Too much muscle from running!

You probably have three things going on.

First, when you are in a running program your muscles will adapt by storing more glycogen and water for energy. How much is dependant on how much you run. At 12 miles a week this may be a pound or two. This also is what people usually mean (whether they know it or not) when they say you gain muscle. This can also account for some size increase in the leg muscles, particularly if they have never been worked hard before.

Second, if you are training in hot weather your body will acclimate to the heat. One of the things it does is increase blood serum volume by up to two liters. So, if you are running outside and it is hot where you live this could account for up to 4 pounds.

Third, I think that at the most you gained five or six pounds from the above training adaptations. The other four or five pounds are likely either from eating too much or from random weight fluctuations.

Hmm... can you spot reduce muscle? *philosoraptor face*

You probably have three things going on.

First, when you are in a running program your muscles will adapt by storing more glycogen and water for energy. How much is dependant on how much you run. At 12 miles a week this may be a pound or two. This also is what people usually mean (whether they know it or not) when they say you gain muscle. This can also account for some size increase in the leg muscles, particularly if they have never been worked hard before.

Second, if you are training in hot weather your body will acclimate to the heat. One of the things it does is increase blood serum volume by up to two liters. So, if you are running outside and it is hot where you live this could account for up to 4 pounds.

Third, I think that at the most you gained five or six pounds from the above training adaptations. The other four or five pounds are likely either from eating too much or from random weight fluctuations.

Great answer.

For the OP...you have unknowingly (I think) stumbled onto an MFP hot spot in which posters, most often women, blame 'muscle gain' for changes in their bodies they do not like like increased size or weight. On the whole, science and fitness experts deems this highly unlikely to impossible. Despite best attempts to explain this scientific phenomena a depressing amount of people on MFP still believe that they should blame muscle for issues like those I mentioned above. People have knee jerk reactions (not unwarranted) to posts of this kind and that's what you're seeing here.

I've been running almost 3 months now; my legs have always been muscular, but I am loving the way they are changing shape - along with the rest of me. I haven't lost a pound in almost a month, but I have dropped another jean size and top size in that month. I, too, cannot imagine how you would gain 10 lbs of muscle so fast. I usually go anywhere from 2.5 - 6 miles 5-6 days a week and twice a week I also do a 3 mile walk to and from my zumba classes. I never heard short distance runner have bigger legs - I'll have to research that. For the record, I really didn't see any "mean" posts like I've seen on other topics.

Hmm... can you spot reduce muscle? *philosoraptor face*

You can "spot reduce" muscle simply by not working it or having resistance applied to it - atrophy.

You cannot spot reduce fat however. Sadly the areas you lose fat from as you diet down comes down to genetics mostly.

So it's more like "spot prevent" like that don't skip leg day meme.

And darn genetics. I get my back fat from my mom and my lack of butt/prominent (yet disappearing) belly from my dad.

Thanks for taking the time to answer

I have that exact same problem! The doctor tested my testosterone levels which came back extraordinarily high for a girl so she recommended that I cut my running down to 1 mile and do only light weight high reps of any sort of weight bearing exercises.

Listen to your doctor, not MFPers.

Unless your doctor is a Physiologist or also has a background in Kinesiology / Exercise Science / Sports Medicine I would absolutely not listen to a doctor's "specific" advice on how to exercise. Let's be honest here, most GP's and even Cardiologists know that you should exercise but they don't know what you should be doing or even how to do it. I have never seen a doctor that had any muscle mass to them whatsoever.

I have that exact same problem! The doctor tested my testosterone levels which came back extraordinarily high for a girl so she recommended that I cut my running down to 1 mile and do only light weight high reps of any sort of weight bearing exercises.

Listen to your doctor, not MFPers.

Unless your doctor is a Physiologist or also has a background in Kinesiology / Exercise Science / Sports Medicine I would absolutely not listen to a doctor's "specific" advice on how to exercise. Let's be honest here, most GP's and even Cardiologists know that you should exercise but they don't know what you should be doing or even how to do it. I have never seen a doctor that had any muscle mass to them whatsoever.

my doctor is a marathoner...I love him!!

and I love genetic anomalies like the OP. Please donate your body to science promptly upon death.

(edited for quotes in the wrong place)

Started 2 months ago, I have gained about 10 pounds of muscle mainly in my quads and glutes.

Lmao. This one gets me every time.

Yeah...I'm calling 'troll' on this one. If you're serious, you don't really know anything about muscle, lol.

There is no way you could have gained 10lbs in muscle in 2 months. No. Physical. Way.

Also, I don't see the problem with muscly legs. Muscle is a good thing. If you don't like it, stop exercising. Simple.

It could be from the type of food you have been eating.

Yeah...I'm calling 'troll' on this one. If you're serious, you don't really know anything about muscle, lol.

You do realize people ask questions about things they don't know about right??

For the OP...you have unknowingly (I think) stumbled onto an MFP hot spot in which posters, most often women, blame 'muscle gain' for changes in their bodies they do not like like increased size or weight. On the whole, science and fitness experts deems this highly unlikely to impossible. Despite best attempts to explain this scientific phenomena a depressing amount of people on MFP still believe that they should blame muscle for issues like those I mentioned above. People have knee jerk reactions (not unwarranted) to posts of this kind and that's what you're seeing here.

Knee-jerk reactions are never warranted, IMO.

Started 2 months ago, I have gained about 10 pounds of muscle mainly in my quads and glutes.

Only in reference to the above post... HILARIOUS! Thank you for my belly laugh today. I look at Tracy and I laugh.

I started running about 2 months ago, and have recently bumped up my route to about 3-3.5 miles. I go about 4 times a week and the route is relatively flat. However! I have gained about 10 pounds of muscle mainly in my quads and glutes. It's to a point where few of my pants fit anymore! I have always been able to tone my lower body easily, but I did not think running/jogging would have such results. While I have noticed a reduction of fat all over, these muscly legs are a bit much! Any thoughts or advice?

Just curious. Where in the world did you get the figure you gained 10llbs of muscle in 2 mos? How did you measure this?

I have gained an inch on my calves trail hiking about 14 miles a day for the past month, but I have no idea what that translates out to in pounds, since I have also lost about a pound a week during the same time frame. I also would be interested in knowing what metrics the OP has used to come up the 10lbs mentioned. Edited to Add: I am assuming the added inch to my calves has been muscle gain.

Hello all,

No, I am not a troll. Like others who are questioning, it is more than possible for my figures to be off. All I know is that about 2 months ago I weighed less and started running. Now I weigh more. The muscle assumption is from the fact that my legs are toned and firm--by absolutely no means at the level of body builders, and my pants no longer fit.

I am very sorry if I have offended anyone or have come across as insincere. I am still at the beginning of my fitness program as was simply looking for support because I could not figure this out by myself.

Again, I could be completely wrong; I was simply putting two and two together.

I'm sorry people have been rather rude and at times, down right mean. We all make mistakes and are here to ask questions and learn from those who have gone before and done what we're trying to do.
There is a misconception that muscle weighs more than fat (I told myself this often when I was on a plateau), however, the reality is 1 pound of fat weighs the same as 1 pound of muscle. The difference? Muscles take up less space which is why we get smaller when we build muscles. (unless you are body building, I guess)
I would check your diet and make sure that you are working in a deficit rather than a surplus of calories. You shouldn't be gaining weight if you are working out as hard as you say. (I'm not saying that you're not). The other thing to consider too is that you've changed your diet AND you've added (presumably new) exercise to your lifestyle. Your body could simply be in a time of adjustment where it's worried that you may be in a starvation mode. Which then it holds on to every single calorie you give it for fear of hunger.
I started running in Feb '11 and have built beautiful muscles in my legs, but sadly have literally run my butt off! I really thought all the running I do would have built my tushy up, but no such luck.

Make sure you're drinking a lot of water and keep working...I'm sure you'll see the benefits soon!