I do between 2 to 3 hours of cardio a day and I'm still gaining weight, please help.

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  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,649 Member
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    charlied8817 wrote: »
    I assumed that a normal rate was 2-4 lbs at a time and anymore than that was fat gain.

    Whether 3500 Cal really does equal 1lb of fat... or whether 1lb of fat ends up requiring the cut of many more calories than that (http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/111114p36.shtml), one thing is for sure, I couldn't find sources claiming that storing 1lb of extra adipose tissue requires significantly LESS than 3500 excess calories!

    That would be 3500 calories ABOVE maintenance.

    So any time you see LARGE weight changes in a small period of time it is highly unlikely that they would primarily represent changes to your fat stores.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    heybales wrote: »
    fitoverfortymom wrote: »
    I eat more calories on the weekends than I do during the week, including a boatload of carbs. I'm about 5lbs heavier on Monday and sometimes down by as much as 3lbs (on top of losing the fake 5lb weekend gain) by Friday.

    Maybe you could log your weight daily in a trending app like Libra or Happy Scale rather than worrying about the minutia of normal, daily weight fluctuations.

    @charlied8817

    I'm shocked with your normal weekend arrangement that you haven't seen the above effect each and every time.

    Add some good stress to it - now you got sodium and cortisol induced water weight increase.

    Perhaps body is getting more stressed out over something.

    With all the weight lost - have you lightened up on the pace you are attempting to go - the amount of daily deficit?

    What's appropriate at the start is not reasonable as you keep losing fat and have less of it.

    I was going to say this if no one else had that it could be stress on the body and a raise in cortisol from so much exercise also leading to water retention.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    op a fitbit also takes into effect your BMR so what you burn is not just exercise calories. Im a 5'6 1/2 inch, 43 yr old woman. I can burn about 3000 calories(according to my fitbit,but that includes my BMR) if I become active early in the am and get a lot of movement in through the day. for me that would be about 15,000-20,000 steps. so most days my fitbit tells me 2300-2500 a day just getting 10.000 plus steps and any household activity,walking the dogs and so on.

    you say you have been doing this since may? I would take a diet break for a few weeks(eat at maintenance or close to it), and try losing again after. losing weight is not about how much exercise you do its about a calorie deficit. also the less weight you have to lose the slower its going to be and you have to be very precise in counting your calories. so that means even on your cheat days measure and weigh everything and see how much you really are overeating on those days. also scale back on your cardio. too much of anything can be a bad thing. see if that makes a difference in things as well.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    heybales wrote: »
    fitoverfortymom wrote: »
    I eat more calories on the weekends than I do during the week, including a boatload of carbs. I'm about 5lbs heavier on Monday and sometimes down by as much as 3lbs (on top of losing the fake 5lb weekend gain) by Friday.

    Maybe you could log your weight daily in a trending app like Libra or Happy Scale rather than worrying about the minutia of normal, daily weight fluctuations.

    @charlied8817

    I'm shocked with your normal weekend arrangement that you haven't seen the above effect each and every time.

    Add some good stress to it - now you got sodium and cortisol induced water weight increase.

    Perhaps body is getting more stressed out over something.

    With all the weight lost - have you lightened up on the pace you are attempting to go - the amount of daily deficit?

    What's appropriate at the start is not reasonable as you keep losing fat and have less of it.

    I was going to say this if no one else had that it could be stress on the body and a raise in cortisol from so much exercise also leading to water retention.

    I was going to add the exercise component too, especially with what seemed a big deficit still.

    Then I wondered why so long for this effect if doing the workouts that way for a long time - and only now stress from it.

    Unless, the body already adapted and the exercise had become pretty mediocre compared to what it could be, from lack of eating and recovery, ect.

    But perhaps some good sleep, good meals were had in a row, and a really good workout or two was had.
    And body hadn't seen that kind of stress in awhile.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    heybales wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    heybales wrote: »
    fitoverfortymom wrote: »
    I eat more calories on the weekends than I do during the week, including a boatload of carbs. I'm about 5lbs heavier on Monday and sometimes down by as much as 3lbs (on top of losing the fake 5lb weekend gain) by Friday.

    Maybe you could log your weight daily in a trending app like Libra or Happy Scale rather than worrying about the minutia of normal, daily weight fluctuations.

    @charlied8817

    I'm shocked with your normal weekend arrangement that you haven't seen the above effect each and every time.

    Add some good stress to it - now you got sodium and cortisol induced water weight increase.

    Perhaps body is getting more stressed out over something.

    With all the weight lost - have you lightened up on the pace you are attempting to go - the amount of daily deficit?

    What's appropriate at the start is not reasonable as you keep losing fat and have less of it.

    I was going to say this if no one else had that it could be stress on the body and a raise in cortisol from so much exercise also leading to water retention.

    I was going to add the exercise component too, especially with what seemed a big deficit still.

    Then I wondered why so long for this effect if doing the workouts that way for a long time - and only now stress from it.

    Unless, the body already adapted and the exercise had become pretty mediocre compared to what it could be, from lack of eating and recovery, ect.

    But perhaps some good sleep, good meals were had in a row, and a really good workout or two was had.
    And body hadn't seen that kind of stress in awhile.

    He did say he's been increasing the length of time he's exercising for @heybales. Maybe his body has finally said 'enough!'.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    OP,

    If you're doing all that exercise because you think you need to to lose weight, you don't. It would be fine to dial that back a little and eat a little less if it's a chore for you. But if you enjoy it or you have fitness goals it contributes to, more power to you! Hang in there


    ^^ this
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    edited January 2018
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    jflongo wrote: »
    charlied8817 wrote: »
    jflongo wrote: »
    I work out 1 hr / day. I'm 6'1" about 205 lbs, and my settings put me at 1810 calories per day. I don't eat the additional calories for Net Calories. I stay at 1810, or a hair lower. I have my set a sedentary since I work at my desk most of the day, and set at 1 lb / week loss. I am set a 40% carbs / 35% prot / 25% fat. Are you watching your Macros as well?

    To me 3600 calories a day is way too much, don't trust that it says your are burning 2600 calories each day. You are eating double what I eat per day. I would try dropping down to 2200 calories per day and watch your macros.

    I under estimate my exercise calories and RARELY eat anywhere near my total for the day. I normally eat 35-50% back.

    I'm normally at 23-26k steps daily.

    You put this in your post though?

    "I eat about 3,600 calories ( 45-50 carb 25 fat rest protein- I rarely hit my fat )on average"

    Also, if you are trying to lose weight just stick to your Calories, not the Net Calories.

    OP, please do not listen to this. This is not how MFP works and if you're doing as much exercising per day as you claim, 1800 is WAY to little and you're setting yourself up for a huge crash and burn.
    charlied8817 wrote: »
    speedingticket wrote: »
    By the way, why are you doing 2-3 hours of cardio a day? If it's because you're involved in a low impact sport you love, then fine (although that sounds like an unsustainably intense regime if you only started training in the last 12 months?), but you really don't need to be doing that amount of cardio if it's just for the purpose of weight loss, you risk burning out.

    It's something that gradually happened. I just kept increasing resistance and time.

    It's for weight loss and staying in shape for distance runs ( 10ks halfs etc)

    That's still a ton of "just staying in shape for distance runs". I averaged ~35-37min per day (about 5.25 miles) 4-5 times per week to stay in shape for 5K, 10K, and halfs. If I had a half coming up I might throw in a 1:30-2 hr run a week or so before. I'm really taken back at 2-3 hours of cardio daily.
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
    edited January 2018
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    RGv2 wrote: »
    jflongo wrote: »
    charlied8817 wrote: »
    jflongo wrote: »
    I work out 1 hr / day. I'm 6'1" about 205 lbs, and my settings put me at 1810 calories per day. I don't eat the additional calories for Net Calories. I stay at 1810, or a hair lower. I have my set a sedentary since I work at my desk most of the day, and set at 1 lb / week loss. I am set a 40% carbs / 35% prot / 25% fat. Are you watching your Macros as well?

    To me 3600 calories a day is way too much, don't trust that it says your are burning 2600 calories each day. You are eating double what I eat per day. I would try dropping down to 2200 calories per day and watch your macros.

    I under estimate my exercise calories and RARELY eat anywhere near my total for the day. I normally eat 35-50% back.

    I'm normally at 23-26k steps daily.

    You put this in your post though?

    "I eat about 3,600 calories ( 45-50 carb 25 fat rest protein- I rarely hit my fat )on average"

    Also, if you are trying to lose weight just stick to your Calories, not the Net Calories.

    OP, please do not listen to this. This is not how MFP works and if you're doing as much exercising per day as you claim, 1800 is WAY to little and you're setting yourself up for a huge crash and burn.
    charlied8817 wrote: »
    speedingticket wrote: »
    By the way, why are you doing 2-3 hours of cardio a day? If it's because you're involved in a low impact sport you love, then fine (although that sounds like an unsustainably intense regime if you only started training in the last 12 months?), but you really don't need to be doing that amount of cardio if it's just for the purpose of weight loss, you risk burning out.

    It's something that gradually happened. I just kept increasing resistance and time.

    It's for weight loss and staying in shape for distance runs ( 10ks halfs etc)

    That's still a ton of "just staying in shape for distance runs". I averaged ~35-37min per day (about 5.25 miles) 4-5 times per week to stay in shape for 5K, 10K, and halfs. If I had a half coming up I might throw in a 1:30-2 hr run a week or so before. I'm really taken back at 2-3 hours of cardio daily.

    I'm training for an ultra and I don't do 3 hours a day (I average about 1.7 including a rest day). 2-3 hours a day without a huge goal in mind sounds nuts and unnecessary
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    heybales wrote: »
    fitoverfortymom wrote: »
    I eat more calories on the weekends than I do during the week, including a boatload of carbs. I'm about 5lbs heavier on Monday and sometimes down by as much as 3lbs (on top of losing the fake 5lb weekend gain) by Friday.

    Maybe you could log your weight daily in a trending app like Libra or Happy Scale rather than worrying about the minutia of normal, daily weight fluctuations.

    @charlied8817

    I'm shocked with your normal weekend arrangement that you haven't seen the above effect each and every time.

    Add some good stress to it - now you got sodium and cortisol induced water weight increase.

    Perhaps body is getting more stressed out over something.

    With all the weight lost - have you lightened up on the pace you are attempting to go - the amount of daily deficit?

    What's appropriate at the start is not reasonable as you keep losing fat and have less of it.

    I was going to say this if no one else had that it could be stress on the body and a raise in cortisol from so much exercise also leading to water retention.

    Also putting in a vote for cortisol induced water retention from the excessive exercise. OP, you may want to have a read of this: https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html/

    You've lost 70 lbs in 8 months (that seems to have been overlooked by many responders), which is a pretty fast clip, and there is no way you have the fat reserves to sustain that now.

    Yeah, you hit on what I was going to say.

    The people telling OP to drop calories to 2200 are ignoring the fact he said he runs 40-50+ miles per week, and that the supposed "gain" is just since last weekend.

    OP, WHY are you running 3 times a day? That, plus the panic about a few days and the efforts to keep at the same fast level of loss when you are BMI 23 seem like possible warning signs to me.

    If you like doing 10Ks and half marathons (I love half marathons and am training for a marathon now -- I like them sort of but have only done 2 so far), why not pick a goal race and a reasonable training plan and follow it, and cut out all the excess running. To lose and train while a healthy weight, you won't be able to lose fast; I'd aim for no more than 1 lb/week and likely less. I'd add in some weight training too, but not for weight loss, for health and (if you want) looking good.

    And I'd RELAX. It's going to help more with loss and sustainability at this point anyway.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,841 Member
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    jflongo wrote: »
    3600 calories a day is way too much, don't trust that it says your are burning 2600 calories each day.

    This.

  • gogetemrogue
    gogetemrogue Posts: 80 Member
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    Are you allowing yourself rest days? Sounds like you aren't allowing water retention and cortisol levels to stabilize, because overeating can't cause you to gain 10 lbs overnight. In a month, sure, but not overnight.

    Running a half-marathon is a great goal! Perhaps you should at least temporarily shift your goal from weight loss to being able to run that half-marathon, since your weight is fine. The confidence boost from reaching such a great achievement might make the process less stressful should you choose to cut again. (Don't forget rest days though!)

    I think someone mentioned it somewhere upthread, but you might want to also consider recomposition--lack of muscle definition can make you think you need to lose more weight than you really need to.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    edited January 2018
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    charlied8817 wrote: »
    In a nut shell, I started working out in May of 2017. I was 255ish pounds, 28 years old and 6'2.

    I've been on a calorie count diet since then as well. Since May I've gotten down to 182.4( that was mid day this Saturday 1-20) since then I've gained weight, a loy of weight. I weighed in a few moments ago at 191.3.

    My one day a week off are Sundays, i didn't go crazy over eating. I ate approx. 3500 on my day off, pretty much learn protien, nuts, fruits and veggies.

    I am 6'2" tall, and do about 1.5 hours of intense workout sessions 4 days a week. My TDEE if I don't want to lose or gain weight is around 2500-2600 calories per day (7 days a week). That's with me currently weighing in around 197 (been bulking for the last six months or so). I'd wager there are a few reasons:

    1) Weigh in once a week on the same day, same time, before you eat or drink anything. Expect up to 3-5lbs fluctuation if you've had a high sodium diet in the last 3 days.
    2) 3500 calories is a lot. Even if you're doing 2-3 hours of cardio I doubt that's the right calorie amount for you. I assume you're eating back all of your exercise calories?
    3) 2 hours of cardio a day is probably too much. 3 hours is definitely too much. If you're doing all of that cardio so that you can eat 3500 calories a day you're setting yourself up for failure. Once you stop the cardio, and you will eventually - nobody can keep that up forever, you're going to balloon back to your original weight because you'll be used to eating that much.
    4) Consider re-calculating your actual calories burned using several sources. Use the calculators on MFP, use sites like IIFYM.com, and maybe a few others to get an idea of how much you're actually burning. Even then, don't eat back all the calories, it's always over estimated a little bit.
    5) Are you weighing your food? Using accurate entries in the diary, or just choosing the ones that fit what you want to eat?

    My TDEE without exercise at 6'2" tall, 197 lbs is about 2100 calories MAX. That's if I have a sedentary job, and do just normal daily activities. The most I've ever burned in 30 minutes on a very tough machine was about 310 calories, and I figured that to be over estimated by about 10-20%. So if you figure, at high intensity, you can burn about 200ish calories every 30 minutes, 2 hours of cardio would equal maybe 800 calories extra. Add that to the 2100 for me and I'd be able to eat 2900 calories and not gain or lose weight. If I wanted to lose .5lbs a week, I'd have to drop 250 calories a day off that, so i'd need to eat no more than 2650 and still do 2 hours of cardio 7 days a week.

    Anyway, just my .02. Been at this for almost 3 years. Been maintaining (except for the last six months of bulking) for about 1.5 years.

    So how are you estimating your calories burned, and are you weighing your food, using accurate entries? Those are the three main questions. What do you calculate your TDEE is without exercise, and how did you calculate it?

    Food for thought. I'm sure everyone has a different opinion.

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