running makes u gain weight?

fitgirlforlife1
fitgirlforlife1 Posts: 60
in Health and Weight Loss
Does running make u gain weight? Everytime I run, I feel myself getting heavier and after running for about 2 weeks, I see the scale go up. I dont change my eating habit within those two weeks. I am asking this b/c running is cardio and i thought cardio doesnt make you gain muscle which makes u gain weight?

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Any new exercise is going to cause water retention for muscle repair.

    You might also want to eat a bit more - adding the running would require more fuel. Especially if you are adding this to your existing workouts (i saw another post of yours about lifting?) - food is fuel, and you've got to feed that body if you want it to burn.

    Can't see your diary, so no clue how much you're eating, but saw another post of yours asking about going below 1200. Not a good idea if you're lifting weights and running - and can backfire on ya, stalling your fitness efforts.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    All exercise will make you temporarily gain water weight. You tear little muscle fibers even when you're doing cardio...those need to be repaired...your body requires water to repair them...thus you retain more water. That said, you shouldn't be retaining water two weeks after you go on a run.

    Also keep in mind that you, along with everyone else on the planet has natural body weight fluctuations. Women can fluctuate substantially do to hormones, TOM, etc. On average, most people can fluctuate 3-5 Lbs per day. My guess is that you're not weighing yourself at the same time and under the same conditions...do that to keep fluctuations to a minimum...but they're still going to be there and they're completely natural.
  • Jiggle_all_the_way
    Jiggle_all_the_way Posts: 32 Member
    Any new exercise is going to cause water retention for muscle repair.

    THANKYOU! For not saying it was due to muscle gain. :-)
  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
    Generally when you feel really sore you're tearing down a good number of muscle fibers, which causes your body to retain water as part of the healing and rebuilding process. If you're very very new to exercise you can be sore for an entire week, then retain water until the next week.
  • TheGymGypsy
    TheGymGypsy Posts: 1,023 Member
    I lost 60 pounds doing nothing but running and still eating a relatively high number of calories. The water retention will pass.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    Running has helped me to lose weight, not gain it.

    Your weight will fluctuate by a pound or two, that is normal.
  • fitgirlforlife1
    fitgirlforlife1 Posts: 60
    OMG everybody thank you! You don't know how much that made me happy!! I was actually gonna stop running if it was gonna make me gain weight(stupid,I know) but I'm gonna keep doing it now that I know it's b/c of water retention.
    Is running good for weight loss though?
    And to whoever asked, I eat between 1200-1400 calories a day and I walk hilly paths for about 60 minutes a day and climb A LOT of stairs. I also started adding running to the mix but like I said I started gaining weight but now I know it's b/c of the water retention
  • bmilesyo
    bmilesyo Posts: 2
    Of course running makes you lose weight, but only if you have a calorie deficit. Track your walking/jogging/hiking/running/whatever activities with something like Run Keeper, it feeds directly into MFP and then you know your calorie needs for the day. Simple.
  • Steffani911
    Steffani911 Posts: 196 Member
    When I first started running, not only did I not lose any weight for three weeks, I was actually up 3-4 lbs and my calves became huge. It was all my body strengthening and adjusting to the new activity. Now as you can see, I'm down 47 lbs. Running is the best gift I've ever given myself.
  • Rurouni_Kou
    Rurouni_Kou Posts: 180 Member
    Just adding my voice for the "Running makes you gain a bit due to water retention for muscle repair". Overall though, running makes you lose weight, small weight increases from water aside. Just check my ticker for evidence of what Running + Calorie Deficit does. ^.^ (Calorie deficit was the main cause, but running made it easier to maintain a calorie deficit and still eat what I enjoy. I wouldn't have lost weight without running. Not to mention the nice legs it gave me!)
  • MCarrancejie
    MCarrancejie Posts: 1
    I am so glad to have read this!!!! I started the couch to 10k program and was getting really frustrated as the scale went up! I kept hearing "it's muscle weight", but that did NOT help the cause. Reading this gave me the motivation to continue and start logging my calories every day, thank you!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    If your running routine is regularly increasing distance and/or pace (ie, continuing to push your body further), does the water retention continue?
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Running doesn't make you lose weight or gain weight. Eating at a deficit makes you lose weight. Running gives you great cardio fitness.
  • walleymama
    walleymama Posts: 174 Member
    I am on week 5 of a Couch to 10k program and so happy to be running again (have been running off and on for many years now).

    A word of caution: at my very heaviest (got up to 164 lbs in a relationship gone sour) I was running regularly 3 - 4 times per week, doing about 3 - 5 k each time. Running alone won't help. But of course I was also indulging in a chocolate-bar-a-day habit and eating a lot of junk.

    Now with MFP I am running again and enjoying being able to eat some extra calories because of it, but because I am doing a calorie deficit I am losing weight. As the other person said, I would find it harder to stick to my goals without running.

    Best part is that by the end of my program I'll be running 10k and able to eat even more calories: lose weight and get to eat more? sounds like a winning plan to me! ;-)
  • Vorenus85
    Vorenus85 Posts: 112 Member
    And to whoever asked, I eat between 1200-1400 calories a day and I walk hilly paths for about 60 minutes a day and climb A LOT of stairs. I also started adding running to the mix but like I said I started gaining weight but now I know it's b/c of the water retention

    If you only eat 1200-1400 calories, combined with all that exercise, you are netting much lower. I feel like you are severely underrating. I mean, the walking and stair climbing alone probably burns quite a bit, but the running is just stretching that calorie deficit much further. You don't need to eat that little to lose weight, and in the long run it can actually stall your weight loss.
  • lexlyn14
    lexlyn14 Posts: 290 Member
    Running is awesome for weight loss...It is the best cardio you can get...Of course you have to watch your caloric intake but running tones the whole body, speeds up your metabolism and sheds weight fast...Keep it up...Something else must be going on for you to have gained a few pounds...It is definately not the running...

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