Gaining while eating less?

RunningNutty92
RunningNutty92 Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello!

Im 4'10.75, 21 years old and weigh about 107-110 depending on the day. I really want to get back to 90-95 lbs. My freshman year of college I got down to a dangerous weight of 83 lbs. I eventually got back to my high school weight within a couple of months (90-93 lbs) by eating 2100 kcals and running 70ish miles a week. I gained some more weight because school got crazy and I didn't have a ton of time to workout but now I am trying to cut back but I just seem to be getting flabbier while eating less! I am eating about 1800 - 2200 so I dont think I am starving myself?

I am using the Fat 2 Fit Method so all my numbers (heart rate + MFP) are for a 90 lbs person. I use the sedentary as a baseline (1450 kcal) and then eat back my exercise calories.

I currently workout about 1.5 - 2 hours a day (mostly cardio)

any and all suggestions welcome!

Replies

  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.

    +1
  • mlima14
    mlima14 Posts: 112 Member
    Hi, you should check with your doctor first on your fat % before you try to loose weight. The problem with dieting and not lifting weights is that you normally will burn your muscle mass. You might not need to loose weight but to tone, remember that you aren't exactly over weight you may have to adjust your diet as in less foods containing fat and do weight training. But I would greatly suggest seeing a doctor just to make sure, our bodies keep changing as we grow older and developing, women keep growing to about 21 years of age, our hips get wider our breast change too, and our muscle mass also changes.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.

    Neither weights nor cardio gets rid of excess fat - only diet can do that.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.

    Neither weights nor cardio gets rid of excess fat - only diet can do that.
    Agreed but that being said when you lose weight and don't maintain muscle you are losing muscle weight too which can lead to that "flabby" look...
  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.

    Neither weights nor cardio gets rid of excess fat - only diet can do that.

    OP indicated that she has cut back on her calories already. If she is still running 70mpw, cutting back further is probably not a good idea.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    another vote for weights, and keep up the 1800-2100 calories, you may not see the number on the scale change much but you will see your body change a lot and that's what matters!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.

    Neither weights nor cardio gets rid of excess fat - only diet can do that.

    OP indicated that she has cut back on her calories already. If she is still running 70mpw, cutting back further is probably not a good idea.

    The OP's running amounts to a net additional burn of less than 700 calories/day. Which means her net intake is around 1500. Which for her height and goal weight is actually quite high -- if the goal is fat loss.
  • RunningNutty92
    RunningNutty92 Posts: 14
    Thank you all so much for your help!
    Based on the weight I have in my HR Monitor - I burn between 600 - 900 calories per run (using 93 lbs)

    I will start to pick up some weights - I really started to slack when I got home from break (free college gym wasn't accessible) and that is when I noticed feeling softer. My diet is pretty clean - I am a nutrition student and love healthy foods.

    So I should pay more attention to my body composition (% fat) than weight? In one of my classes we did the BIA method and I had 12% (However, it was just for the lower body where I am quite muscular due to running)
  • RunningNutty92
    RunningNutty92 Posts: 14
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.

    I got back into the weight room today - do you have any suggestions for how long a session should last? I usually do 30 - 45 minutes.
  • ajaxe432
    ajaxe432 Posts: 608 Member
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.

    Neither weights nor cardio gets rid of excess fat - only diet can do that.
    Not necessarily true. Diet is a big part of it. Besides carb and protein what else does our body use as fuel? Fats! What is the body burning during the oxidative energy system.....fat.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.

    +1
    +2
  • ajaxe432
    ajaxe432 Posts: 608 Member
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.

    +1
    +2
    Love your pic! So true!
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    So I should pay more attention to my body composition (% fat) than weight? In one of my classes we did the BIA method and I had 12% (However, it was just for the lower body where I am quite muscular due to running)

    That is EXTREMELY low for a female. Even if it's quite inaccurate, you don't *have* 20 lbs to lose. Even if you have 25% body fat now, losing 20 lbs of fat would *still* put you below 10% (not safe). Check out the goal body weight calculator at fat2fitradio.

    That is probably why you are having trouble losing weight.
  • RunningNutty92
    RunningNutty92 Posts: 14
    So I should pay more attention to my body composition (% fat) than weight? In one of my classes we did the BIA method and I had 12% (However, it was just for the lower body where I am quite muscular due to running)

    That is EXTREMELY low for a female. Even if it's quite inaccurate, you don't *have* 20 lbs to lose. Even if you have 25% body fat now, losing 20 lbs of fat would *still* put you below 10% (not safe). Check out the goal body weight calculator at fat2fitradio.

    That is probably why you are having trouble losing weight.

    Trust me when I tell you the measurement was probably inaccurate haha. Most of my muscles are in my legs due to all the running I do but I in no way look like it.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Trust me when I tell you the measurement was probably inaccurate haha. Most of my muscles are in my legs due to all the running I do but I in no way look like it.

    It might be inaccurate, but in order for your weight goal to be a reasonable bodyfat % (let's say 15, which is still awfully low) you'd need to have about 2 and a half *times* as much as it said you did.
  • RunningNutty92
    RunningNutty92 Posts: 14
    another vote for weights, and keep up the 1800-2100 calories, you may not see the number on the scale change much but you will see your body change a lot and that's what matters!

    How many days/week do you suggest? And for how long?
  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.

    Neither weights nor cardio gets rid of excess fat - only diet can do that.

    OP indicated that she has cut back on her calories already. If she is still running 70mpw, cutting back further is probably not a good idea.

    The OP's running amounts to a net additional burn of less than 700 calories/day. Which means her net intake is around 1500. Which for her height and goal weight is actually quite high -- if the goal is fat loss.

    OP indicated she is running 70mpw. That is an average of 10 miles per day, which means about a 1000 calorie burn, not 700.
  • RunningNutty92
    RunningNutty92 Posts: 14
    Start lifting weights. Doing only cardio will not get rid of flab.

    Neither weights nor cardio gets rid of excess fat - only diet can do that.

    OP indicated that she has cut back on her calories already. If she is still running 70mpw, cutting back further is probably not a good idea.

    The OP's running amounts to a net additional burn of less than 700 calories/day. Which means her net intake is around 1500. Which for her height and goal weight is actually quite high -- if the goal is fat loss.

    OP indicated she is running 70mpw. That is an average of 10 miles per day, which means about a 1000 calorie burn, not 700.

    I burn about 800 calories in a 10 mile run depending on effort.

Categories