Not Underweight but Dr. said I could use a "buffer"
GBPack93
Posts: 76 Member
Hello I am looking for some advice. I went for an annual checkup and right now I am 5'10" and 143 lbs. My doctor said although I am not underweight I could use a "buffer" of extra weight since I have a chronically low body temp and a low resting heart rate. Long story short I want to gain about 10 lbs of mainly muscle but some fat wouldn't kill me, my BF % right now is about 12-14%. Right now I am training for my 2nd marathon and I am eating usually 3k a daily just to maintain (If I can hit that). I wondering if it is possible to gain muscle when running between 70-80 miles per week and lifting 5 days a week? I would assume I need to eat around 3.5k a day to gain. Anyone have any advice for a super active person trying to gain?
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Hello I am looking for some advice. I went for an annual checkup and right now I am 5'10" and 143 lbs. My doctor said although I am not underweight I could use a "buffer" of extra weight since I have a chronically low body temp and a low resting heart rate. Long story short I want to gain about 10 lbs of mainly muscle but some fat wouldn't kill me, my BF % right now is about 12-14%. Right now I am training for my 2nd marathon and I am eating usually 3k a daily just to maintain (If I can hit that). I wondering if it is possible to gain muscle when running between 70-80 miles per week and lifting 5 days a week? I would assume I need to eat around 3.5k a day to gain. Anyone have any advice for a super active person trying to gain?
I'm not quite at your level activity, but I do run about 20 miles a week and am also trying to put on some muscle. Personally I do StrongLifts and eat at a 500 Calorie surplus, typically 2,750 to 3,500 calories per day, depending on whether I ran that day and how far.
It's entirely possible, but certainly more challenging. And you're going to have to make a difficult choice about which you do first - run or lift.
Lifting first will hurt your running, which seems to be your priority. However, running first will mean you can't lift as much, which will hurt your attempts to grow. Also I feel that lifting fatigued is just begging for an injury. You may end up doing a ton of extra work for little reward.
I think if I were you I'd lift first, run after (or later, even better). I'd also only lift 3 times a week. I think 5x a week on top of 80 miles is a heck of a load on your body.0 -
... My doctor said although I am not underweight I could use a "buffer" of extra weight since I have a chronically low body temp and a low resting heart rate. ...
As a runner who is training for a half, I can understand the concern from the doctor. The above happen to me as well and the doc found some vitamin def. and my cortisol levels were elevated. The best advice they gave me was to implement some rest days. It was also suggested on a running forum to monitor my resting heart rate and morning basal temperatures.
I would suggest having the doc check for any vitamin def. and hormone levels. You might be on the verge of overtraining and not know it.0 -
Thanks for the tips. It sounded like the doc wanted me to gain about 10 lbs which I am ok with0
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Have you had your thyroid checked? Hypothyroidism is a common cause of low body temp.0
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Well; IF you wanna gain muscle and train for a marathon; I would cut running down to 3 DAW since that is all you need; then do starting strength or stronglifts type program another 3 DAW with light to moderate cross training preferably a few hours after the lifting session; then have an active rest day sunday. It will solve your conflicts and strikes balance, and keep you from overuse injuries, maybe. Basically:
Monday: 4-8 mile run (marathon pace)
Tuesday: Stronglifts, elliptical, bike or swim 30-40min moderat effort
Wednesday: Tempo or Mile Repeats
Thursday: Diddo tuesday
Friday: Active Rest
Saturday: Long *kitten* Run
Sunday: Diddo thursday (unless you feel over worked; then active rest)
Read more:http://www.completehumanperformance.com/a-guide-to-strength-training-for-endurance-athletes.html0 -
yep stop eating low fat and fat free crap, what they lack in fat they make up in sugar and chemicals. Eat nuts, REAL nut butters (not spreads) avocados, milkshakes, add heavy cream if you want calories, fruit, protein powder, real peanut butter and a touch of whole milk, You can easily make a 1200 calorie shake.0
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You can still do cardio you just have to eat a surplus, i dont do cardio cause i would need to up my cals alot and it seems you may as well. I would cut down the cardio to 3 days and lift the remaining 4.... EAT EAT EAT you will need to be in a surplus. If you are new to lifting then stick to compound lifts0
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Oh man if I was 20 again. Hit the weights and eat ALL the foodz. If you start gaining more than a pound a week you could cut back on the food a little but with how active you are you would probably have a hard time doing that. Any fat you put on would be pretty easy to get rid of with that level of activity.0
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"Buffer" isn't muscle, it's fat stores.
I dunno, I'd be getting a second opinion, he may just be reacting to your (by typical standards) low BF%.0 -
I don't see how 12-14% BF is too low. I'd also seek a second opinion and maybe a specialist to address the underlying health concerns.0
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Have you had your thyroid checked? Hypothyroidism is a common cause of low body temp.
This
And, you may just be putting too much stress on your body, taxing your adrenals ... Too much stress can throw your hormones out off whack ... when one is out of whack (adrenals) others tend to follow suit ... The endocrine system is like a symphony, one sour note ruins the whole thing ... Also, adrenals and thyroid play off of each other in a major way ...0 -
Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm thinking I'll go back to the doctor to run some tests, as she didn't do any tests but just based this from my activity level, low resting hr and low body temp. Thanks for that link for strength training for endurance athletes btw.0
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Thanks for the tips. It sounded like the doc wanted me to gain about 10 lbs which I am ok with
Wow training for an endurance event and trying to gain is tough, may need 3500+ cals/day. And if you want it to be muscle, any of it, you will need to add strength training if you don't already.0 -
I don't see how 12-14% BF is too low. I'd also seek a second opinion and maybe a specialist to address the underlying health concerns.
I don't think the doc said low BF%, he talked about low weight. I am 5'6" and weigh slightly more than the OP with BF% in the 10-12% range, so he def has room to add some lean muscle.0 -
GOMAD - Gallon of Milk a Day (whole milk). Tons of calories, protein, fat, carbs. Perfect thing to drink for growing mammalians.0
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Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm thinking I'll go back to the doctor to run some tests, as she didn't do any tests but just based this from my activity level, low resting hr and low body temp. Thanks for that link for strength training for endurance athletes btw.
When I was 20, no one thought to check my thyroid. When someone finally did check it, she ignored the test results for another 5 years because I wasn't overweight, just depressed. I wasn't overweight because I exercised all the time. It's an easy test, and if you were to be hypothyroid, the medication is effective and inexpensive.0 -
BF% wasn't drastically low or anything, but she said it would beneficial to have a bit of a buffer or extra bulk, which I am good with I'd like to pack on some muscle.0
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Bump because it has been about a week of me consciously eating more and I have a few questions.
1. I have not had an increase in weight yet, but I noticed that I am running a little faster than I ever have before. Could that by due to the increased calories (more energy to burn)?
2. Is it ok to go to the gym and lift right after I run? I am a student with a sporadic schedule and the mornings are the only time I have to dedicate to exercise, I normally finish my run, usually lasting 60-90 minutes, and then head to the gym asap when I get home for 60 minutes of lifting. Would that affect muscle gain?
3. Will filling extra calories with "Junk" food help at all for muscle gain? I'm not talking about fast food or anything like that, but when you've got to eat nearly 4000 calories how bad is something like soda or ice cream when you just can down anything else anymore? I feel like since it is all sugar my body will just burn it right away for energy.0 -
dude, i feel your pain. i'm in the same boat. i eat about 2800 calories to try to maintain at about 150 lbs. my doctor told me not to work out so much.0
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You are essentially a student athlete, perhaps not in a formal sense, but you are living the life. Does your college or university have a football team or basketball team or such? If so, can you speak with a team trainer? IMHO, you should approach this as an athlete, not an under-eater. Fantastic job working out!0
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Yup just read that as " NO UNDERWEAR BUT DR. SAID I COULD USE A BUFFER"
lol0 -
Bump because it has been about a week of me consciously eating more and I have a few questions.
1. I have not had an increase in weight yet, but I noticed that I am running a little faster than I ever have before. Could that by due to the increased calories (more energy to burn)?
2. Is it ok to go to the gym and lift right after I run? I am a student with a sporadic schedule and the mornings are the only time I have to dedicate to exercise, I normally finish my run, usually lasting 60-90 minutes, and then head to the gym asap when I get home for 60 minutes of lifting. Would that affect muscle gain?
3. Will filling extra calories with "Junk" food help at all for muscle gain? I'm not talking about fast food or anything like that, but when you've got to eat nearly 4000 calories how bad is something like soda or ice cream when you just can down anything else anymore? I feel like since it is all sugar my body will just burn it right away for energy.
1. Maybe wait another week and see what your weight does. Probably still gonna have to eat more if weight does not go up. Keep raising your daily calories by around 100 each week until you start seeing movement in the right direction.
2. Not ideal to lift after cardio but since it sounds like you are fairly new to lifting it might be ok. What program are you going to do? Might need to make the muscle gain a priority if you are serious about adding some weight which means running on the days you dont lift.
3. There is nothing wrong with adding "junk" after your nutritional needs are met. Nuts and peanut butter are pretty high calorie and someone else mentioned milk. Easy to get a few hundred calories drinking milk as your primary fluid.0 -
Good luck, I run about 10 miles per week and people tell me I'm skinny and need to eat. All those miles, will definitely require you to eat a lot.0
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Bump because it has been about a week of me consciously eating more and I have a few questions.
1. I have not had an increase in weight yet, but I noticed that I am running a little faster than I ever have before. Could that by due to the increased calories (more energy to burn)?
2. Is it ok to go to the gym and lift right after I run? I am a student with a sporadic schedule and the mornings are the only time I have to dedicate to exercise, I normally finish my run, usually lasting 60-90 minutes, and then head to the gym asap when I get home for 60 minutes of lifting. Would that affect muscle gain?
3. Will filling extra calories with "Junk" food help at all for muscle gain? I'm not talking about fast food or anything like that, but when you've got to eat nearly 4000 calories how bad is something like soda or ice cream when you just can down anything else anymore? I feel like since it is all sugar my body will just burn it right away for energy.
1. Maybe wait another week and see what your weight does. Probably still gonna have to eat more if weight does not go up. Keep raising your daily calories by around 100 each week until you start seeing movement in the right direction.
2. Not ideal to lift after cardio but since it sounds like you are fairly new to lifting it might be ok. What program are you going to do? Might need to make the muscle gain a priority if you are serious about adding some weight which means running on the days you dont lift.
3. There is nothing wrong with adding "junk" after your nutritional needs are met. Nuts and peanut butter are pretty high calorie and someone else mentioned milk. Easy to get a few hundred calories drinking milk as your primary fluid.
I had been lifting on a split for general strength building for a couple months now but not for muscle gain. I started StrongLifts 5x5 this week. One problem I have is that I am getting a lot of suggestions for high fat foods like nuts & milk, but I find these things fill me up more and are hard to stomach after a while and I don't like feeling super full the next morning during my run, which is why I asked about soda, or maybe skim/low fat milk & dairy since it doesn't upset my stomach as much.0 -
Bump because it has been about a week of me consciously eating more and I have a few questions.
1. I have not had an increase in weight yet, but I noticed that I am running a little faster than I ever have before. Could that by due to the increased calories (more energy to burn)?
2. Is it ok to go to the gym and lift right after I run? I am a student with a sporadic schedule and the mornings are the only time I have to dedicate to exercise, I normally finish my run, usually lasting 60-90 minutes, and then head to the gym asap when I get home for 60 minutes of lifting. Would that affect muscle gain?
3. Will filling extra calories with "Junk" food help at all for muscle gain? I'm not talking about fast food or anything like that, but when you've got to eat nearly 4000 calories how bad is something like soda or ice cream when you just can down anything else anymore? I feel like since it is all sugar my body will just burn it right away for energy.
1. Maybe wait another week and see what your weight does. Probably still gonna have to eat more if weight does not go up. Keep raising your daily calories by around 100 each week until you start seeing movement in the right direction.
2. Not ideal to lift after cardio but since it sounds like you are fairly new to lifting it might be ok. What program are you going to do? Might need to make the muscle gain a priority if you are serious about adding some weight which means running on the days you dont lift.
3. There is nothing wrong with adding "junk" after your nutritional needs are met. Nuts and peanut butter are pretty high calorie and someone else mentioned milk. Easy to get a few hundred calories drinking milk as your primary fluid.
I had been lifting on a split for general strength building for a couple months now but not for muscle gain. I started StrongLifts 5x5 this week. One problem I have is that I am getting a lot of suggestions for high fat foods like nuts & milk, but I find these things fill me up more and are hard to stomach after a while and I don't like feeling super full the next morning during my run, which is why I asked about soda, or maybe skim/low fat milk & dairy since it doesn't upset my stomach as much.
Yep anything that gets you to your calories. High fat stuff is just high in calories for a smaller amount of food but does make some people feel fuller.
SL5x5 will be a good program for you for a while. Good luck man and enjoy all the foodz. : )0 -
Not Underweight but Dr. said I could use a "buffer"
I read this as "butter"...my screen is a little dirty I think...but probably you could use some butter.0 -
Not Underweight but Dr. said I could use a "buffer"
I read this as "butter"...my screen is a little dirty I think...but probably you could use some butter.
I read it as buffet at first but for what it's worth I'm tired.0 -
Ya, during my racing days, same 5'10", 6-7% BF, 155 was race weight. And by no means did I have big shoulders because of UPS injuries, but I did swimming.
Once you have a base, you don't need to rack up miles like that unless you are going competitive in the running, in which case emaciated upper body is very appropriate along with lower than normal weight.
Low HR is to be expected, like lower than 40-45, which is very normal for endurance cardio training?
Lifting weights after running hard or long will be about useless for the lifting effect.
You only ask the body to increase strength or size when you overload the muscles with weight.
You having tired muscles because you already exercised is not the same thing, the body's response then is add more glucose for the endurance load being put on it.
Get your running down to 3 days a week, long run, short hill sprints or interval run, short calm run.
Lifting 2 x week, full body. 3rd time upper body only on same day you do the intervals.
If eating more helped you feel stronger, you likely weren't eating at maintenance, but below.
You eating enough carbs to fuel this activity level?
Done your research as to carb refeeds after workouts for best uptake for best benefit the next day?0 -
Bump because it has been about a week of me consciously eating more and I have a few questions.
1. I have not had an increase in weight yet, but I noticed that I am running a little faster than I ever have before. Could that by due to the increased calories (more energy to burn)?
2. Is it ok to go to the gym and lift right after I run? I am a student with a sporadic schedule and the mornings are the only time I have to dedicate to exercise, I normally finish my run, usually lasting 60-90 minutes, and then head to the gym asap when I get home for 60 minutes of lifting. Would that affect muscle gain?
3. Will filling extra calories with "Junk" food help at all for muscle gain? I'm not talking about fast food or anything like that, but when you've got to eat nearly 4000 calories how bad is something like soda or ice cream when you just can down anything else anymore? I feel like since it is all sugar my body will just burn it right away for energy.
1. Maybe wait another week and see what your weight does. Probably still gonna have to eat more if weight does not go up. Keep raising your daily calories by around 100 each week until you start seeing movement in the right direction.
2. Not ideal to lift after cardio but since it sounds like you are fairly new to lifting it might be ok. What program are you going to do? Might need to make the muscle gain a priority if you are serious about adding some weight which means running on the days you dont lift.
3. There is nothing wrong with adding "junk" after your nutritional needs are met. Nuts and peanut butter are pretty high calorie and someone else mentioned milk. Easy to get a few hundred calories drinking milk as your primary fluid.
I had been lifting on a split for general strength building for a couple months now but not for muscle gain. I started StrongLifts 5x5 this week. One problem I have is that I am getting a lot of suggestions for high fat foods like nuts & milk, but I find these things fill me up more and are hard to stomach after a while and I don't like feeling super full the next morning during my run, which is why I asked about soda, or maybe skim/low fat milk & dairy since it doesn't upset my stomach as much.
Yep anything that gets you to your calories. High fat stuff is just high in calories for a smaller amount of food but does make some people feel fuller.
SL5x5 will be a good program for you for a while. Good luck man and enjoy all the foodz. : )
Thanks good information to know.0 -
Ya, during my racing days, same 5'10", 6-7% BF, 155 was race weight. And by no means did I have big shoulders because of UPS injuries, but I did swimming.
Once you have a base, you don't need to rack up miles like that unless you are going competitive in the running, in which case emaciated upper body is very appropriate along with lower than normal weight.
Low HR is to be expected, like lower than 40-45, which is very normal for endurance cardio training?
Lifting weights after running hard or long will be about useless for the lifting effect.
You only ask the body to increase strength or size when you overload the muscles with weight.
You having tired muscles because you already exercised is not the same thing, the body's response then is add more glucose for the endurance load being put on it.
Get your running down to 3 days a week, long run, short hill sprints or interval run, short calm run.
Lifting 2 x week, full body. 3rd time upper body only on same day you do the intervals.
If eating more helped you feel stronger, you likely weren't eating at maintenance, but below.
You eating enough carbs to fuel this activity level?
Done your research as to carb refeeds after workouts for best uptake for best benefit the next day?
I put in this much mileage because I enjoy it though. Love the thrill of a good run (especially a long run over 20 miles), and I love working towards a marathon goal. As far as the heart rate goes I tend to dip below 40 quite often and the doctor seemed somewhat alarmed by that, even with my activity level, she said the 50 range should be normal with my activity level. And as far as eating enough carbs, I was not really tracking intake for a while, and I tend to under eat a bit when I don't track, so that may have been a possibility. Thanks for the insight.0
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