Gained 5lbs after Running a 5K. What Happened?

Greytfish

Your muscles are retaining water for repair.

Though I would suggest 1200 is too low for that much activity.

eta: you most certainly did not gain 5lbs of muscle in one day. As women, it would be hard for us to gain 5lbs of muscle in 6 months without a serious hypertrophy routine.

This.

Even a young male with normal levels of testosterone can build only about 1-1.5 lbs. of muscle per month.

WakkoW

Hey everyone!
Thank you all so much for your help. I talked with my PCP about this, and he said that if I'm burning more calories than I'm eating (which, I totally am, since apparently I'm under eating anyways) I should be dropping weight. Not only have I gained weight, but I've been doing this diet/exercise routine now for 4 weeks, and have barely lost 5 lbs. I'm very interested in understanding how this is possible, especially since my PCP seems to be clueless.

I want to be healthier, not just more skinny (although a lower BMI is associated with health). So, could someone please just explain all of this so I can understand?

Thank you!

1 pound per week is great. Do you weigh your food? I have a suspicion (based on your current weight and activity level) that you are consuming more than 1,200 calories per day (not that there is anything wrong with that, 1,200 is too low).

Roadie2000

I lost 3 lbs since yesterday. What happened?

Answer: It doesn't matter. I'm pretty sure I didn't burn 10,000 calories in my workout yesterday, I don't feel dehydrated and I've been drinking water all day, it could have been the bowel movement I had earlier, my pants don't fit any different though.

I know this is easier said then done, but you need to not obsess about what the scale says. A few lbs here and there is almost always just water weight for whatever reason. If you need to weigh yourself every day you want to look at the overall trend, not the day to day weight. If you get discouraged too easily it might be better to just weigh yourself once a week or less.

starrsearching711

Since my schedule doesn't really vary, here's what I eat on a normal day:
Breakfast: Special K cereal with skim milk (I like the taste of skim milks best)
Snacks: freeze dried apples, carrots
Lunch: grilled chicken ceaser salad with low fat dressing
Snack: caramal rice cake with PB2 peanut butter (it's powdered and has 2.5 grams of fat, but is the yummiest peanut butter I've ever had), banana
Dinner: usually a weight watcher meal (I work at night and need something I can put in the microwave)
Snacks: fruit

My diet does not vary from this often.

brianpperkins

Since my schedule doesn't really vary, here's what I eat on a normal day:
Breakfast: Special K cereal with skim milk (I like the taste of skim milks best)
Snacks: freeze dried apples, carrots
Lunch: grilled chicken ceaser salad with low fat dressing
Snack: caramal rice cake with PB2 peanut butter (it's powdered and has 2.5 grams of fat, but is the yummiest peanut butter I've ever had), banana
Dinner: usually a weight watcher meal (I work at night and need something I can put in the microwave)
Snacks: fruit

My diet does not vary from this often.

Not seeing a lot of protein in that. Few calories, a lot of stress on your muscles from the amount of exercise, nothing to repair them ... then wonder why they retain water

Tony_Von_Stryfe

water retention to rebuild the damaged muscle tissue