I excercise a lot, but can't lose....anyone else?

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diamondd95
diamondd95 Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 5'9", I run every other day from 5-15 miles depending on the day. I cycle once or twice a week as well (1 1/2 - 2hrs each time). I eat well....but have recently gained 10 lbs. I would love to take it back off. But, seems no matter what....the lbs stay. I have logged my food,I have eaten more, less, more often no magic bullet. any suggestions?

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  • MHackrott
    MHackrott Posts: 84 Member
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    You could be gaining muscle...dont go by lbs go by measurments and the way your clothes fit...if you have deffinetly gained and not muscle I would say your are not eating the right foods or the right way....
  • Zeromilediet
    Zeromilediet Posts: 787 Member
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    Exercise = fitness
    Diet = weight loss

    While exercise will contribute to some muscle gain, aerobic benefit and lots of other things, weight loss is 80% diet. Looks like you have a great handle on the exercise, now to focus on a way of eating that will lead to weight loss and be healthy and sustainable.
  • lt_mrcook
    lt_mrcook Posts: 389 Member
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    Don't eat the calories MFP says you burn...if you're like me they are WAY off. And food will trump exercise in a second. Make sure you're weight and activity level are correct in a good quality HRM, and then use those calories burned. Plus be BRUTALLY honest about the portion sizes you are eating. Good luck and I hope it just new muscle you're building...;)
  • jilers
    jilers Posts: 94 Member
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    You are probably gaining muscle. Also your food is metoblizing differently and you might be in starvation mode. Eat more veggies and drink more water or work out less. I know is sounds backwards but it has worked for me
  • jamiealdridge02
    jamiealdridge02 Posts: 93 Member
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    The only thing I can think is maybe you are eating too much. I also gained a lot of weight while training for a marathon. I ate back everything I burned and then some. I also ate junk to refill my body, maybe look at the quality of food you are eating too. I actually pared back my workouts for an entire month until I got just my eating under control, then once I was losing weight with my diet, I added back in the workouts. Worked really well for me. I just found I had to get the food under control seperate from the workouts. Good luck! 5-15 iles is awesome!!!! I'm hoping to work my way back up to that distance!
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
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    If you're up for it, set your diary to public so we can look at it and make suggestions.

    As already said, most of weight loss is diet, not exercise. You probably either need to tweak how much you're eating or what you're eating (or both). Can't give suggestions unless we know what, and how much, you eat now.
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
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    If you are running 5- 15 miles and netting under 1200 calories a day then your body is probably in starvation mode. You might want to eat more healthy foods to give your body the energy to run. It is difficult to tell, bc your food diary isn't open. Also, are you eating alot of processed foods? That messes with my weight loss............
  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
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    will you open up your food diary so we can take a look? sounds like you must be in great shape! maybe a few tweeks in your diet will help you out...
  • akashastrega
    akashastrega Posts: 51
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    A few years ago, I was on an exercise kick...I worked out HARD at the gym 5 days out of the week, doing a combo of heavy cardio mixed with moderate weight training. I was eating really small meals thinking if I ate less and worked my *kitten* of in the gym I'd drop a ton of weight. Instead I gained 20 pounds!!

    I have been told that my weight gain during my heavy workouts back then could have been any number of things from hormones to my body being in starvation mode. To this day, I do not know WHY weight was gained, and while I did drop maybe one dress size, I didn't slim down beyond that, so it was only partially muscle weight.

    I am curious to know the answer to this as well. It is a fear of mine that I will start working out and go on a workout binge like before and end up gaining (like I did a few years ago). I know moderation in everything, but sometimes I wonder if genetics plays a role, because most of my family is big...not necessarily fat, but built like linebackers.

    I certainly wish you the best, and hope you can reverse the weight. I give you mad props for being able to run that much!!
  • dbasch112
    dbasch112 Posts: 2 Member
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    You do a lot of cardio - which could be burning your precious muscle. Too much cardio, not balanced off with effective (translation: sufficient amount of load to create changes in muscle) strength training causing muscle wasting. Muscle is tissue that is metabolically active. Thin people can still carry a lot of bodyfat .... You can have two women - both 5' 5" - both can be 130 lbs - but one has a bodyfat of 30% and the other only 18%. The 18% bodyfat person has lots of lean tissue compared to bodyfat and most likely wears at least one size if not two sizes less .... How can that be if they both weigh 130 lbs.? Bodyfat, body composition is far more important than what the scales say. Take measurements, add 2 to 3 days of weights (consult a professional to get you started - and pick up a copy of Oxygen magazine) and keep consistent ..... cut back on your cardio a little to allow time for the weights ... re test yourself again in 4 to 6 weeks. I am a professional trainer and nutritionist. I am frustrated with this site that it does not give you calories burned for strength training!
  • aussie_nic_getting_fit
    aussie_nic_getting_fit Posts: 134 Member
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    i would love the anser also. the same thing is currently happening to me.. i am currently working out 3 days per week with cardio (1.2hr & moderate weight training 50mins) & 2/3 zumba classes per week. My diet is healthy & my calories are set at 1330, i do not eat back my exersise calories and that scale is just not budging.. In fact this week, i gain 0.5kg... NOT HAPPY

    i understand, its so hard when you are putting in so much hard work and are banging your head up against a wall every weigh in day....
  • alacyt
    alacyt Posts: 9
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    Are you going by your daily calorie limit? I will tell you from experience you can exercise till you're blue in the face but you won't start losing fat until you start eating less than your body needs. Stick to your number faithfully and it will start coming off. Don't give up!

    Also "eating well" is an ambiguous, misleading idea. It doesn't help if you're "eating well" but still eating too much.
  • Determined1980
    Determined1980 Posts: 143
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    I feel like I am in the same position as you, please let me know when you find out the answer to this question...

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