Too long too low.

nickhennessey
nickhennessey Posts: 26 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there, I'm interested in what folks think is going on for me. I've been using MfP for two years, steadily losing weight, and lowering my intake from 2600 to 1800 over that time. In that time I took up running more seriously, and began fell running last autumn. On two occasions, both about 48 hours after a big run, I almost passed out. Then I realised that 1800 calories is a BMR for my height and size, and I was only averaging around 1600. So I started eating much more (about 2900) for a week, then have lowered it to 2300 over the last few weeks and, because of a plantar fascia injury, can't run. But have put on loads of weight quite suddenly. Is my metabolism too slow now, after a long spell of too low?
I'm nervous of eating too little now, after the two crashes I had, but am pretty frustrated and putting on so much in such a short time, having spent two years doing so well.
Any thoughts, good people?
Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    What are your stats?
    Sex
    Age
    height
    Weight
    general activity level before exercise
    weight loss goal
  • Running_and_Coffee
    Running_and_Coffee Posts: 811 Member
    This might have more to do with how you fuel post and pre long run than your average daily intake. That's really tough to figure out, coming from personal experience!
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    storyjorie wrote: »
    This might have more to do with how you fuel post and pre long run than your average daily intake. That's really tough to figure out, coming from personal experience!

    This. I almost passed out after a marathon last year, despite not being in a deficit overall, because I didn't eat enough during the race itself.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    My snack of choice is some tree nuts. High fat content to give you some fuel.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    How much is loads?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    How much is loads?

    I would like to know this as well...and what is quite suddenly?
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    I may be way off base since I am not a runner but I think I'd get a check up if you haven't just to be on the safe side.
  • jessiebethin
    jessiebethin Posts: 30 Member
    If you are putting on weight, you are eating more calories than your body needs. To lose you said you were hovering around 1600 (which is too low for you), but I think moving up to 2300 calories was too drastic an increase based of your reported weight gain. I would suggest making sure you are getting all of your recommended protein but do it at 2,000 cals per day, instead of 2,300. Adjust your calorie intake as your activity level increases.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,327 Member
    As stated by others, the information you give is really not sufficient. Weight gain in the short term can be from water retention, from putting more fat on, or even from having more food in your digestive system digesting. Not knowing what "loads of weight" is or how fast it came on or your stats basically leaves us all guessing.
  • nickhennessey
    nickhennessey Posts: 26 Member
    Hi everyone, thanks for your replies.

    Apologies for leaving you all hanging with insufficient info. I had to get myself properly weighed, on scales I can trust. The scales I had been using (at my parent's in law) up until the feinting thing in early January said I was 14st. They had said 13.5st a month before. Now, I can't check on those scales because they're 200 miles away, so I used the set at my physio's clinic which say I'm 15.5st. So either the first set were wildly wrong, or I've put on quite a bit (I feel larger and my clothes a lot tighter) or both.

    I'm 49 male, and 6'2".
    I would like to be about 14st (ish), which I thought I had reached, though now not sure because of the scales. Generally active before exercise.
  • nickhennessey
    nickhennessey Posts: 26 Member
    PS I had a blood check-up at the GPs last month and all results came back fine.
  • nickhennessey
    nickhennessey Posts: 26 Member
    Oh, I meant to say, I'm not running massive distances, nothing more than 10k, but it's quite a lot for me.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    ran your stats through a TDEE calculator (I prefer this method) - and it gave you 2425Cal TDEE and if you want to reach 195 (approv 14 stone) - then 1940cal a day - with a goal of August (based on sedentary activity)

    https://mytdee.com/#gender=male&yr=49&cm=188&kg=98.4&bfp=&goal=lose&goal_kg=88.5&lose_speed=recommended&formula=standard&units=imperial&exercise=sedentary

    if you go to lightly active then: 2779 TDEE and a calorie goal of 2223 a day
    https://mytdee.com/#gender=male&yr=49&cm=188&kg=98.4&bfp=&goal=lose&goal_kg=88.5&lose_speed=recommended&formula=standard&units=imperial&exercise=lightly

    personally, I would split the difference between the two - maybe 2100, give it a couple of weeks and adjust as appropriate - making sure that you log everything
  • clambert1273
    clambert1273 Posts: 840 Member
    Only thing I will add here is that I NEVER trust the scales at my docs... never.... clothes, shoes, purse, mid day... no way....

    Get your own scales to keep track if that is how you want to track.
  • nickhennessey
    nickhennessey Posts: 26 Member
    Yes, I agree. I was massively shocked to see the difference between the two scales I used. Like, not even close!
  • nickhennessey
    nickhennessey Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks so much deannalfisher. Your help is very appreciated.

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