Why running makes me gain weight??
Rachelsleigh
Posts: 8 Member
I have started running the past year. I have done several 5k's and I'm signed up to do a half marathon in March. My (mental) problem is, whenever I run, I gain weight. Like more than a pound a week. I generally get discouraged and quit running and go back to my other workouts and have to really struggle to get those pounds back off. I have been stuck in this cycle for almost a year and my half is coming up and I'm no where near ready. Any one know what would cause this? I kept it up for over a month and the weight just kept creeping on, never seeming to want to come back down.
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Replies
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My guess is that your numbers are wrong... chances are you're eating more calories than you think, burning fewer cals than you think, and/or your goals (total cals and macros) are off.
On a side note, when you say you gain when you run, how long a time frame are we talking? You wake up on Monday weighing x lbs, run monday morning, then tuesday you way more?0 -
Yes. It's usually up at least a pound. If I continue to run, then it just goes up from there. One week I gained five pounds!!0
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That does seem strange... it actually helps me lose. Have you been drinking enough water? Is running making you eat more than usual?
Depending on how far you go- it burns a ton of calories so if you're not careful after your run you might be consuming more than you think. If you're certain that you're counting everything correctly though, the only thing I can think of is water retention from being hydrated enough...0 -
Body weight can fluctuate natrually by 5lbs or more. If you're seeing gains over longer time frames (weeks and months, not days or a week), then I'd look at your numbers/estimates - are you weighing your foods? How are you estimating calorie burns? etc. If it's shorter time frames (days), then I'd be more patient, especially if you feel good about your calorie estimates.0
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Are you counting calories along with this? Have you cross checked your gross intake against your TDEE? If you're in a deficit then you're doing it right. You can rest assured any weight gain is not fat gain.0
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It could also be your body storing up glycogen and the associated water. If you enjoy the running, don't worry so much about the weight. The fitness is more important.0
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i often overreward myself after run
But for me fewer calories burned from running and causes all sorts of joint problems.
I felt need to gain weight prior to running 5k to ensure could do it without stopping and in record time.
Much happier on my exercise bike as never snows and can watch a bluray
Have burnt 130 cheeseburgers off so far this year.
best0 -
What jack said..
Is it possible that you're retaining water as you are starting a new exercie?0 -
Are you logging and how are you eating back the running calories? MFP overestimates the calories burned from cardio so I only eat back about half the MFP estimated calories, unless my runs are longer than 6 miles. Then I start eating back a little more. Also, your body is going to crave more calories when you run so be prepared, but you shouldn't be gaining.0
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Initial gain is from water/glycogen retention. I'm betting more than likely, you're eating more than you think.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Body weight can fluctuate natrually by 5lbs or more. If you're seeing gains over longer time frames (weeks and months, not days or a week), then I'd look at your numbers/estimates - are you weighing your foods? How are you estimating calorie burns? etc. If it's shorter time frames (days), then I'd be more patient, especially if you feel good about your calorie estimates.
I agree with this. It is unlikely that you gained 5 lbs of body mass in 1 week, so it is also unlikely that that trend will continue. If you are noticing significant weight gain over a long period of time, then you must be over-estimating your burn or underestimating your intake. What is your typical burn per mile and how are you measuring it?0 -
Excessive running will elevate cortisol levels. Prolonged elevated cortisol levels promote water retention.0
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Something in your numbers is wrong- running by itself can't make you gain fat. Somehow it's causing you to overeat- either you're overestimating your calorie burn when you eat back the calories, or you're not tracking strictly enough and eating more than you realize.
I'm assuming you know for sure that you don't have some metabolic condition (diabetes, IR, etc) that would make you carbohydrate sensitive?0 -
To gain 5 lbs in 5 days would mean that you ate an extra 15k cals...not likely. I dont put much concern on how much i weigh. take a picture of yourself in just your underware...work out 5x a week...eat clean...and every 30-60 days take another pic. you will see improvement.0
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MFP over estimates cardio by almost double (based on wearing a bodybugg and comparing those numbers to MFP numbers). If you're tracking food and eating back all your running calories, you'll end up over eating since the burn is falsely high.
Also, as others have mentioned, unless you ate more than 17K cals over maintenance that week, the 5 pounds was not fat. Most likely water retention. If you love running, do it! And just give your body time to adjust so you stop holding on to so much water weight.0 -
The only other thing I can think of is that your muscles are retaining water from the run. You can gain "weight", it doesn't necessarily mean that you are gaining fat. Two completely different things. How are your clothes fitting? I tend to gain 2-3 lbs everytime I do a heavy weightlifting day.0
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Do you track your body measurements and/or body fat percentage? If not, I'd encourage you to do so. The number on the scale might be going up, but if it's water retention or something like that, you don't need to worry about it. If you stay the same size and body fat percentage, or if those improve, then you'll know.
If you are in fact getting larger or increasing body fat, you would likely need to examine what you are eating when you run.0 -
Running is my weekly work-out (I run 3x per week) and it actually helps me losing weight! Ok, I lose 1/2 lbs per week at most but it's good enough for me since I want to lose weight gradually. All I could think about is that, while you lose fat by running, you gain in muscles... but 1lbs of muscels per week?? That seems strange to me... as somebody else asked already, are you counting calories? That's the key! Personally, I try to run on the mornings/evenings when I know I am going to have a bigger dinner, so that I'll be allowed to have more calories afterwars (usually an additional 400/500!). If you have an iPhone, download the app called "Map My Run." It will tell you how long you've run for and at what pace...you add your work out on MFP and voila'- it will tell you how many more calories you can have! That's why you nedd to count calories... maybe you feel that after you are done with your running you are allowed to eat whatever you want, when in truth you can "just" have an additional 400/500 calories...0
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I disagree with everyone saying that MFP's running calorie burns are extremely elevated- they're really not, if you choose the appropriate speed. Calorie estimation for running isn't that complicated- for flat surfaces it's pretty much a certain distance in a certain time at a certain bodyweight burns X number of calories. Add hills or if you are a really inefficient runner that flails your arms around or something and the calories become underestimates, but it's really not that deep. OTHER cardio, maybe MFP is way off, but not running.0
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Actually, I use another program (Map My Run) to check how many calories I burnt by running and it perfectly matches MFP numbers... you need to make sure you're putting the right pace in- not just the minutes you've been running...0
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I have to run on a treadmill since I'm a stay at home mom with a toddler that does not tolerate a jogging stroller. The gym has child care
I track the calories that the treadmill says I have burned, and I do put my weight in while programming it so I think it's probably pretty accurate. I am not diligent with weighing foods, and I will eat back some calories but not all. I know I need to just stick it out and it will pay off, it is just very disheartening to see the number go up when you work so hard! Today I ran a mile at 5.0 mph and I said I burned 170 calories. I am no where near my goal weight, so I know being heavier I will burn more than someone that is smaller than me. 0 -
it is just very disheartening to see the number go up when you work so hard!
It's not! It shouldn't be! Get over it!
When you see a lean fit person, does it even cross your mind what they weigh? It's virtually irrelevant.0 -
I have to run on a treadmill since I'm a stay at home mom with a toddler that does not tolerate a jogging stroller. The gym has child care I track the calories that the treadmill says I have burned, and I do put my weight in while programming it so I think it's probably pretty accurate. I am not diligent with weighing foods, and I will eat back some calories but not all. I know I need to just stick it out and it will pay off, it is just very disheartening to see the number go up when you work so hard! Today I ran a mile at 5.0 mph and I said I burned 170 calories. I am no where near my goal weight, so I know being heavier I will burn more than someone that is smaller than me.
It's most likely the food weighing issue. Crack down on portion control for a while- don't eyeball-portion anything. Do that for a couple of weeks and see if it helps.0 -
Well that's the first problem then. The calibration of the majority of treadmills, ellipticals, etc. in the gym are OFF. They are NOT recalibrated every day, and maybe once a year if that. You're actually better off with getting your own HRM.I have to run on a treadmill since I'm a stay at home mom with a toddler that does not tolerate a jogging stroller. The gym has child care I track the calories that the treadmill says I have burned, and I do put my weight in while programming it so I think it's probably pretty accurate. I am not diligent with weighing foods, and I will eat back some calories but not all. I know I need to just stick it out and it will pay off, it is just very disheartening to see the number go up when you work so hard! Today I ran a mile at 5.0 mph and I said I burned 170 calories. I am no where near my goal weight, so I know being heavier I will burn more than someone that is smaller than me.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I usually eat back whatever I've burnt, as long as the net amount does not exceed my goal (1200 calories in my case). Again, I just lose 1/2 lbs per week or so this way, but it's always losing, never gaining! Is your profile customized (i.e. did you let MFP suggest you how many calories you can eat daily according to your life-style, workout routine,and goals?) If if you do that and you stick to it, you should see the results...0
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How long are you giving it to see if it starts going back down? My scale is finally starting to go back down after about 4 weeks of ups and downs and no real progress. I'm actually still at a higher weight than I was 12/15, but it is now slowly going back down but more importantly I've lost: 1.5" under bust (bra band size), 2.5" off my natural waist, .5" off my belly button, 2.25" off my hips and 1" off my thighs! Very rapid gains like 5 lbs in one week are almost never true gains. When my TOM is approaching, I tend to gain 1-2 lbs a day for about 4 days straight, then my weight stays up for about 4-6 more days, then it starts coming back down. I tend to hit a new all time low right before this trend starts and as long as my low is getting lower, I'm happy!
One thing I have noticed is that I am more hungry now than I used to be, so do be sure that you are properly logging and tracking everything you are eating.0 -
I am also training for a 1/2 and I know for me, the day after my long run or speed intervals, I am holding extra water but usually after a rest day it's gone.
Best of luck trying to figure this one out.0 -
After any exercise, you'll retain more water as the body repairs the muscle fibers used in that exercise.0
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Anyone who starts to run any significant amout will quickly increase weight (over several weeks) by around 4 to 6 pounds.
This is dues to increased glycogen storage and increased blood volume. Hot environments will give a higher weight gain due to a higher increase in blood volume.
These training adaptations go away quickly if you stop running.
The training adaptations and cooresponding weight gain are a product of increasing fitness. They are good things unless your sole objective is scale weight.0 -
Running doesn't make you gain weight, other than minor adjustments your body makes to aclimate to running.... bringing in more calories than you burn makes you gain weight.
Suspect that you are over estimating your calorie burn from running and underestimating how much you are replenishing.
It is basic math.
Good luck.0
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