Weight Gain After Starting Running

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amandarama_
amandarama_ Posts: 29
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a question and I am reaching out to all you knowledgeable MFP-ers to hopefully get an answer.

Here's a little bit about me. I am 5'7 and I weigh 170 pounds. About a year ago, I had lost 75 pounds using this site. I closed my account and have maintained that loss for just over a year. Recently I have decided I want to lose the last 10-15 lbs and just do some toning up. I'm actually very small for 170, I am comfortable in a size 8, have a 29" waist, and am back to being able to get a medium in almost any store and having it fit perfectly!

Two weeks ago, I started running (up to 8k 3x a week). I'm eating at a 1lb a week deficit (1450 calories) as well as eating back all my exercise calories (as I am set to sedentary so I want to make sure I am not under-eating). As soon as I started running I noticed the scale jump up from 170.5 to 178.5. I know that this can happen and I expected a little bit but that seemed like a lot. And then within the last couple days it's jumped to 181.5! I haven't seen a number that high in over a year. I am not overly focused on the number the scale says, but it would still be nice to see it back down. I know I didn't gain 11 pounds in two weeks. My measurements haven't changed and my clothes fit the same. Plus I am feeling great. And I know that's what matter. Nonetheless, a number like that can be a little discouraging at times. I read an article stating that this can be perfectly normal and could possibly hang on for the next 4-6 weeks. What I am wondering is if anyone else has experienced this? And if so, how long did it take to see it go back down?

Replies

  • timeasterday
    timeasterday Posts: 1,368 Member
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    Yes, your body will hold extra fluids to recover from the new stresses of running. You are hitting muscles that probably haven't been worked that much before. That's a little more than I would expect - I think 5-6 lbs might be more normal.
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,292 Member
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    8lbs seems a bit much for water retention, but I always get hungry and a real craving for salt when I run a lot. Both can up the scale...
    Btw take it easy! 0 to 8k 3 times a week, that's quite the leap!
  • Zaniejane
    Zaniejane Posts: 329 Member
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    You already know that this is a scale issue and that you didn't gain that much weight that quickly. I must warn you, though, running can make you eat more so make sure you are still weighing, measuring and logging intake accurately.
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
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    Are you eating enough for that amount of exercising your doing?

    How much water are you drinking?

    Change that battery on the scales...........!!!
  • amandarama_
    amandarama_ Posts: 29
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    I am pretty sure I'm eating enough. I eat back all of the calories burnt from it, so I am still netting 1450 a day. I know it' mostly just water retention, it just seems like a really high number for that! I know it seems like a lot but I have always been very active and I only do what I know my body is capable of. It's just been a little frustrating! I just didn't know if this was something anyone else had experienced or heard of happening.
  • shortmomma81
    shortmomma81 Posts: 62
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    Muscle weighs more than fat. I have the same problem when I run so now I give myself a two day rest from running and weigh myself on the third day. It goes down.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
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    Muscle weighs more than fat. I have the same problem when I run so now I give myself a two day rest from running and weigh myself on the third day. It goes down.

    Huh? So you when you run, you gain so much muscle you weigh more, and then if you wait two days to weigh yourself after you are done running, the muscle is gone?

    What you are experiencing is water retention, and not muscle gain. Muscle that takes up the same volume as fat does weigh more, but there is no way you are putting on that much muscle everytime you run, and if you are at a deficit, you aren't putting on any.
  • Lone_Wolf70
    Lone_Wolf70 Posts: 2,820 Member
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    Muscle weighs more than fat. I have the same problem when I run so now I give myself a two day rest from running and weigh myself on the third day. It goes down.

    no, muscle is more dense that fat. 1lb of fat is bigger than 1lb of muscle, but they both weigh a pound.
  • amandarama_
    amandarama_ Posts: 29
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    Thanks for the replies! I'll keep doing what I'm doing and see what happens over the next 3-4 weeks.

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