Is running making me fat?
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wildshrubbery wrote: »Is running making me fat? . . .
No. Taking in more calories than you're using is the issue. Cut your calorie intake.
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Are you maintaining a caloric deficit?
If yes, then no.
If no, then no.
The only thing making you fat is an excess of calories.0 -
wildshrubbery wrote: »wildshrubbery wrote: »I'm losing my mind. I feel like it's obviously a vicious cycle of too intense of cardio somehow exacerbating body fat increases,
Simply eating too much is the most obvious cause.
You'd think right. But I was eating more when I was skinnier than I wanted to be. My overall suspicion is that my blood-sugar is a little on the volatile side (I might be borderline diabetic as I had gestational diabetes with one of my three pregnancies)
I've read that intense cardio burns up all your blood sugar causing insulin spikes that block bodyfat metabolism and trigger your body to store fat as much as possible.
"High Insulin Levels Stop Fat Loss and Cause Weight Gain. It is impossible to have high levels of insulin in your system while burning fat at the same time"
As a type 1 diabetic who has to control the blood sugar + insulin combo very carefully, I can tell you that's not how that works at all. A decrease in blood sugar doesn't cause your insulin to spike -- your body would never send out *more* of a hypoglycemic agent to move non-existent blood sugar into the cells.
Yes, your muscles are needing and moving more of that glucose during that time, but your body isn't releasing more insulin to deal with that.
Stop trying to justify. You're likely overeating, if you're not tracking what you're eating. It's really easy to do after intense/distance cardio *if* you aren't keeping things in check.
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Consuming more calories than you burn is what causes fat gain/weight gain. You said weight has been all over the place, does this mean you lose gain the same weight over and over gain? This sounds like maintaining weight with normal daily fluctuations.
Have you tracked your calorie intake here or else where?
I edited the OP to include diet info. I JUST started using this to track as accurately as possible instead of keeping a running tab of estimates in my head (and I'm well aware of the pitfalls of guesstimating, so I'm not inclined to guess that a 350 calorie muffin is 150 calories).
But I am certain I was eating more last year. I used to bring 900 calories worth of 'Sunrise Energy Bars' in a ziplock bag to eat at my desk before lunch, eat what was usually a potato/rice-based lunch leftover from my potato/rice-based dinner, And eat some other recklessly calorie-laden dinner.
Now I'm counting and restricting and stressing and getting fat.3 -
wildshrubbery wrote: »wildshrubbery wrote: »I'm losing my mind. I feel like it's obviously a vicious cycle of too intense of cardio somehow exacerbating body fat increases,
Simply eating too much is the most obvious cause.
You'd think right. But I was eating more when I was skinnier than I wanted to be. My overall suspicion is that my blood-sugar is a little on the volatile side (I might be borderline diabetic as I had gestational diabetes with one of my three pregnancies)
I've read that intense cardio burns up all your blood sugar causing insulin spikes that block bodyfat metabolism and trigger your body to store fat as much as possible.
"High Insulin Levels Stop Fat Loss and Cause Weight Gain. It is impossible to have high levels of insulin in your system while burning fat at the same time"
Are you logging accurately and consistently now? Were you logging accurately and consistently then? Are you eating back your exercise calories?
Get a food scale and use it while focusing on getting your food log as accurately as possible for at least 2-3 weeks. Double check that you are using correct entries in the database (many are user entered and wrong). If you are eating back all your exercise calories, it's possible they are overestimated.
It sounds like you have been stressing over this for awhile. It might not be a bad idea to first take a couple of weeks, eat maintenance calories and dial back the exercise. Just take it easy for a couple of weeks and don't think about your weight. You ARE eating too much - calories determine weight gain and loss. Insulin spikes don't trigger fat storage if you are eating in a deficit, your body can't store energy it doesn't have. Hang in there, and good luck!3 -
wildshrubbery wrote: »wildshrubbery wrote: »I'm losing my mind. I feel like it's obviously a vicious cycle of too intense of cardio somehow exacerbating body fat increases,
Simply eating too much is the most obvious cause.
You'd think right. But I was eating more when I was skinnier than I wanted to be. My overall suspicion is that my blood-sugar is a little on the volatile side (I might be borderline diabetic as I had gestational diabetes with one of my three pregnancies)
I've read that intense cardio burns up all your blood sugar causing insulin spikes that block bodyfat metabolism and trigger your body to store fat as much as possible.
"High Insulin Levels Stop Fat Loss and Cause Weight Gain. It is impossible to have high levels of insulin in your system while burning fat at the same time"
I have exercise induced hyperglycemia (blood sugar levels well over 200, sometimes 300 during long runs). My levels are all otherwise normal (and return to normal after I stop exercising). I just trained for and ran a 17 mile race. I lost weight when I ate less than my TDEE, I gained when I ate more. The runger is real-and especially pronounced when my long runs hit the 10-12 mile range. Beyond that, I was eating 6,000+ calories on long run days and was still hungry. If you weren’t tracking your intake before you are going entirely on perception. My perception is that my 6,000+ days were maybe 3500. Thankfully, I was tracking and I ended up banking some calories during the week so my higher intake days didn’t leave me in a calorie surplus because the hunger was out of control. Go get your blood sugar checked and what not, but I’m thinking getting your intake levels in check will solve your issues.
Also-I know it’s been addressed above, but you probably want to research how blood sugar and insulin work. What you mentioned is kind of not how that works. You’re wanting to blame something that doesn’t happen.
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deannalfisher wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »fitoverfortymom wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »So you're getting Rungry, and overeating and not logging.
Copy all.
Track your intake and you'll go right back down.
I feel like this post was directed at me :laugh:
Runger is real.
So real.
2 half marathons this year have proved that the runger is real!
not as real as swimger...just saying!
That alone I think would keep me from a tri. Holy cow. I would eat my own limbs.2 -
Duck_Puddle wrote: »wildshrubbery wrote: »wildshrubbery wrote: »I'm losing my mind. I feel like it's obviously a vicious cycle of too intense of cardio somehow exacerbating body fat increases,
Simply eating too much is the most obvious cause.
You'd think right. But I was eating more when I was skinnier than I wanted to be. My overall suspicion is that my blood-sugar is a little on the volatile side (I might be borderline diabetic as I had gestational diabetes with one of my three pregnancies)
I've read that intense cardio burns up all your blood sugar causing insulin spikes that block bodyfat metabolism and trigger your body to store fat as much as possible.
"High Insulin Levels Stop Fat Loss and Cause Weight Gain. It is impossible to have high levels of insulin in your system while burning fat at the same time"
I have exercise induced hyperglycemia (blood sugar levels well over 200, sometimes 300 during long runs). My levels are all otherwise normal (and return to normal after I stop exercising). I just trained for and ran a 17 mile race. I lost weight when I ate less than my TDEE, I gained when I ate more. The runger is real-and especially pronounced when my long runs hit the 10-12 mile range. Beyond that, I was eating 6,000+ calories on long run days and was still hungry. If you weren’t tracking your intake before you are going entirely on perception. My perception is that my 6,000+ days were maybe 3500. Thankfully, I was tracking and I ended up banking some calories during the week so my higher intake days didn’t leave me in a calorie surplus because the hunger was out of control. Go get your blood sugar checked and what not, but I’m thinking getting your intake levels in check will solve your issues.
Yep, 10 miles plus is my trigger point for crazy runger too!0 -
wildshrubbery wrote: »Consuming more calories than you burn is what causes fat gain/weight gain. You said weight has been all over the place, does this mean you lose gain the same weight over and over gain? This sounds like maintaining weight with normal daily fluctuations.
Have you tracked your calorie intake here or else where?
I edited the OP to include diet info. I JUST started using this to track as accurately as possible instead of keeping a running tab of estimates in my head (and I'm well aware of the pitfalls of guesstimating, so I'm not inclined to guess that a 350 calorie muffin is 150 calories).
But I am certain I was eating more last year. I used to bring 900 calories worth of 'Sunrise Energy Bars' in a ziplock bag to eat at my desk before lunch, eat what was usually a potato/rice-based lunch leftover from my potato/rice-based dinner, And eat some other recklessly calorie-laden dinner.
Now I'm counting and restricting and stressing and getting fat.
It doesn't matter what you were eating last year, what matters is weighing, logging and tracking what you're eating now.7 -
Did you want us to tell you to stop running and you'll lose weight again? You could try it and see. Add your lifting back in. Track your calories.
Also this: "being anxious about the fat, it's nearly impossible for me to bring myself to do anything OTHER than run when I get to the gym." doesn't sound particularly healthy. Gaining a little bit of fat, whatever the reason, isn't that big of a deal. Nothing to get overly anxious about.7 -
wildshrubbery wrote: »Consuming more calories than you burn is what causes fat gain/weight gain. You said weight has been all over the place, does this mean you lose gain the same weight over and over gain? This sounds like maintaining weight with normal daily fluctuations.
Have you tracked your calorie intake here or else where?
I edited the OP to include diet info. I JUST started using this to track as accurately as possible instead of keeping a running tab of estimates in my head (and I'm well aware of the pitfalls of guesstimating, so I'm not inclined to guess that a 350 calorie muffin is 150 calories).
But I am certain I was eating more last year. I used to bring 900 calories worth of 'Sunrise Energy Bars' in a ziplock bag to eat at my desk before lunch, eat what was usually a potato/rice-based lunch leftover from my potato/rice-based dinner, And eat some other recklessly calorie-laden dinner.
Now I'm counting and restricting and stressing and getting fat.
Are you weighing the food you are counting? I am going to suggest that today you buy a food scale. How many calories are you setup to eat a day? And how many pounds did you tell MFP you want to lose a week?
And stress is bad for weight loss, so you can get headed in the right direction by weighing your food intake that you consume each day, and do this diligently for the next 4 weeks plus.5 -
It's pretty simple(I've only read the OP) but running has increased your appetite far more than lifting did and is causing you to over eat and gain weight. That's common for lots of people. I'm actually the opposite, hard lifting makes me ravenous, lots of running kills my appetite.3
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You seem to be holding on to stress like a security blanket!
(Which can mess with your apparent weight loss results...)
Let it go and just log your food and exercise for a month and see how you get on.6 -
Your net cals seem low in your edit, I'm going to lead with that because you need to adequately fuel your body while remaining in deficit (20% deficit is the HIGHEST you should be going). It's a delicate balance, for sure.
A possible answer to your question actually jumped out at me here:Also I think it's ironic that this calorie tracker gives literally zero points for weight training, only cardio. Like they could at least give a low-ball estimate, Can I have *15* calorie points for my squats?
Sorry if this was already addressed, but are you eating back your exercise calories? MFP is notorious for way out-of-whack burn numbers for cardio exercises. We're talking hundreds of calories off. Are you using TDEE?1 -
fitoverfortymom wrote: »deannalfisher wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »fitoverfortymom wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »So you're getting Rungry, and overeating and not logging.
Copy all.
Track your intake and you'll go right back down.
I feel like this post was directed at me :laugh:
Runger is real. So real.
2 half marathons this year have proved that the runger is real!
not as real as swimger...just saying!
That alone I think would keep me from a tri. Holy cow. I would eat my own limbs.
Think of that as free weight loss!0 -
BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »Also this: "being anxious about the fat, it's nearly impossible for me to bring myself to do anything OTHER than run when I get to the gym." doesn't sound particularly healthy. Gaining a little bit of fat, whatever the reason, isn't that big of a deal. Nothing to get overly anxious about.
This. A lot of women experience weight fluctuations based on the time of the month, so you need to look at the broader picture. Focus on trends, not the day-to-day.
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BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »Did you want us to tell you to stop running and you'll lose weight again? You could try it and see. Add your lifting back in. Track your calories.
Also this: "being anxious about the fat, it's nearly impossible for me to bring myself to do anything OTHER than run when I get to the gym." doesn't sound particularly healthy. Gaining a little bit of fat, whatever the reason, isn't that big of a deal. Nothing to get overly anxious about.
Ha! Nope I didn't want anyone to tell me to stop running. I need to run to train. But 3-5 miles, 2-3 times a week is enough to ensure I can complete any course I will do over the coming year.
I just thought maybe someone may have had a similar experience and course corrected. I know I need to keep my lift days and I've been trying to talk myself out of running instead, but it's only as my weight has continued to climb that I've started stressing over it and it IS unhealthy.
If I want anyone to tell me anything it's don't skip my lifting, that's what I've been trying to tell myself.
But I am convinced that there's something *to* the difference between running and lifting on how efficiently I run on whatever fuel.5 -
wildshrubbery wrote: »I'm not saying running is making me fat but it isn't NOT making me fat.
I started working out spring 2015, primarily weight training, but my lifts never really got heavy (I don't think I like the concept of max weight/one-three rep). By November 2016 I was thinner than I've been since 2002 at 135 lbs, I was 3-5 lbs UNDER what I would consider ideal for me. My boyfriend and friends were concerned I wasn't eating enough. I was eating 900 calories before lunch. I must have cleared 2500 daily, but I wasn't counting because I didn't need to.
I started running in January because I wanted to ease my way into OCR and I've never really been a strong runner (I mean I was lazy, I didn't even TRY to make a 10 minute mile in high school). I started gaining weight. By February I had put on nearly 5 lbs. I started skipping more and more lifting days in favor of running and other cardio, trying to sweat off the excess weight. My weight has been all over the place, I might be able to fight it down with intense vigor, but then it climbs right back up. I was up to 152 last week (though I am down to 149 by end of this week).
It's NOT muscle gains in case you think it might be. It's clearly body fat. You can tell by the way it feels when you touch it haha.
I'm losing my mind. I feel like it's obviously a vicious cycle of too intense of cardio somehow exacerbating body fat increases, but being anxious about the fat, it's nearly impossible for me to bring myself to do anything OTHER than run when I get to the gym.
Help.
Please .
Also I think it's ironic that this calorie tracker gives literally zero points for weight training, only cardio. Like they could at least give a low-ball estimate, Can I have *15* calorie points for my squats?
Edit - I have been zeroing in on my diet/calorie intake more and more, the more stressed I get about the weight gain. I just started with this (myfitnesspal) app to track as accurately as possible. I tracked every bite and minutes running, my netcals For Mon-Wed were 896, 1695, and 1390 respectively. My run on Monday was long, gave me lots of +credits (absolute intake 1923, 2106 and 2029).
Yes I agree that 152 to 149 is a normal weight fluctuation but the overall TREND is upward. I've gained apx 15 lbs in the past 12 months.
Pregnant5 -
srslybritt wrote: »Your net cals seem low in your edit, I'm going to lead with that because you need to adequately fuel your body while remaining in deficit (20% deficit is the HIGHEST you should be going). It's a delicate balance, for sure.
A possible answer to your question actually jumped out at me here:Also I think it's ironic that this calorie tracker gives literally zero points for weight training, only cardio. Like they could at least give a low-ball estimate, Can I have *15* calorie points for my squats?
Sorry if this was already addressed, but are you eating back your exercise calories? MFP is notorious for way out-of-whack burn numbers for cardio exercises. We're talking hundreds of calories off. Are you using TDEE?
I've noticed that it overestimates output. When I took a class that used a heart rate monitor, I noticed that the calories burned based on heart rate was already lower than what the machine read, this thing is much higher than the machine readings, but I allow it since it doesn't give me any extra points for the hills.
I also learned from the class that used a heart rate monitor that I wasn't really working as hard as I thought. It wasn't until I got myself into an I-think-I-might-drop-dead-right here level of exertion that I got into that sweet spot with my heart rate.
I have no idea what TDEE is, this is the only tracker I've ever used and I've used it for 3 days because I got fed up1 -
wildshrubbery wrote: »BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »Did you want us to tell you to stop running and you'll lose weight again? You could try it and see. Add your lifting back in. Track your calories.
Also this: "being anxious about the fat, it's nearly impossible for me to bring myself to do anything OTHER than run when I get to the gym." doesn't sound particularly healthy. Gaining a little bit of fat, whatever the reason, isn't that big of a deal. Nothing to get overly anxious about.
I just thought maybe someone may have had a similar experience and course corrected.
But I am convinced that there's something *to* the difference between running and lifting on how efficiently I run on whatever fuel.
I think if you go back and read the responses, you’ll find that a lot of people absolutely did have a similar experience (or narrowly avoided) because they got hungrier than expected and ate too much (or would have had they not been logging). So yes, almost everyone on the first page had this experience and course corrected by logging their intake and eating at a level to lose/maintain the way they wanted.
There could be a difference to how your body performs based on what you’re eating. I know that’s true for me especially with the blood sugar issues on long runs I do a lot of experiementing with carb types and timing and combination with proteins and what not. But for weight loss? That’s all calories and how many of them you’re consuming relative to how many you’re burning.
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