Does a weight gain mean a performance drop in cardio?

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  • spideywebb77
    spideywebb77 Posts: 126 Member
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    i do notice sometimes when i am banking calories to offset a dinner out that my runs suffer w the lower calories as well. Usually a good meal or a few hundred extra cals one day and i am back to normal.

    I think this has more impact than most realize. When I start getting sluggish it is usually becasue I am not eating enough... or if I am at goal maybe I measured something wrong. It's intresiting ahat a 100 extra calories can do for you when you feel run down.
  • kleshas
    kleshas Posts: 2 Member
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    Yeah, I definitely notice a huge difference in my ability to do cardio related to the amount of calories I had the previous day.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    If you're bulking I'd limit the cardio anyhow. Focus more on your lifts.
  • dimoul
    dimoul Posts: 137 Member
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    According to Matt Fitzerald, the answer is Yes. http://running.competitor.com/2014/01/nutrition/racing-weight-how-much-should-you-weigh_14665

    My own experience with cycling is that I got a lot faster after I lost 80 lbs. My endurance, average speed and power, as well as sprinting ability all increased dramatically.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    According to Matt Fitzerald, the answer is Yes. http://running.competitor.com/2014/01/nutrition/racing-weight-how-much-should-you-weigh_14665

    My own experience with cycling is that I got a lot faster after I lost 80 lbs. My endurance, average speed and power, as well as sprinting ability all increased dramatically.

    And even mechanical things probably improved - like ability to stay tucked longer while taking deeper breaths like you needed.
    This help going in to the wind, and going uphills a tad longer tucked while speed is high.
  • dimoul
    dimoul Posts: 137 Member
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    According to Matt Fitzerald, the answer is Yes. http://running.competitor.com/2014/01/nutrition/racing-weight-how-much-should-you-weigh_14665

    My own experience with cycling is that I got a lot faster after I lost 80 lbs. My endurance, average speed and power, as well as sprinting ability all increased dramatically.

    And even mechanical things probably improved - like ability to stay tucked longer while taking deeper breaths like you needed.
    This help going in to the wind, and going uphills a tad longer tucked while speed is high.

    Yeah, i think that's right. I noticed that I got faster even though my power meter on the bike wasn't showing i was putting more in. As the gut gets smaller, you can tuck into a more aero position and go faster. the same is going to be true for running and swimming. in any endurance sport, really, the less drag and dead weight you have, the easier it is / faster you can go.
  • msncush
    msncush Posts: 23 Member
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    I read that in a week, one of your workouts will be kick-*kitten*, one just so-so and one that you struggle with.
    Just do it anyway and you will feel better afterwards.
  • Jamal_Guildford
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
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    I gained a few pounds in the past week and despite reducing the run, I still manage to run at 7.3mph on the treadmill (i.e. no drop in the cardio) :)
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
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    I gained a few pounds in the past week and despite reducing the run, I still manage to run at 7.3mph on the treadmill (i.e. no drop in the cardio) :)

    Keep records of your heart rate to be scientific rather than anecdotal.

    My heart rate went down as my weight dropped and my speed went up. That's from going from 127lb to 123lb, which was about 16% body fat! some would say underweight (BMI was on the lightest side of healthy) but my heart was under less stress. If I was primarily a runner I'd have to consider being that light again.
  • horndave
    horndave Posts: 565
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    There is a correlation on run times and weight. Typical Army PT test, when I am 5 to 10 lbs lighter than what I currently I am, consistently run a minute to a minute and half faster.

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