Beginning runner question

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lablondefille
lablondefille Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been running for about three weeks. I'm currently up to 3 miles as a daily run and 4 miles as my long run. However, despite watching my calories, I haven't been losing weight. One pound in three weeks! Has anyone else experienced this? I can feel my muscles in my legs developing but would that account for the missing pounds? Thanks!

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  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    If you started 3 weeks ago, it's water weight. Your muscles retain water for repair. Give it time.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Running won't lose you weight alone you still need to be eating at a deficit. You don't mention if you are logging and accurately weighing your food. You need to do this. Diet is what will lose you weight.
  • 99clmsntgr
    99clmsntgr Posts: 777 Member
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    If you started 3 weeks ago, it's water weight. Your muscles retain water for repair. Give it time.

    Most likely this, although fatdoob poses a good question. You need to make sure you're net calories for the day are at a deficit. And, to go with that, do you know whether or not your log is accurate (weighing foods, using measuring cups/spoons for portion control, etc.)?

    And salt...watch your salt, especially if you're downing a sports drink after your runs. They're usually a decent sodium kick.
  • markiend
    markiend Posts: 461 Member
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    When I first started cutting the calories and cycling, it took me about a month to start dropping the pounds regularly.

    Bodies need time to adapt , don't expect over night miracles like I did
  • kill3rtofu
    kill3rtofu Posts: 169 Member
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    Running won't lose you weight alone you still need to be eating at a deficit. You don't mention if you are logging and accurately weighing your food. You need to do this. Diet is what will lose you weight.

    this.

    Depending on your runs, you are unfortunately not burning many calories, even on your long run. Try adding other forms of exercise as well.
  • VetGirl13
    VetGirl13 Posts: 73
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    What they said. Just a word of warning though, your running daily those distances is a very steep increase for a beginner - mind you don't give yourself shin splints...
  • pscott822
    pscott822 Posts: 16 Member
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    Depending on your weight and speed the typical run can burn 300-600 calories. Often you may feel extra hungry when running. You can never out run your fork. So running will allow you extra wiggle room for your diet. It's a great thing. But you still need to watch the calories closely. But 3 weeks is still early. Your body is now building what it needs instead of reducing.
  • lablondefille
    lablondefille Posts: 4 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies. I haven't been logging my food very consistently but I focus more on eating when I feel I need to rather than eating due to boredom or thirst. Keeping at 1200 calories a day is generally easy for me. I more curious about despite keeping food intake similar I am not losing weight. It seems like water weight might be the answer though.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies. I haven't been logging my food very consistently but I focus more on eating when I feel I need to rather than eating due to boredom or thirst. Keeping at 1200 calories a day is generally easy for me. I more curious about despite keeping food intake similar I am not losing weight. It seems like water weight might be the answer though.

    Don't discredit the lack of logging. Foods adds up fast - most likely it is a combination of the two. Start logging accurately and your problems will be solved.

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