WTF, GAINED weight running! >:O

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Destiny424
Destiny424 Posts: 52 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I do not eat any processed food, I eat healthy.. and eat alot of vegetables, whole grain carbs, protein from chicken.. fish, keep my sodium lower than 1,500 a day along with my sugar low.. i run 3 times a week for 30 minutes and after 2 weeks I gained 4 pounds, WTHELL?!?! i am trying TO LOSE weight! my legs don't need to be any bigger than is (my profile pic is me 4 months ago which i am TRYING to get back!) some say it can be muscle but i want to lose body fat and don't want to gain big muscle mass. someone help?! has this happened to any of you??

and btw, my typical day with macros.. I weigh 116 pounds and eat 125g protein a day, 90g carbs.. 40g healthy fat
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  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 932 Member
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    i would say that you either A. are gaining muscle or B. are retaining water
    gaining muscle is good, it weighs more but occupies less space, so you will be smaller. i think your best bet is to track measurements instead of just pounds. this will tell you if you are gaining mass or slimming down.
  • oharabears
    oharabears Posts: 85
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    I always, without fail, gain a few pounds when I start a new, more strenuous workout program. Chalk it up to the muscles hanging on to fluids to help themselves recover from the new work. Usually whooshes away after a few weeks if you keep up your workout routine!
  • hlandry6
    hlandry6 Posts: 230
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    YOu are gaining more muscle and therefore retaining more water....Give it some time
  • bnglick
    bnglick Posts: 1
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    I'm right there with you! I have been working out and running 5X a week for 45 min for 4 weeks and have actually gained a size! The only thing that has been working for me is drinking for water because I have been retaining water. I really don't believe you can gain that much muscle in 2 weeks.
  • deekaydee
    deekaydee Posts: 158 Member
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    YOu are gaining more muscle and therefore retaining more water....Give it some time

    You're not gaining muscle. Doesn't happen that way.

    If you're eating in a calorie deficit, it's most likely water retention and not fat (or muscle) gain. Give it time. (Also, monthly cycle may have something to do with it.)
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
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    YOu are gaining more muscle and therefore retaining more water....Give it some time

    You're not gaining muscle. Doesn't happen that way.

    If you're eating in a calorie deficit, it's most likely water retention and not fat (or muscle) gain. Give it time. (Also, monthly cycle may have something to do with it.)

    ^^^ agreed....most likely water retention.
  • Taylerr88
    Taylerr88 Posts: 320 Member
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    running doesn't burn fat. running will only help you get into a deficiency thus causing weight/fat/muscle loss. "healthy" foods are also irrelevant when it comes to a deficiency and weight loss. you can potentially eat only icecream and drop the pounds. (been proven)

    also don't go by the scale.. all it does its cause people to stress the freak out... hide the thing.. the mirror and progress pics are your best friend.

    but .. if you truly believe you are eating at a deficiency then its probably water retention.

    as for the muscle gain.. probably not..
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
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    also don't go by the scale.. all it does its cause people to stress the freak out... hide the thing.. the mirror and progress pics are your best friend.

    ^^^ Also agreed.
  • Destiny424
    Destiny424 Posts: 52 Member
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    running doesn't burn fat. running will only help you get into a deficiency thus causing weight/fat/muscle loss. "healthy" foods are also irrelevant when it comes to a deficiency and weight loss. you can potentially eat only icecream and drop the pounds. (been proven)

    also don't go by the scale.. all it does its cause people to stress the freak out... hide the thing.. the mirror and progress pics are your best friend.

    but .. if you truly believe you are eating at a deficiency then its probably water retention.

    as for the muscle gain.. probably not..

    RUNNING doesn't burn fat?? how about speed walking or doing walking then running (intervals) hiit?
  • marie_2454
    marie_2454 Posts: 881 Member
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    You have absolutely NOT gained 4 pounds of muscle in 2 weeks eating at a deficit calorie intake. It's just not possible unless you're lifting seriously heavy weights, and even that is extreme. Anyways, I've heard from a few runners that when you first start your body holds on to water more for a couple of weeks, then you go back down to normal. That's my best guess. I wouldn't worry about it and just keep doing what you're doing.
  • Taylerr88
    Taylerr88 Posts: 320 Member
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    RUNNING doesn't burn fat?? how about speed walking or doing walking then running (intervals) hiit?

    basically the body uses "energy/ATP" it collects from the foods. when you do cardio. all your doing is using the energy or food you have given your body to support it. if your body runs out the energy / fuel w.e. it'll then start to use your fat reserves using that as energy instead. It may also go into your muscle as well if you enter starvation type mode.. or not getting enough amino acids .. it may even use muscle if you dramatically cut your calorie intake.

    so pretty much.. the type of cardio has 0 effect on fat loss.. the only thing that matters is the deficiency you leave your body in day to day.

    edit.. as for hiit.. i personally love it. i have never read scientific study's on so i can't really say anything about it. but to my understanding it just burns a ton of calories.. not fat!
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    You have absolutely NOT gained 4 pounds of muscle in 2 weeks eating at a deficit calorie intake. It's just not possible unless you're lifting seriously heavy weights, and even that is extreme. Anyways, I've heard from a few runners that when you first start your body holds on to water more for a couple of weeks, then you go back down to normal. That's my best guess. I wouldn't worry about it and just keep doing what you're doing.
    ^^THIS, and you also didn't gain 4 pounds of fat eating at a deficit and working out, so give it some TIME. I think you're being too impatient about the process, since you haven't been at it all that long (even though it can seem like forever to us all). I ride my bike outside a lot in the summer, and EVERY year, I feel like my thighs 'bulk up' the first week or so when I start doing it all the time again. After a while though, they go back the other way, so that's your muscles retaining water to repair themselves initially.

    Good luck with your journey, and be patient. If you don't have a LOT to lose (and from your picture, I suspect that's the case), it can take longer than a person with 50 or more lbs to lose.
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
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    Well, if your goal is to be skinny and not fit, I suggest you stop eating. Your muscle will waste away and you'll be skinny as a rail.
  • vtate75
    vtate75 Posts: 221 Member
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    In response to the "burning fat / not burning fat" disucssion, read this: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/busting-the-great-myths-of-fat-burning.html

    I agree with others, you are likely retaining water. Keep it up; things will change.
  • roxbmore
    roxbmore Posts: 2 Member
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    I ran everyday last winter and never lost a pound but my body was totally different and then I barely ran all summer and lost over 12 pounds then over the fall I was at my lowest weight and my body was just looking saggy and floppy I even started getting cellulite in my thighs again so I started running again this spring and my body looks so good again but I gained a definate 2 or 3 pounds, so I say definatley ditch the scale and go by how good the excercise makes you look and feel
  • roxbmore
    roxbmore Posts: 2 Member
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    OH! And a great fluid reducer is celery beet and parsley juice! Does wonders!
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
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    At 5'6'' and 118 lbs I don't think you need to overly worried about a small gain which is just going to be water retention anyway. Chill a little.
  • umachanxo
    umachanxo Posts: 926 Member
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    I'd say you're probably retaining water. Don't worry too much about it. <3
  • MelanieAG05
    MelanieAG05 Posts: 359 Member
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    In response to the "burning fat / not burning fat" disucssion, read this: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/busting-the-great-myths-of-fat-burning.html

    I agree with others, you are likely retaining water. Keep it up; things will change.

    This is a really good website by the way! Just had a look.......
  • DaveC29
    DaveC29 Posts: 232 Member
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    Most times I notice a weight gain after running it is when I run later in the day and eat/rehydrate myself for recovery. It seems to hang on for day or two and then it's right back to losing. So it is probably fluid retention to help in your recovery. I have 'gained' as much as 6 pounds overnight after some of my later evening runs

    I have seen my leg muscles actually get more defined (I wouldn't say bigger) from running a lot. (I'm at around 400 Miles since November)

    If you are going to weigh yourself, use a moving average to calculate your progress. I weigh myself daily and use a 10 day moving average to look at my progress. I will fluctuate as much as 10 pounds depending on what I am doing, but the average is going right where I want it to... a consistent .2 lbs a week lost. I've been doing this since January and it has been consistent.

    Bottom line- don't freak out about the scale!

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