Help! Why am I gaining weight when I am doing cardio?

Make sure you don't go under your calorie intake, always eat enough. If you don't, your body will go into starvation mode, making it harder, or even impossible to lose weight. Also, be sure to eat at least some of your calories earned from all that cardio you're doing!

What is your daily intake set for? If it's only at 1200, you might need to up it.

I was at 1200 and it worked for about a month, but then I stopped losing, I increased my limit to 1400, and I am back on track.

I hear what you are saying! I have been on a big loosing streak. I weighed myself today and I was 3 pounds heavier! I just don't see how its possible. I have been doing intervals on the treadmill and doing turbo jam. Today I will be sucking down the water!

I was going through the exact same thing. However i upped my caloric intake to the 1200 kcal, and i had to back of on my running. I stayed at the same weight for 10 days. A friend at work told me to stay at it, and I did. Finally i got on the scale on the 11th day and dropped 2 pounds, a few days later another pound, and a few days later yet another pound. So, you might need to increase your intake , which i know it is hard, and wait it will eventually come off. You can do it!!!

If you just started running, you certainly can gain muscle in the form of density. It's hard to grow your muscle size by doing cardio (very hard), but as you exercise a muscle, even slow twitch muscles like the ones used for running, you can absolutely gain density. The body will try to make muscles the most efficient they can be for any activity given enough time. Gaining density improves oxygen intake, while you can't really grow new muscle fibers, you can increase the length and cell density of the existing ones, which will increase your efficiency without actually making you look any more muscular (but somewhat more defined).
This will add weight over the course of weeks and months. That being said, your goal is 13 lbs. If that is all you are looking to lose (and by that I mean your total loss goal is 13), you won't see large losses (generally). 1/2 pound a week would be a very good loss rate for that type of goal IMHO.

Hope this helps, best luck.

(I did close to 50 minutes of cardio using the Biggest Loser Cardio Max DVD)

princessdrake - how do you like the Biggest Loser Cardio Max DVD? I bought it a couple of weeks ago and hadn't opened it. Just recently joined a gym and been going there and doing Zumba instead. Now I'm debating is I should return it.

:laugh:

If you just started running, you certainly can gain muscle in the form of density. It's hard to grow your muscle size by doing cardio (very hard), but as you exercise a muscle, even slow twitch muscles like the ones used for running, you can absolutely gain density. The body will try to make muscles the most efficient they can be for any activity given enough time. Gaining density improves oxygen intake, while you can't really grow new muscle fibers, you can increase the length and cell density of the existing ones, which will increase your efficiency without actually making you look any more muscular (but somewhat more defined).
This will add weight over the course of weeks and months. That being said, your goal is 13 lbs. If that is all you are looking to lose (and by that I mean your total loss goal is 13), you won't see large losses (generally). 1/2 pound a week would be a very good loss rate for that type of goal IMHO.

Hope this helps, best luck.

IMaHO? :laugh: Just kidding that's what it always reminds me of. Took a bit for me to put it together.:laugh:

I have a question. I have been losing weight slowing the past few weeks. I just started the gym doing the bike and treadmill and i am up now 2 pounds,,, what the heck,

What are you using to track your calories that you burn from doing cardio? In my experience, the machines and the counts on MFP greatly overestimate how many calories you are burning. So I would perhaps decrease the number of calories you are inputting into MFP for your running. Also, how fast are you running? In my experience (and based on articles I have read), long, slower cardio is not nearly as effective as shorter bursts (intervals). I used to work out on the elliptical at a steady rate for an hour or so and never lost any weight that way. Intervals are the way to go.

I have a question. I have been losing weight slowing the past few weeks. I just started the gym doing the bike and treadmill and i am up now 2 pounds,,, what the heck,

I was wondering why this zombie thread popped up… :-) <--old-school smiley

Many people who start a new exercise routine experience temporary weight gain due to water retention. It'll go away in a week or two.

Just make sure that when you estimate your exercise calories, you don't overestimate them. MFP's database is very bad and often produces ridiculous numbers. For example, if I ride my bike at 15 mph for an hour, I burn about 550 calories (depending on wind and elevation), but MFP estimates 744 - 35% too high. If I ate 744 extra calories, I would be over my goal by 194.

I have a question. I have been losing weight slowing the past few weeks. I just started the gym doing the bike and treadmill and i am up now 2 pounds,,, what the heck,

it's water weight. I blame it on replying to 5 year old threads with a question.

LOL