Exercise Timing

altergirl

About two months ago I started the Couch to 5K program and have now completed it and am running the 5K about 3-4 times a week. In that time, I also started tracking my food and I lost 9lbs. I only had another 10 (ish) pounds to go to reach my goal of 130lbs. I am also doing the new rules of lifting for women weight training program, however I am only managing to get in about 2 workouts a week, occasionally three.

Over the past week I have switched from running at night to running first thing in the morning. It has been great in the sense that I get out there and get it done right away, and then feel great about my accomplishment all day, however I also had a 2lb gain on the scale this week, where over the last 2 months the scale has been moving consistently down - painfully slow - but always down. If I was up before (usually after a weekend) it was down again the following week.

This 2lb gain is hanging on and the only thing I can think of that I have really changed is my running time.

Is it possible that running in the evenings was working better for me? Allowing me to burn off extra calories at night? We eat dinner pretty late around here (7:30/8:00ish) and so perhaps my morning runs aren't enough to help me burn off those late night calories?

I have always read that it doesn't matter what time of the day you exercise, that you should do it whenever you are actually able to do it, and your body will respond accordingly, however I'm wondering about that now.

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. I would really love to get at least 10 more pounds off. They have been hanging on for far too long.

ladyace2078

Since you are close to goal and you are doing some fairly intensive workouts, it's likely just water weight. You may need to start tracking some of your other stats for progress - BF %, measurements, fit of clothing, length of time to run 5K, weight you are lifting. If you are lifting, the scale may not change much at all, but how you look will definitely change.