To think I shouldn't be putting weight on.

[Freesunglasses]

I've just got on the scales and I've put 4lb on since last week. The thing is I'm trying for a 35 mile Ultra marathon.
I run most days averaging 5 miles then a midweek 10 miler and weekend long run of 15 to 26 miles.

I do eat a lot of sweet things but I also run it off. I also know you can't outrun a bad diet but I ran 26 miles on Saturday.
I think I'm a bit baffled as last time I ran like this the weight dropped off me. I'm 47 could it be middle aged spread or do I need to diet? I think I need to start a food diary.

Anyone else had this?

You actually cannot exercise off the weight if you're eating a lot of sugar. The amount of exertion required to burn off calories is insane. You can exercise to build muscle, tone up and speed up weight loss, but actual weight loss requires you to be eating less food and/or less fat.

I gained weight training for the London Marathon!

My issue was that knowing how many calories I'd burned I would think "ooh I can eat that cake/biscuit/crisps/takeaway/wine/gin whatever".

Plus I was permanently hungry!!

It's simple calories in vs calories out - doesn't matter if you burn 2,000 doing a 20 mile run if you then eat 2,500 calories.

4lb could be exes weight from your period, or you're body retaining water because of growing nd muscle / exercising in the heat. Or you might have eaten more because you're growing muscle and it'll drop later. Realistically one week and 4lb isn't enough of a weight change to mean anything, but your reaction to it is interesting. Have you always been this concerned by your weight?

What floatingobject says. My friend put on half a stone training for the London marathon!
Calories in, calories out!
Also apparently muscle weighs more than fat. So could be that.

*excess not exes

I've never run a marathon, but I put on weight training for a half marathon. I'd get back from a long run and eat all the bread.

Could be water retention as a pp said

I guess I'm just eating way too much, but 4 lb!! I have a right sweet tooth and do crave it, I even wake up in the night craving something sweet.

Yesterday I ate
Breakfast: nothing (don't do breakfast)
Lunch: mini roast with Sundays left overs, one Yorkshire pud, sausage, cauliflower cheese.
Afternoon snack: mini mars bar
Tea: lasagne followed by crumble and custard (ate out) I don't normally have pudding.

Supper: a sausage followed by lemon meringue pie with cream. I always have a sweet snack at around 8.30 before bed so I don't wake up craving something.

@mrex I've had a hysterectomy so no more periods for me.

4lb is just one good shit is it not?

Stop the supper.

And bread I love bread, I have a slice with every meal.

But eat breakfast. And i wouldn't worry too much, one good shit is right.

It’s really hard to see if the above is a lot or not without knowing what’s in the meals, how much they weigh etc.

Usually, when someone is putting on weight it’s simply calories in/calories out. I would use my fitness pal for a while and see if you’re overeating and - if not - seek medical help.

Your diet sounds fairly unhealthy tbh. Fruit and veg?

have tea later and stop the supper.
eat bigger (more veg/salat) portions at mealtime.

and yes, could be water retention, it has been hot and that makes that more likely as well.

Woah that's a lot of food compared to what I eat,

what do you drink?
(calorie laden) sports drinks, tea/coffee with milk/sugar, juice?
those cals can really add up.

The quantities make a difference, but that's a lot of stodgy food without much fibre. Could you be backed up a bit? A piece of toast for breakfast might reduce hunger pangs later, but more importantly adding more veg and protein would help you cut down the fat and sugar in your diet. What's your BMI?

@blahblahblahblahhh - did you run 26 miles?

Your supper is a whopping amount of calories but sounds delish

You're craving something sweet because your blood sugar will be all over the place with a diet like that.

Having breakfast is a fantastic way to help stabilise blood sugar - a small bowl of porridge or scrambled eggs.

As you get fitter and stronger running, your body will also improve it's energy output, do you'll have to run longer/faster to burn the same amount of calories than before.

Eg, my first 5k I burned 410kcal but now the same distance only burns 290kcal because I'm much lighter and somewhat faster.

If you add weight training a few times a week that will help build muscle and burn more kcals (if you're looking to lose weight, that is).

You sound super inspirational running that much! 4lbs is nothing to beat yourself over. I just do a few miles a week so congratulations being that fit, I hope to build up to what you're doing

Fruit and veg. Fruit as a sweet snack. Stop eating sugar and eat fruit. It's summer, we've been getting all our sweet hits from soft fruits. Loads of salads, lean chicken and ham. Fish. Walnuts. Hummus. Sometimes a steak with salad. We eat chips, cake chocolate, ice-cream too, but only small amounts now and then. Not training for anything but very slim.

Oh yes, we eat porridge or eggs for breakfast

Honestly if that's a typical day's food your eating fsr too much. Your eating 3 meals a day OK not breakfast but if your roast was say a later breakfast your still having 3 meals just later in the day. And your eating a lot of high calorie sugar. Crumble and pie in one day shouldn't happen. One yes, two no. Eat breakfast, a normal lunch of soup or salad and then have what ever for dinner. Running does make me hungry but not to that extent.

Also watch portion size, and cut out all the bread. Bread makes you hungry!

Yes my diet is pretty bad but I don't eat like that everyday. I've just had a slice of toast
I do eat veg (not enough) I drink a lot of water, not a fan of sugary drinks (strangely) but love coffee.