I posted a similar thread on the 20-something, but I'm hoping I'll get more help (or at least reassurance) here.

Let me start by saying that I went from doing a DVD maybe 2 times a week, and walking a lot... I'm fairly busy all the time, and I usually consider things like 'washing my car' as a workout. (If you knew how long and how detailed washing my car was, you'd think its a workout too, lol.. my DH won't even try it. I love my car.) ANYways.. Here's my issue:

Weigh in on 5/14 was 207. Weigh in on 5/21 was 205. I started running daily that day, 5/21. My muscles are sore almost daily, but not to the point that I need aleve or anything. On 6/3 I decided to drop my cals from 1750 (give or take) to 1550 (give or take, because I calorie cycle, and that's my average..) I *always* drink at least 124oz of water a day, besides whatever else I consume from foods and if I have like, milk. All my food it accounted for and I know I haven't gone over my calories... but. My weight has done CRAZY things. I'm not really worried, more concerned & confused..

5/28: 211
6/4: 209 (and I thought, okay, cool, it was water weight or whatever from working out so much. I'll weigh daily now.) Also, on 6/4 I did the Warrior Dash & my muscles were sore like CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY. Insane day, lol, wonderful and awesome and totally do it again, but I was done by like, 9pm. Out cold, lol.
6/5: 221
6/6: 222
6/7: 224
6/8: 222
6/9: 221
6/10: 219
6/11: 219
6/12: 218
6/13: 220
6/14: 219
6/15, today: 217

I'm not planning to stop my running, I'd like to get my 5K time down a bit, as I have one on 7/9 and others on 7/23, 9/10 and 9/17. I enjoy running, and I feel AWESOME, so... AAAH! Is it my sore muscles holding on to water? I tried searching here, but things I found were a few years old and I'd like some fresh eyes on this!

Any long-time runners have any insight to help? I don't really know what else it could be. I track every.single.bite. that goes into my mouth, no matter what. My calories are consistent.

Thoughts?

I am not a runner but the first thing to my mind was sore muscles= retaining water. Maybe check out this link? http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weig...ain-water.html

Well...I wouldn't say I'm a "long time" runner (only started 9/2010), but I'll give it a shot!

1. Check sodium intake - keep under 2,000mg/day

2. Running actually flushes your body of excess sodium and fluid, so I wouldn't think the weight gain is due to that

3. Eating too little is USUALLY a bigger problem that eating too much. Check that your calories are at least 1500 cals/day

4. Yes, building muscles does require SOME water (glycogen) retention, but NOT 14 lbs of it!

5. Remember...you CAN drink TOO MUCH water. Sounds like your drinking too much at 128 oz/day. Try lowering it to between 80-90 oz. I believe all our bodies ACTUALLY need is 64 oz/day, but may be more in the summer time and that number would obviously increase the more active you are.

6. Lastly...but certainly NOT LEAST, get a medical workup (physical, bloodwork, etc.) to rule out any medical conditions. There are many conditions that can cause you to gain excessive weight in short period of time including tumors (not to scare you), and only a PHYSICIAN can rule out anything of a medical nature.

Well...hope this helps.

Thanks! And I saw that.. And read those links. The only thing that gets me is the number of lbs, lol... Sheesh!

Thanks too!

My sodium never goes above 1800-ish. Only on the days do I allow myself to eat sushi, but I haven't had that in weeks... and I know to see something the next few days.

My muscles, 'specially in my legs, are sore non stop. Not to the point I can't walk or I need to take something, but I can totally feel it standing, or going up stairs, whatever.

My cals for the past week are:

6/7 - 1217
6/8 - 1606
6/9 - 1305
6/10 - 1576
6/11 - 1806
6/12 - 1828
6/13 - 1302
6/14 - 1280

I calorie cycle..

I thought of taking less water in. I'm not ever thirsty, lol, no way.. At this point, though, I'm so used to it. I'll have to make an effort to stop myself! This isnt the week, though, I'm trying to only eat when my tummy growls, like IF-ish, I guess. So I was using water to help things, sigh..


I'm going to the girly-doc tomorrow, so ill ask her too.

Crazy!! If it comes off, I'm okay. I'm the type of person that needs an answer, though, so.. this is a test!

Could it be a perfect storm of incresing workout intensity and volumn and water retention die to your TOM, among other factors? i wouldnt think runnign would ADD the weight, but it can CERTAINLY HALT WIGHTLOSS--- especially when you INCREASE exercise, and DECREASE cals, at the same time... maybe that wasnt a great move... perhaps only adjusted one of those things at a time? ahh, too late now though Now, if you were lifting weights more, llike just started an intense new routine, that wuold definitely contribute to weight gain.....

Are those calories your net cals for the day, including eating calories you burned from running?

Umm... you're not pregnant by any chance? Just curious because that could make you have some serious water weight gain out of the blue.

Are you sure your scale is working? Did you move it or something?

Have you been taking measurements? What's happening with them (especially areas like your hips/arms that aren't as susceptible to fluctuations like your stomach would be)?

I definitely put on water weight thanks to exercise/TOM/too much meat/salt etc but we're talking about a few pounds... It's probably not a bad thing to get checked out just to be on the safe side.

Also, could you have been dehydrated at your low weight? Did you start all of a sudden drinking more water when you started running?

ETA: One other question... are you constipated by any chance?

Those are my eaten-only calories. I have a BodyMedia thing, and I burn usually about 850 cals more than I take in, and I was loosing at a nice clip... but no longer. Lol.

Not prego, I'm on seasonique and it's very regular. I just had TOM about... 6 weeks ago. On schedule, too.

I didn't move the scale, we did get a new floor, but I weighed that morning and that night (after the floor was installed) and it only went up 1.3lbs or something, so I figured that was food/water/poo whatever... and that was on 5/21.

I've been drinking 124oz of water since... November? So I don't think its new.

And not constipated. Every morning, like clockwork.

That's what I'm thinking it HAS to be. Nothing else has changed, not my diet, my water, my sodium, my carbs/fat/protein.. nothing. It's like that, the perfect storm of changing things at one time. I guess!

It's like a huge mystery!

So if I'm not mistaken, let's say you eat 1200 calories but then go to the gym and burn 800. Your net calories for the day are then 400. If that's what youve been doing your body is not getting enough fuel and it will mess with your metabolism, big time.

What you should be doing, if your goal for the day is 1200cals and you burn 800 through exercise, is eat 2,000 cals that day. Try it, I bet you'll have more success right away and a big whoosh once your body realizes you aren't trying to starve it.

Hi! I've been a distance runner since 7th grade (I'm 26 now), and my weight has yo-yoed, so maybe I have some useful info for you. I've found that running makes my weight increase as well. Not sure why. The key for me is pairing it with another activity- for example, today, I biked for 40 minutes, then did HIIT on the treadmill for 20 minutes. I truly LOVE running, but this is the only way I have worked it out so I don't gain weight. I know it doesn't make sense, and I completely believe that you are tracking your calories, because I've been there too!

One other thing- have you reduced your calories to reflect what you currently weigh, or are you still eating the amount of calories you needed for what you started at?

Hi there. I have been running for around 10 years on and off. When I stop running it's usually for a few months. Just my personal experience with running. I never lose weight with running! Especially if I up my running ( I have down a few half marathons, 15ks,numerous 10ks and lots of 5k races). I actually gain weight when I run. As soon as I cut it back I drop the weight. I mostly lose weight with walking and strength training.

Now I have had some serious trainers and coaches and they have told me that my body goes under adrenal stress and fatigue and that causes weight gain. Especially with strenuous exercise. Makes sense for me and I know my body now that I adjust my routine based on my goals. If I want to lose weight I stop running and bring it down a notch. If I want to train for a road race or distance run I accept the gain.

Keep in mind this is just my personal experience and something for you to think about.

Also check your calories because if they are too low for your body and the exercise your doing. Your body will want to hang on to weight.

Just my insight. But good luck on your training and your runs!

Any news from your doc appointment today?