Running causing weight gain?
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rnfreed
Posts: 13
Hello all! I am a distnace runner who is training for the 5K/10K distance. Last summer, I lost about 15pounds(135-120) and then a couple more pounds during the fall. This summer, I have upped my mileage from 35 miles a week to about 45-50 miles a week along with core, swimming, and biking a few days ever week. I gained a few pounds over the winter but nothing major, so at about the same time that I increased my mileage, I reduced my food intake in order to get my weight back down(I eat ~1500 cal. a day). Unfortunatley, I gained weight!!!! Over the past 1.5 months or so I have gained about 6-8 pounds. I know that this isnt huge, but to be in top condition for my races I need drop a few pounds. I feel like I shouldve lost weight with my calorie reduction and excersise increase am concerned that the opposite happened. Any ideas?
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Replies
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you sure your tracking your calorie counts accurately?
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+accurately
have you changed your routine up in any way recently, eating, exercise, or otherwise?0 -
I eat ~1500 cal. a day). Unfortunatley, I gained weight!!!! Over the past 1.5 months or so I have gained about 6-8 pounds.
Set your goal to .5 lb. per week and log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly. Get a digital food scale and weigh everything you eat—even packaged food. If you're still not losing, eat back half your exercise calories.
The Sexypants post should be required reading for all MFPers: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants0 -
Yes, it's a miracle, your body actually gains weight the more exercise you do on a steady source of food calories. If you stopped exercising and eating altogether, you would be a total fattie. You have a divine source of energy and can never starve to death.
Either that, or you're not calculating your intake correctly.
Make a choice which you think is more likely.0 -
I have been counting accurately. I know how to keep a food diary and add the numbers. I'm eating the same as I did when I lsot 15 pounds.0
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It may be that you require less calories than you did when you lost the weight earlier. It's hard to know exactly home many calories you require a day and how much you burn. Are you getting more tone with all of the exercise?0
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Thats a head scratcher, eating that much and running that far shouldnt be gaining weight.0
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I have been counting accurately. I know how to keep a food diary and add the numbers. I'm eating the same as I did when I lsot 15 pounds.
literally the only logical explanation (omitting medical complications) is that you are eating more calories than you are burning, which would be explained through mistracking calorie intake0 -
Hello all! I am a distnace runner who is training for the 5K/10K distance. Last summer, I lost about 15pounds(135-120) and then a couple more pounds during the fall. This summer, I have upped my mileage from 35 miles a week to about 45-50 miles a week along with core, swimming, and biking a few days ever week. I gained a few pounds over the winter but nothing major, so at about the same time that I increased my mileage, I reduced my food intake in order to get my weight back down(I eat ~1500 cal. a day). Unfortunatley, I gained weight!!!! Over the past 1.5 months or so I have gained about 6-8 pounds. I know that this isnt huge, but to be in top condition for my races I need drop a few pounds. I feel like I shouldve lost weight with my calorie reduction and excersise increase am concerned that the opposite happened. Any ideas?0
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You can only gain weight by eating a calorie surplus.0
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I have been counting accurately. I know how to keep a food diary and add the numbers. I'm eating the same as I did when I lsot 15 pounds.
Surely it's worth double checking? You're obviously doing something wrong because it's not working and that is the likely problem
Have a look at this thread
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide0 -
OP: how tall are you?0
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Sounds like you are not eating enough for all of the activity you are doing.0
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I remember at a previous gym I used to go to someone claimed to me they avoided the treadmill because whenever they went on it their weight went up. I hope this isn't the case as I just resumed HIIT on the treadmill today after an injury and if I end up morbidly obese after several HIIT sessions I'm going to feel rather annoyed.0
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Yes, it's a miracle, your body actually gains weight the more exercise you do on a steady source of food calories. If you stopped exercising and eating altogether, you would be a total fattie. You have a divine source of energy and can never starve to death.
Either that, or you're not calculating your intake correctly.
Make a choice which you think is more likely.
LOL
I was thinking maybe the OP was drinking extra calories that arent being accounted for?0 -
5'7"0
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Do you track any measurements besides weight? That's an awful lot of weight to be muscle, given all the cardio you're doing. Do you look like you're gaining fat in any of your usual places? If it doesn't seem to show anywhere, I vote for a broken scale.0
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Yes, it's a miracle, your body actually gains weight the more exercise you do on a steady source of food calories. If you stopped exercising and eating altogether, you would be a total fattie. You have a divine source of energy and can never starve to death.
Either that, or you're not calculating your intake correctly.
Make a choice which you think is more likely.
LOL
I was thinking maybe the OP was drinking extra calories that arent being accounted for?
I only drink water, sprite zero(yes I know diet sodas are bad, I just cant help it!), and occasionly a gatorade after a long run.0 -
I've read a case study on a woman training for a marathon that actually put on weight while eating at a deficit. When tested, her RMR was depressed. Distance running is one of those things that causes high stress in our bodies. Couple that with a large calorie deficit, and the body reacts to that stress. Stress produces cortisol, and according to some researchers, that causes weight gain.
Now, not everyone is a believer, especially not on this site. And I agree. I think it's less common to over exercise and under eat your way to a suppressed metabolism. Most people just eat more than they think and burn less than they think. However, it isn't impossible.
If your are absolutely, positively, 100% sure you are logging accurately, there's an easy way to test your metabolism. It's a quick, relatively inexpensive test. I had mine done and it took about 20 minutes.
You are also small, right? Water retention from exercise will also show up as weight gain. 1500 calories isn't very many. I need to eat an average of 2200/day to maintain my weight of 130 lbs (at 5'5" and 38 years old). I work out everyday, but do very little cardio. Just a little bike riding here and there.0 -
5'7"0
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Do you track any measurements besides weight? That's an awful lot of weight to be muscle, given all the cardio you're doing. Do you look like you're gaining fat in any of your usual places?
I do track my measurements, but I dont really know how to properly analze them. My thighs have had a slight increse, as well as my biceps. Is this likely to be fat or muscle?0
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