Just started running and I'm gaining weight... Why?

Question

Started about 3 weeks ago and i have been running approx. 3-4 times a week (10-12 miles per week). Prior to this, I had not been excersising at all. I have not changed my eating habits at all. Probably eating approx. 1600-1800 calories per day. I've gained about 5 lbs in the last 3 weeks... Why is that? Will I start loosing weight?

I don't think I've been eating more since I started running... Prior to my running I was 135lbs (I'm 5'8). Now I'm 140lbs. I was trying to get to 130lbs. It really concerns me that the scale has been going up....

Answer 1

As a runner this is normal. Firstly, you are losing weight because of the work out, but you are also gaining more weight in muscle. The weight of the muscle is replacing the weight of the fat. It is normal. It will make your body look better, and feel better. Eventually you may start losing some weight but it won't be that much as your muscles will continue to grow. If you measured your body fat index before you started running and now, you would surely notice the change, you are losing fat, but gaining muscle.

Answer 2

At some point you will loose weight, but there is an important bit of info missing from your question. How big are you as in weight/height? To loose weight you need to burn a certain amount of calories, usually a few hundred below your needed amount for a day. If not, you may exercise and still gain weight. You will gain some muscle mass, but it won't be a lot as running is not much of a builder as it is a toner of muscle ( just look at all those skinny elite runners, all skin and bone with small muscles). Don't panic yet, the weight will come off. At some point you will quit loosing weight and maintain. Good luck!

Answer 3

Weight does not matter as much as you think it does. The issue here is that you can look fine (slim) without exercising, but if you want to be "fit" then you have to build up muscle. The only way to do this is exercise. Muscle does weigh more than fat, so it makes sense to have gained a pound when you run a little, but you'll notice that your figure becomes tighter (less flabby) because the fat is going away. If you really want to look like you're in "top shape" continue the physical exercise. That's the only real way to be fit. Ignore the weight gain from the muscle that you will build. Muscle is what gives your body its shape. That, or fat.

Answer 4

You may not lose weight but will look 'slimmer' and toned. AS you run you are exercising muscle groups, these muscle groups breakdown and restore themselves stronger to handle the extra exertion. Muscle is more denser and thefore heavier than fat, so as you convert that fat to muscle you will weigh more. I run about twenty miles a week and have gone up in weight but down 4 inches in trouser size.

Answer 5

Either you eat more, because you are more hungry, or you are gaining muscle and burning fat. Muscle is much heavier than fat, but it has less volume. So basically your shape is better, even though your weight is bigger. Soon you will start losing, though, because running is mostly a fat burner, not body-building! Drink a lot of water, that will help the burned fat be rejected from your body.

Answer 6

You are gaining muscle. The weight will start coming off soon :D Keep at it!

Answer 7

More than likely it's muscle weight. Don't go by the scale, but by how your clothes are fitting.

Answer 8

Maybe.. Maybe not. I believe what's going on is this: To lose weight you need to diet. Exercise helps to lose fat but it replaces that fat with muscle which is a heavier mass than fat. So to lose weight you need to diet , to tone up & look sexy you need to exercise. Keep this in mind, in reality it's not how much you weigh, it's how good you look. BTW How good do you look? :)

Answer 9

2 and 1 2 hours bowling

Answer 10

wrap up any extra food you ve cooked before you sit down to a meal so you re not tempted to get seconds