Running for weightloss

mung222

I need suggestions. I have recently gotten really into running. I've been doing races and have been averaging about 10 to 13 miles a week. I am at about a 10 minute mile on a good day and 10:30 min mile on a bad day. I've been at it for about 2 months now and I'm noticing the scale go up instead of down. I know muscle weighs more than fat but it's getting me frustrated. I used to do Atkins but since I'm running so much now I have reintroduced complex carbs back into my diet. I will usually eat them in the morning and stick to low carb at night. I will admit on the weekends (Friday and Saturday) I will drink wine but limit it to just those 2 days. Otherwise my only fluids are water. Any suggestions on what I could be doing differently diet wise or running wise? I was thinking of incorporating intervals. Thoughts?

mreeves261

Take a good look at your diet. Looking through your diary there are days that don't look complete, skipped, etc. Weigh your food. Running is great exercise but not necessary to lose weight. Running just gives you an extra deficit to work with.

Remember you can't out run a bad diet.

LoraF83

First of all, you are not gaining muscle. Running does not build (much) muscle. You are however, retaining fluid. That will account for a little bit of the scale increase. When you exercise, your muscles retain fluid to repair themselves (because exercise tears your muscle fibers). To counteract this, drink plenty of water and take rest days.

Second, running is not the magical key to weight loss. A calorie deficit is. Your diary is missing a lot of entries and some days only look partially completed. You need to log every thing you eat (and drink). You need to weigh and measure your food. If you do that, and stick to a moderate calorie deficit, you'll lose weight.

Finally, carbs are not evil. They are a good source of energy. They will not limit your ability to lose weight. Eat them as you see fit. And eat back your exercise calories (because that's how MFP works).

elkahallick

Weight loss is mostly diet.. You may be gaining muscle too..

cuinboston2014

I am not an Atkins expert, but I was under the impression that when you reintroduce the carbs back in that you will see a weight gain? I could be wrong.

I would make sure to eat a good mix of protein and complex carbs to fuel your workouts. You need carbs to run - but hte good ones. And you need teh lean proteins to recover. I am a runner and come from a family of runners. I know when I train for marathons I don't lose any weight as I generally start eating more and not watching it.

As far as training goes - intervals will not only get you faster but they will burn fat like it's nobody's business. Any time you do an interval or speed work have two days of recovery before the next day. When I worked with a running coach I would do one hard workout day followed by one recovery day - which was at least a minute per mile slower than my average pace, followed by an easy day and then another workout. If you aren't running tons of miles yet I would maybe do a hard workout and then the next day even a one mile slow recovery jog. You will need it and it will feel sooo good.

jeepyj93

So many of us over estimate how much we exercise and under estimate how much we eat. Weigh and measure all your food and wear a HRM to get a true calorie count as to how hard you are working out and burning.

RGv2

Weight loss is mostly diet.. You may be gaining muscle too..

Op isn't gaining muscle from running, especially appreciable muscle that would cause the gain in the scale.

Agreed it's mostly diet.

Are you eating exercise calories back?

If so, how are you estimating?

mung222

I get busy and or lazy with logging that is why there are missing entries but I can assure you I don't eat crap. I try my best to eat "clean". But I can be more strict with my logging and see if I notice a pattern. I also am bad with drinking water so I'll try to up my fluids.

mung222

Weight loss is mostly diet.. You may be gaining muscle too..

Op isn't gaining muscle from running, especially appreciable muscle that would cause the gain in the scale.

Agreed it's mostly diet.

Are you eating exercise calories back?

If so, how are you estimating?


I don't eat back my exercise calories. I just stay at or around 1200 a day. The most I'll get up to is 1300

JoRocka

I get busy and or lazy with logging that is why there are missing entries but I can assure you I don't eat crap. I try my best to eat "clean". But I can be more strict with my logging and see if I notice a pattern. I also am bad with drinking water so I'll try to up my fluids.

clean means nothing if you still eat to much of it.

I eat "clean" and I can eat my body weight in grams of steak. I weigh 160+ lbs. And yes- I can eat that much steak. And veggies.

guess what- that's pushing 3000 some calories for the day if not more. My maintenance is around 1800. If I ate 3000 calories of "clean" steak and veggies a day- I'd be a heifer.

Think of your body as an car. You need tools to maintain it right?
Think of diet as a tool
think of running as a tool
weight lifting is a tool.

All these things are tools' for your overall health and wellness- but the tool, that works for weight management is diet- not running.

You're thinking a hammer is going to help you get the screw into place. It won't.

come back to your diet- tune that up- figure out where the gaps are and go from there.

Running is great- but it's not going to help you lose weight if you aren't supporting it with the diet. It's a cheesy line but it's VERY true- you can't out run a bad diet!!!

LoraF83

I get busy and or lazy with logging that is why there are missing entries but I can assure you I don't eat crap. I try my best to eat "clean". But I can be more strict with my logging and see if I notice a pattern. I also am bad with drinking water so I'll try to up my fluids.

Crap or clean doesn't matter. You can eat too many calories in "clean" foods. Too many calories = weight gain (whether those extra calories came from broccoli or ice cream)

Log everything.

RGv2

Weight loss is mostly diet.. You may be gaining muscle too..

Op isn't gaining muscle from running, especially appreciable muscle that would cause the gain in the scale.

Agreed it's mostly diet.

Are you eating exercise calories back?

If so, how are you estimating?

I don't eat back my exercise calories. I just stay at or around 1200 a day. The most I'll get up to is 1300

I get busy and or lazy with logging that is why there are missing entries but I can assure you I don't eat crap. I try my best to eat "clean". But I can be more strict with my logging and see if I notice a pattern. I also am bad with drinking water so I'll try to up my fluids.

How do you know what you're eating if you're not logging it. I can eat "clean" all day long is still eat too much. If indeed you are eating 1200 calories, you should be eating back at least some of your exercise calories. Eating only 1200 and let's say netting 900 I bet puts you at 1/3 of your BMR, and not even close to TDEE -20% which is all that's required for weight loss.

ryry_

My thoughts in no particular order.

Eating clean is great but a calorie deficit is needed for weight loss.

By starting running it is highly unlikely you've any appreciable amount of muscle mass...Mayb some if you were a complete newbie, but still unlikely.

You introduced carbs back into your diet, which is getting stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen. Glycogen binds to water, which carries weight. None of those things are fat.

My guess would be with the introduction of carbs and weight training you are experiencing some water retention plus your glycogren stores being replenished. I've heard some comment that when you are on a very low carb diet like atkins, there is also a supercompensation effect. If the logging is inconsistent its possible you are overreating but I dont know. The only way to know is to log.

I would update your stats with the higher weight now that you are eating carbs and track your progress from there. Here is why. I weigh 235 lbs today. I eat around 200-250 grams of carbs a day. I could weigh 225 by the end of this week if I went on <50 grams of carbs a day diet. That would not accurately reflect real fat loss progress made. So if I started out at 225, added carbs, and went to 235, I might get worried, when actually there is nothing to be worried about.

mung222

I don't eat a lot. I've been at this "logging" thing for years now. I know how many calories i'm eating in a day even if i'm not logging. When I say I eat "clean" I mean I don't eat high fat, fried, processed foods which can make you gain faster than fruits and veggies due to the sodium content alone. The most calories I will eat in a day is around 1300 calories. And I'm burning in my cardio routine a day around 400 calories. I also do weight training for 30 mins 2x a week.

TheSlorax

My thoughts in no particular order.

Eating clean is great but a calorie deficit is needed for weight loss.

By starting running it is highly unlikely you've any appreciable amount of muscle mass...Mayb some if you were a complete newbie, but still unlikely.

You introduced carbs back into your diet, which is getting stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen. Glycogen binds to water, which carries weight. None of those things are fat.

My guess would be with the introduction of carbs and weight training you are experiencing some water retention plus your glycogren stores being replenished. I've heard some comment that when you are on a very low carb diet like atkins, there is also a supercompensation effect. If the logging is inconsistent its possible you are overreating but I dont know. The only way to know is to log.

I would update your stats with the higher weight now that you are eating carbs and track your progress from there. Here is why. I weigh 235 lbs today. I eat around 200-250 grams of carbs a day. I could weigh 225 by the end of this week if I went on <50 grams of carbs a day diet. That would not accurately reflect real fat loss progress made. So if I started out at 225, added carbs, and went to 235, I might get worried, when actually there is nothing to be worried about.

+1

when you begin a low carb diet, the scale will show a moderate loss which is attributed to depleted glycogen stores (to oversimplify, it's water weight). how long has it been since you reintroduced carbs and started running? reintroducing carbs and beginning a new exercise program will restore these glycogen stores which may show as a gain on the scale. eating "clean" is great but you can still overeat clean foods.

lastly, you really do need to log better. you say you drink on Fridays and Saturdays - how much exactly? the correct answer is that you do not know because you are not keeping an accurate log of your intake. I also find it interesting you specifically you mention eating "clean" in order to keep your sodium low when your diary directly contradicts this. based on your last post there will be a bunch of "eat more" advice to follow, but you cannot accurately adjust your intake if you do not know what your intake is. you're on a calorie counting site, use the tool as precisely as possible for the best results.

Morgaath

I don't eat a lot. I've been at this "logging" thing for years now. I know how many calories i'm eating in a day even if i'm not logging. When I say I eat "clean" I mean I don't eat high fat, fried, processed foods which can make you gain faster than fruits and veggies due to the sodium content alone. The most calories I will eat in a day is around 1300 calories. And I'm burning in my cardio routine a day around 400 calories. I also do weight training for 30 mins 2x a week.

I am curious why your Fitbit adjustment stays at 259 per day. Now, I'll admit I don't know how the Fitbit adjustments work, but I'd guess they are a lot like my Bodymedia ones, which starts the same each day (being based on my history), but then fluctuate depending on how physically active I am that day. I've had it go from 57 on the day I drove 12 hrs, to 800+ on the day I walked 6.5 miles
If you are really burning 400 cals in your workout, shouldn't the Fitbit record that activity?

mreeves261

I don't eat a lot. I've been at this "logging" thing for years now. I know how many calories i'm eating in a day even if i'm not logging. When I say I eat "clean" I mean I don't eat high fat, fried, processed foods which can make you gain faster than fruits and veggies due to the sodium content alone. The most calories I will eat in a day is around 1300 calories. And I'm burning in my cardio routine a day around 400 calories. I also do weight training for 30 mins 2x a week.

Then the best advice is see a doctor. With a cal intake of no more than 1300 per day and a burn of 400 per day you should be losing weight. Even if you ate dirty fried foods amounting to 1300 per day you would lose weight.

Mr_Knight

Your diary is quite incomplete. "Crap" or "clean", if you eat too many calories, you will gain weight. The most likely explanation for your circumstance is that you are eating too much food for your activity level. I know you say otherwise, but experience has shown otherwise.

Alternately, there is something medically wrong with you, and you need to see your doctor.

I realize that's not the answer you're looking for, but there you have it.

Confuzzled4ever

It's your diet that is stopping you from losing weight.. If you are running and only eating 1200 calories you are not fueling your body properly. I run, lift and do aerobic classes. I eat between 1600-2400 per day and I am probably still under eating. I don't lose unless I get over 1600 cal each day. I also eat clean, but over eating is still possible. I eat very little sugar or processed foods. I cook from scratch. I log every morsel that passes my lips, because i'm not totally in control of my diet otherwise. I also thought I was logging well until i bought a scale. Under estimating veggies and over estimating meat, every single time. Which means I wasn't eating as much as I thought I was. Starting eating better and logging correctly and I started losing again. Despite having a few very bad high calorie days.

Abs/weight loss happens in the kitchen, not in the gym.

Mjconnelly586

Good for you for getting into running! I have been running for years now and what I have noticed is how hungry long runs make me. What has worked for me is having a shake with kale, fruits, chia seeds, whey protein and yogurt as a pre and post work out meal/ snack. You need calories to run and you need calories/ protein to recover. This helps me stay on track for the day as well as gives my body what it wants and needs.

Interval training is huge for getting your metabolism going.

I see you added that you are doing weight training, I was going to suggest that so kudos on that. Maybe increasing the weights a bit? Or trying 3x/ week. On the weekends I often will run and do weights. I have heard from different sources that it is best to do cardio/strength training and others will say strength/cardio. I prefer cardio first, get my heart rate up then do my strength training work out.

I also struggle with drinking enough water during the day. I have found marking my bottle with drinnk this much by 10 this much by noon really helps me stay on track.

Multivitamins are also wicked important...

Keep up the good work! Running is the best, racing is so much fun!

srcardinal10

First, congratulations on getting into running. It's definitely not for everyone.

My suggestions: you really need to take a hard look at what you're eating. Your body is an engine and if you put crap fuel in it, you'll get crap results. I won't go into the deeper analogy of this but I have a feeling you get where I'm going.

Also, are you cross training? Lifting weights/strength training, swimming, climbing stairs, yoga, Zumba etc. are important since it sounds like you're getting more competitive with running. It will help your body to work together and run more efficiently by using the muscles different.

About this complex carbs stuff -- yes you need them as your distance is going up. What kinds of complex carbs are you eating though? Are they all refined? Full of additives, sugars, preservatives, etc?

Eat clean. Train dirty.

Good luck!