging something incorrectly and are eating more than you think

    Adjust your intake down slightly.
  • 4leighbee
    4leighbee Posts: 1,275 Member
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    OP: how long have you been running?
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    Have you increased the duration or intensity of your runs? Perhaps you are retaining water.
  • revolucia78
    revolucia78 Posts: 196 Member
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    Your ticker says that you have lost 14lbs so far. Have you recalculated your calorie goal? It's recommended to adjust it after every 10lbs lost since your body requires less fuel than before. I don't think this would make a significant difference in your calorie goal but if you haven't already - I would take a second look at the numbers.
  • BeYouTiful94
    BeYouTiful94 Posts: 289 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Did you just start running recently? This actually happened to me last week when I arbitrarily went from the elliptical to running on the treadmill. I looked visibly bigger despite the fact that I always eat well under my calorie goal. I did some snooping around the Internet and found a fair amount of sources that mentioned how when you just start running, it tears up muscles, more specifically those in your legs, because it's a strenuous, new activity, and running also uses your entire bodyweight vs some other forms of cardio that don't, etc. and that your body, particularly your legs, retains more water to repair those torn up muscles. After your body gets used to the running, the water weight will shed and you should start noticing fat loss and muscle gain/toning. That's not to say the scale will show magic numbers. Not if you're gaining muscle at the same rate as you're losing fat. It's not always about the number on the scale :)

    I also read a couple of sources that mentioned it could be partially psychological. As in, you run, you feel great, feel like you just burned a billion calories, so you go home and have a nice, calorie-heavy meal. Make sure you have a fairly accurate way to measure calorie burn and if you eat back your calories, only eat back 50-75% of them. Also, as you run more, recognize that your body will have gotten used to whatever speed/incline/outdoor trail/etc that you love, and it will take longer distance, greater speed, a positive change in incline, etc. to burn the same amount of calories. I.e., if you've been running on the treadmill at 5 incline and 5 speed for 60 minutes for months and Sunday's, at some point, the treadmill will show that you've burned 800 calories in that time when you've only actually burned maybe 500. That's just something you've got to realize and accounting and adjust for on your own

    Also, you said the scale is going up. Are your measurements going up too? Perhaps it's as simple as you're gaining muscle and if you tried on some pants that used to fit snug, they'd tell you a different story than the scale :)
  • maxxeckert
    maxxeckert Posts: 8 Member
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    KittyS1986 wrote: »
    I have been under my calorie goal every single day and eating as clean as I can but I'm gaining weight.

    You haven't been under your calorie goal, or don't have the correct goal is the issue. If you are truly eating at a caloric deficit then you will always lose weight.

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