Why do I look flabby sometimes after running?

alexastoutxo · July 2016

Hey guys I'm new to mfp and really need help figuring out why sometimes right after runs and eating that I tens to get flabby? Im a long distance runner ,i run about 5-6 days a weeks 1-2 rest days for about 1 hour to an hour and a half on my most days. Im 5'1 98 pounds and I eat the right amount of calories to support my running so I don't see what the heck the problem is. To describe it more clearly I come back from a run and I look pretty slim (water loss obviously) I drink a protein shake (half a banana, half a cup of soy milk and protein powder) as a quick replenishment and then I usually have my post workout meal after (low carb tortilla w/tuna, a cheese stick, yogurt & a vegetable) but the funny thing is get to get kinda flabby after my post workout meal..I don't know its hard to describe but I'm a pretty lean girl and the flabbiness doesn't go away. I'm thinking it could possibly be not getting enough carbs in after my workout and my bodies overproducing insulin to try and replenish my glycogen storage? My protein intake is way higher than my carb intake so that's why I'm thinking it could be that? If anyone has any suggestions or a good explanation please inform me! Thank you!

jemhh · July 2016

It's probably water.

I have pretty lean legs. A couple of months ago I went on a longer and more challenging hike than normal and then afterward my legs looked very weird in the mirror. Kind of like patches of fat with an almost cellulite-like appearance. Definitely out of the ordinary. The next day they were back to normal. I figure it was just water.

sunnybeaches105 · July 2016

It's likely water, but do you do any strength training?

alexastoutxo · July 2016

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

It's likely water, but do you do any strength training?

No just running. But I don't know about it being water because it looks like fat automatically adds to my body when I don't give it enough carbs.

sunnybeaches105 · July 2016

alexastoutxo wrote: »

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

It's likely water, but do you do any strength training?

No just running. But I don't know about it being water because it looks like fat automatically adds to my body when I don't give it enough carbs.

If you're worried about body composition, and it sounds like you are, add two to three days of strength training to your regime. How many grams of protein per day are you consuming?

TavistockToad · July 2016

alexastoutxo wrote: »

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

It's likely water, but do you do any strength training?

No just running. But I don't know about it being water because it looks like fat automatically adds to my body when I don't give it enough carbs.

You know that's not possibly true though, don't you?

alexastoutxo · July 2016

TavistockToad wrote: »

alexastoutxo wrote: »

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

It's likely water, but do you do any strength training?

No just running. But I don't know about it being water because it looks like fat automatically adds to my body when I don't give it enough carbs.

You know that's not possibly true though, don't you?

Probably not but that's what it looks like my bodies doing. I tried looking up other explanations and there was also the mention of my body overproducing insulin and causing fat storage after my runs..I don't know if that's true or not though.

jacksonpt · July 2016

FWIW... happens to me, too.

I don't know what it is or why, or how much of it is just subjective... but I see it too.

j6o4 · July 2016

Your muscles are probably just deflated from burning up the glycogen stores in your muscle from cardio. Since your muscles get smaller from having less glycogen stored in them, your fat stores have no other option but to cover less volume on your body making you look more flabby.

Usually people will say I'm looking "flat" when they are dieting, which means that their muscles are depleted from glycogen. Usually after a refeed day or high carb meal, you will look "full". When your muscles are full, you usually look leaner as well because your fat stores have to spread over more volume on your body.

alexastoutxo · July 2016

j6o4 wrote: »

Your muscles are probably just deflated from burning up the glycogen stores in your muscle from cardio. Since your muscles get smaller from having less glycogen stored in them, your fat stores have no other option but to cover less volume on your body making you look more flabby.

Usually people will say I'm looking "flat" when they are dieting, which means that their muscles are depleted from glycogen. Usually after a refeed day or high carb meal, you will look "full". When your muscles are full, you usually look leaner as well because your fat stores have to spread over more volume on your body.

So should I have a high carb meal or day to help the flabbiness go away?

j6o4 · July 2016

alexastoutxo wrote: »

j6o4 wrote: »

Your muscles are probably just deflated from burning up the glycogen stores in your muscle from cardio. Since your muscles get smaller from having less glycogen stored in them, your fat stores have no other option but to cover less volume on your body making you look more flabby.

Usually people will say I'm looking "flat" when they are dieting, which means that their muscles are depleted from glycogen. Usually after a refeed day or high carb meal, you will look "full". When your muscles are full, you usually look leaner as well because your fat stores have to spread over more volume on your body.

So should I have a high carb meal or day to help the flabbiness go away?

If you're only looking to look less flabby after a run, i would eat a good chunk of carbs after, but this would be just a short term solution.

Long term solution would be lowering your body fat percentage and having enough muscle to never really look flabby.

alexastoutxo · July 2016

j6o4 wrote: »

alexastoutxo wrote: »

j6o4 wrote: »

Your muscles are probably just deflated from burning up the glycogen stores in your muscle from cardio. Since your muscles get smaller from having less glycogen stored in them, your fat stores have no other option but to cover less volume on your body making you look more flabby.

Usually people will say I'm looking "flat" when they are dieting, which means that their muscles are depleted from glycogen. Usually after a refeed day or high carb meal, you will look "full". When your muscles are full, you usually look leaner as well because your fat stores have to spread over more volume on your body.

So should I have a high carb meal or day to help the flabbiness go away?

If you're only looking to look less flabby after a run, i would eat a good chunk of carbs after, but this would be just a short term solution.

Long term solution would be lowering your body fat percentage and having enough muscle to never really look flabby.

Yeah makes sense but if I'm taking a rest day and the flabbiness is still there, what should I do then? Have a high carb day like you said? I do notice whenever I have more carbs on the days I run I look less flabby. Like yesterday I went on a long run (12 miles) and at the end of the day my carbs came out short and my protein were WAY over my carbs. So should I take this rest day to replenish?

alexastoutxo · July 2016

jacksonpt wrote: »

FWIW... happens to me, too.

I don't know what it is or why, or how much of it is just subjective... but I see it too.

Oh really? I thought it was just me because I never saw anyone else with this problem before! I wish there was an explanation though

jgnatca · July 2016

The flabbiness is temporary so don't even try to get rid of it. In the meantime your body is getting stronger. Don't try to make the water weight go away faster. It has nothing to do with gaining or losing fat.