Can you do to much exercise?

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Rloral
Rloral Posts: 112 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been on track with losing 1.5 pounds a week and within this last week I upped my exercise (to 5-6 times a week). No weights just more cardio. Could that make the scale go up? The 3 pounds I lost has just found it's way back. I haven't changed my eating habits. I'm always under calories especially since I'm doing my exercise at night and I only have dinner to eat. What am I doing wrong? Please help, I don't want to get frustrated so soon after starting.

Replies

  • ballgood
    ballgood Posts: 17 Member
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    Keen to see the answers ... I'm the same. I struggle to eat enough Cals with the amount of exercise I am doing.
    So far this week I have walked 28 miles and swam 7 miles ... AND I GAINED 5 lb.
    HELP ....!!!!!
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
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    What did you eat the day before you weighed..? Any high sodium foods? You're probably drinking more water working out more, but that shouldn't have an effect.
    Yes, you can work out too much. No, you are not. Unless those days are like 5 hour work outs.
  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
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    How do you have your activity level set? You need to eat your base calories AND your exercise calories --- I was set at 1200 and I was eating all my exercise calories then I started putting on a little weight. I went to Fat2FitRadio.com and used their BMR calculator --- this last week I've been eating a base of 1560 (which is the BMR to maintain my GOAL weight) and all my exercise calories and I've started losing again.
  • runningneo122
    runningneo122 Posts: 6,962 Member
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    I just went through this and posted a blog about it. This might help:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/runningneo122
  • foundchris
    foundchris Posts: 4
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    Exercising CAN make you gain weight through muscle mass. Muscle is more dense than fat, so if you lose fat and gain muscle you can weigh more even though your body fat percentage is lower (and you are healthier). How are your clothes fitting? How do you look in the mirror?

    You may find it helpful to get a body fat measuring scale. Track that percentage as well as your weight, and see how it changes over time.

    3-5 pounds gained or lost isn't a big deal regardless, your weight will fluctuate up and down like that. You have to watch the general trend over time.
  • ldon37
    ldon37 Posts: 145 Member
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    This is just a guess, but you may be too low on calories and putting your body into starvation mode. Are you eating back your exercise calories? Meaning if you burn 300 cal from exercise that day, you can now eat 300 more calories for the day. If your calories are too low, your body will go into starvation mode. Or...your body may just be in adjustment mode and you will end up having a big wieght loss week next week.
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
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    I managed to gain weight / lost shape on up to 15 hours of cardio a week when I was training for an Ironman.

    My endurance was fantastic... I could ride a bike for hours and still run for hours afterwards... BUT

    - too much low heart rate work
    - not enough interval training
    - no weight training
    - too many carbs

    ...makes for a flabby body. because your body learns to maintain fat!

    Rachel Cosgrove explains it well.
    http://figureathlete.t-nation.com/free_online_article/training/the_final_nail_in_the_cardio_coffin
  • kajunsarah
    kajunsarah Posts: 25
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  • Rloral
    Rloral Posts: 112 Member
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    No I'm not eating my exercise calories. Because I'm doing most of my exercise at night and I'll usually have 600 or more left before I exercise and I usually burn between 325 to 600 depending on which exercise I choose for that day.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
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    Exercising CAN make you gain weight through muscle mass. Muscle is more dense than fat, so if you lose fat and gain muscle you can weigh more even though your body fat percentage is lower (and you are healthier). How are your clothes fitting? How do you look in the mirror?

    You may find it helpful to get a body fat measuring scale. Track that percentage as well as your weight, and see how it changes over time.

    3-5 pounds gained or lost isn't a big deal regardless, your weight will fluctuate up and down like that. You have to watch the general trend over time.

    You're not strength training (you need this to "gain" muscle) and with cardio and diet you will lose some muscle mass along with fat. You could be eating too few calories. Doing this days in a row can cause your metabolism to slow down and fat burning to stop. Then your body can start holding onto fat and burn muscle mass for fuel. If you upped your cardio then you are burning more calories therefore need to eat more.

    1200 is a general baseline number for Starvation Mode. It could be higher or lower depending on the individual but it's a good number to go with.

    Throw in some strength training. You need this and good protein to preserve muscle mass while dieting. You won't bulk up. Get plenty of water and keep an eye on sodium - that will show up on a scale. And I don't trust the BF% scales. I have one and the number jumps all over the place. There can be a 3% difference within an hour. Take measurements and try some calipers. The more spots you can check with calipers the more accurate the % - and instructions are pretty good. There are calculators online that you can punch in information. But even just checking one area is a good way to start. Just don't trust the % number. I treat the number as an estimate.

    You can eat at night. Something lowfat with protein (I hear cottage cheese is a great nighttime snack). You want to keep your NET calories above 1200. I've learned roughly how much I burn during exercise so I try and get the calories in that day - maybe in an extra snack or two. I work out in the evening, also.
    And be patient. Slow and steady is the healthy way. And a lifestyle you can keep for life!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    No I'm not eating my exercise calories. Because I'm doing most of my exercise at night and I'll usually have 600 or more left before I exercise and I usually burn between 325 to 600 depending on which exercise I choose for that day.

    it sound to me as though you aren't eating enough to properly fuel your body.
    If you have 600 left and you burn 600 plus you add in the deficit that MFP has calculated - you could have a deficit of as much as 1700 calories (600+600+500).
    That's a massive calorie deficit for one day!

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