Halfway through marathon training & gaining weight......

[MrsFrankTurner]

.......despite being very aware of my nutrition and incoming/outgoing calories I'm running about 50km a week with my long run currently up to 2 hours the rest being interval/hills/tempo & fartleks. I also tap dance once a week and do a Pilates class.......I have cut out sugar & alcohol completely since new year (I am taking my training VERY seriously!) and I'm eating a high protein/low carb diet only eating brown rice/pasta, quinoa etc when I do have carbs and yet I've GAINED 5lb since I started training and 2lb in the past week ARGH why why why????? I have had a quick chat with Google and it seems I'm either not eating enough or I'm storing glycogen & water; I know I'm not eating too much and yet the temptation to reduce the calorie intake is overwhelming I did not expect to gain weight during blardy marathon training-anybody else experience this or got any words of wisdom to help?! After stepping off the scales this morning,very disheartened, I told DH I shall just eat dust from now on......

[Sleepwhenidie]

IT band Mrs? . My osteopath says he's made grown men weep

Totally get the headspace and the high...but I get mine kickboxing, massive adrenaline rush and focus when faced with someone trying to kick your head in and you them

Can I suggest you guys mix in a bit of resistance training for extra injury prevention and even maybe improvement in running?

[Mitchy1nge]

I'm going to see what I can do by way of resistance training at the gym tomorrow, although am really not a fan of isolating specific muscle groups and have dodgy wrists from compulsive tumbling and handstands over the years so that rules out all but lightish dumbbells - I like whole body stuff though, and think as running took over I neglected all the stuff I'd normally do daily like yoga and that won't have helped

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Not sure I'd low carb whilst Marathon training. But regardless everything I've read says not to use marathon training as a way to lose weight as you need to be fully fuelled to avoid injury and illness - are you using a calorie tracker putting in activities as well?

[madwomanintheatt1c]

Def way too little food. I always lose weight when I eat more (ie my body doesn't hoard calories because it thinks it's starving).

And I've never needed extra calories during a long run. Or an actual marathon. I just drink. Am fascinated by the focus on what to eat...

But tbh, I think you need to ditch the scales completely and focus on your running. What you weigh means absolutely nothing in this context, and I'm slightly baffled by your priorities.

Eat more.

Definitely.

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

I agree with eating more.

Your focus needs to be staying strong and healthy for your long runs, and for that you need a good dietary intake including carbs.

I didn’t lose weight marathon training, I ate all the calories I expended, it made me so hungry!

I have lost weight recently while running 30+ miles a week though. I've not been taking any gels or drinks on my long runs of 12 miles which I've found fairly easy. I'm not increasing my mileage at present though and I'm not pushing myself.

I've got faster as I've lost weight but I've been eating more than you op. I think with marathon training the key is getting to the start line in one piece and adequate nutrition is a vital part of that.

[MrsFrankTurner]

Yes madwoman I'm a little baffled by my priorities too -I'm an incredibly sensible person usually and I'm not marathon training to lose weight I'm marathon training to complete a marathon and up until Christmas when I ate 'whatever' my weight stayed stable; however, I decided to give up sugar & booze for long term health reasons (nothing to do with marathon training) and within that thought I'd review my overall nutrition and, as I mentioned further up, I've confused myself by reading too much! I'm going back to basics, listening to my body and eating well (sans sugar!) and definitely ditching the scales! Yesterday's post was shock that I'd been 'eating healthily' yet gained weight couldn't get my head around it!

Off to make porridge now not sure I can fit in any resistance training, sleep as between the running, Pilates & tap dancing my week is rammed but post marathon I'm training for tough mudder so will be starting some HIT (scared!!!)

Oh yes -the IT band makes me weep

Thank you all for your support & advice

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

If you're doing an obstacle race I'd recommend working on arm strength! Good luck with the marathon

[MrsFrankTurner]

Cheers DoctorD- I have a friend who's a PT so after this marathon he is going to put together a program for me -my upper body strength is awful......I can just about 'hang' off monkey bars I certainly can't move

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Sounds like me! Fortunately in my adventure race they didn't bother counting the 'punishment' burpees!

[Dreamingofcakeallnight]

I gained weight too completing a marathon. I genuinely don't think exercise is particularly effective for losing weight. For a number of reasons (read Gary taubes and briffa on this). Running generally is amazing - I'm a long term multi marathoner - but the truth is for real weight loss, the vast majority of the changes are dietary.

Sorry if that sounds negative, it's not meant to be. Enjoy your running, and the many benefits it brings, but don't rely on it for weight loss.

[MrsFrankTurner]

Haha I love your name

Yes - I've had a bit of a shift in my mindset -got in a bit of a negative cycle in how I was thinking about my running & nutrition so the scales yesterday were the straw that broke the camels back may have been premenstrual too

Had a great run today -felt strong & powerful and realised that's why I run! Not to lose weight but to enjoy the space -sharing stuff with other runners on here helped me gain some perspective so cheers all

[Lazysuzanne]

response to exercise varies from person, the degree to which it leads to fat loss is probably related (in part) to the degree of improvement in glucose tolerance / insulin sensitivity.

Those who maintain that exercise is no good for fat loss tend to be low responders.

I've always found it very effective.

[Lazysuzanne]

*from person to person

[Dreamingofcakeallnight]

I think there's some truth in that Suzanne, I'm actually a low carb runner (now that works for weight loss after the initial slump....). Plus I think (and evidence supports) that high intensity exercise makes us more sedentary for the rest of the time, take in more calories when we west as we've ,earned, them etc etc

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Oh gosh! I can't run long distances without carbs. But I know it works for some. I need my pasta dinner before hand and my porridge in the morning for long runs!

[Lazysuzanne]

I generally feel uncomfortable if I exercise within 10-12 hours of eating, weird I know but I can happily do a heavy weights session followed by an hour or so of cardio having not eaten for 12 hours

[madwomanintheatt1c]

Ah cake - there are loads of studies on that - it's why a lot of my friends are switching to standing desks! You are all making me want to pull on my trainers, now