Weight gain - running
Author
Discussion

JohnBRG

Original Poster:

395 posts

200 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
quotequote all
Okay....have started running again after a while, and am gaining weight. I'm not taking on any more calories, and my shape seems the same (belt not any tighter etc.), But I've put on 6lbs!

What's happening here? Water retention? Muscle mass increasing?

Any thoughts welcome....

MC Bodge

29,638 posts

204 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
quotequote all
Over what period?

Has anything else changed?

NiceCupOfTea

25,586 posts

280 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
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Muscle is heavy

bristolbaron

5,375 posts

241 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
quotequote all
Muscle mass.

Chicken_Satay

2,517 posts

233 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
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I'd assume it's muscle mass too. The exact same thing has happened to me in the last year since I took up running again. I seem to have gained about 7kg but my waist size is more or less the same...

JohnBRG

Original Poster:

395 posts

200 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
quotequote all
MC Bodge said:
Over what period?

Has anything else changed?
A couple of weeks. Nothing else has changed....

JohnBRG

Original Poster:

395 posts

200 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
quotequote all
Chicken_Satay said:
I'd assume it's muscle mass too. The exact same thing has happened to me in the last year since I took up running again. I seem to have gained about 7kg but my waist size is more or less the same...
Ok, interesting....thanks

sealtt

3,091 posts

187 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
quotequote all
Just a thought... How do you know you are not taking on more kcal, do you count accurately? Exercise generally increases appetite and it’s easy to add extra calories through unknowingly eating more when exercising.

JohnBRG

Original Poster:

395 posts

200 months

Friday 13th March 2020
quotequote all
sealtt said:
Just a thought... How do you know you are not taking on more kcal, do you count accurately? Exercise generally increases appetite and it’s easy to add extra calories through unknowingly eating more when exercising.
I agree - I'm keeping a food diary to try to keep a lid on that.

MC Bodge

29,638 posts

204 months

Friday 13th March 2020
quotequote all
JohnBRG said:
MC Bodge said:
Over what period?

Has anything else changed?
A couple of weeks. Nothing else has changed....
Sounds unusual over a short period. You won't have gained lean muscle that quickly.

Was your weight unusually low (for you) beforehand?

How big are you?

AJB88

15,758 posts

200 months

Friday 13th March 2020
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MC Bodge said:
Sounds unusual over a short period. You won't have gained lean muscle that quickly.
I agree.


Azzurrinick

58 posts

90 months

Friday 13th March 2020
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You have to look closely at your calorie intake against what you are burning. Does your diary record the calories or just what you eat? I have found a great way to manage your in take was using the MyFitnesspal app.

mcelliott

10,492 posts

210 months

Friday 13th March 2020
quotequote all
Chicken_Satay said:
I'd assume it's muscle mass too. The exact same thing has happened to me in the last year since I took up running again. I seem to have gained about 7kg but my waist size is more or less the same...
Very unlikely that's lean muscle mass.

JohnBRG

Original Poster:

395 posts

200 months

Friday 13th March 2020
quotequote all
MC Bodge said:
Sounds unusual over a short period. You won't have gained lean muscle that quickly.

Was your weight unusually low (for you) beforehand?

How big are you?
I have dropped from about 210 lbs to 175lbs over the last couple of years. I was quite stable at 175 - I started running because I'm training for a half marathon.

MC Bodge

29,638 posts

204 months

Friday 13th March 2020
quotequote all
Chicken_Satay said:
I'd assume it's muscle mass too. The exact same thing has happened to me in the last year since I took up running again. I seem to have gained about 7kg but my waist size is more or less the same...
You may well be kidding yourself....

7kg of muscle gained from a year of running?

Where has the muscle bulk appeared?

MC Bodge

29,638 posts

204 months

Friday 13th March 2020
quotequote all
JohnBRG said:
MC Bodge said:
Sounds unusual over a short period. You won't have gained lean muscle that quickly.

Was your weight unusually low (for you) beforehand?

How big are you?
I have dropped from about 210 lbs to 175lbs over the last couple of years. I was quite stable at 175 - I started running because I'm training for a half marathon.
6lbs in two weeks is a lot. Are you using the same scales?

2 weeks is a short time for any changes. Is it really two weeks?

Count food and drink intake more carefully?

popeyewhite

23,033 posts

149 months

Friday 13th March 2020
quotequote all
mcelliott said:
Chicken_Satay said:
I'd assume it's muscle mass too. The exact same thing has happened to me in the last year since I took up running again. I seem to have gained about 7kg but my waist size is more or less the same...
Very unlikely that's lean muscle mass.
Sure it's not muscle mass, that will take at least a couple of months to increase, if not more. And half mara running is endurance training, so won't lead to bulk increase anyway. My guess is OP has increased cals from diet thinking it's OK as he's burning more now he's running, some peculiar water weight thing, or pre-running weight measurement was incorrect.

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

174 months

Friday 13th March 2020
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When I took up running (Summer 2016) I was in bad shape, went from somewhere north of 17st to the 14st10 I am today. I'm 6ft3. The weight loss seemed to plateau quite a while back and despite doing 3 half marathons last year and currently training for my first of this year at the end of March it just doesn't move.

But I like my food and running 10 miles gives me a massive appetite, also like a few beers on the weekend so I see the running as a means to be able to enjoy some of the other less healthy things I like. If I watched my diet and gave up the booze I'm sure I could get down to 14st.

Gaining weight from running is interesting though, seems unusual unless you were really skinny to start off with.

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 13th March 2020
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I put on weight when I started running more and by actually using myfitnesspall I realised I was snacking more as I felt hungry after a run. For me it’s the little bits that all add up. Maybe having a bigger portion after dinner or the night before a longer run etc.

Personally I’ve found the best way to lose weight is watching what you eat. You burn. 1,000 calories on a run and think it’s ok to treat yourself. I think you have to do an awful lot of exercise to lose weight without also reducing your food intake.

I lost weight doing an ironman training plan but that had exercising 6 times a week and after a bit, twice on many days.

Like the op though I’ve often heard people say they’ve put on weight when starting running.

HairyMaclary

3,775 posts

224 months

Friday 13th March 2020
quotequote all
Interesting topic. I've been running since the new year and lost 1.5 stone. Down from 15 to 13.5.

I lost my wobbly tits and have been feeling slimmer. This week though the wobble has come back on my chest. I've lost 1lb this week it feels like I've changed shape.

Anyone know what's going on? No booze and same amount of exercise as last week. Pretty much the same diet too.