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2014-08-18 10:15 PM

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Subject: Weight gain after training
I started training four months ago for a supersprint and I've actually gained five pounds! (I'm 5'2" and I went from 105 to 110.) I know it's not just gaining muscle because my face looks a little fuller and my pants are a little tighter, too. My appetite has been HUGE since I started working out regularly (running 10 miles a week, biking 15, swimming a mile). I used to eat 1200 calories and now I regularly eat closer to 2000!

Does anyone have advice for how to curb a ravenous athlete appetite? I feel like I've been eating too much, even for my current activity level.


2014-08-19 9:33 AM
in reply to: Carolyn24

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Subject: RE: Weight gain after training
what were/are you eating with that increase? 800 cal a day isn't necessarily a huge jump, but if its all junk food then that is different to like protein/carbs type food
2014-08-20 11:05 PM
in reply to: austhokie

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Subject: RE: Weight gain after training
I agree, what exactly do you believe you have been eating in addition to what you've typically eaten? Have you been tracking your caloric intake?
2014-08-27 9:59 AM
in reply to: Carolyn24

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Subject: RE: Weight gain after training
I agree, there are individuals who gain weight after training. Or individuals who gain weight even if they do exercise. Sometimes the more we exercise, our body seems to be asking for more food. Therefore, you should control your appetite to eat more. Monitor your calorie everyday. It may be tiring but it is very helpful. Different methods work best for different people. Since you've been doing a lot of exercise activities, ALWAYS eat a balanced bite of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. A light snack within two hours after exercise is perfect. You may also consult a nutritionist or personal trainer for more information on what to do about it.
2014-08-28 10:48 PM
in reply to: austhokie

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Subject: RE: Weight gain after training

Originally posted by austhokie what were/are you eating with that increase? 800 cal a day isn't necessarily a huge jump, but if its all junk food then that is different to like protein/carbs type food

Wait, what?    In this case, 800 calories is a 66% increase  (1200->2000) in the food she was eating.   Someone who weighs in at 105 pounds will only spend about 100 calories to run 1 mile.   She'd have to be running 8 miles a day just to keep up with her increased food intake.
 
Calories are calories are calories.   Sure, if she started eating more carbs, then her body will take in (and retain, as long as she's eating carbs) more water.  But 800 calories of protein will put on just as much actual body weight as 800 calories of carbs.
 
To the OP:   In order to reduce the cravings, there are several tricks I use.
 
1.  Work out before meals.   I find that if I work out, then I'm hungry, then I eat a planned meal, and it satisfies my craving.  If I work out in the middle of the afternoon or after dinner, I always end up wanting an unplanned snack.
 
2. Switch the balance of your meals to foods with a low glycemic index, if you haven't already.    The "boom->crash" cycle of high GI foods leads to being hungry more.
 
3.  Plan to eat later.  I've recently been using fasting as a weight-loss method.   I only eat after 5 PM on any day.   I find that this makes it nearly impossible for me to eat too many calories.   I'm currently 180 pounds (down from 200) so my calorie budget is much larger than yours.   Mentally, this is easy for me.  Even if I am hungry in the afternoon, I *know* that I'm going to eat later, and for some reason that makes it *OK* to my brain.   I can wait.    If I try to eat all of my food in the morning, I can never mentally resist the temptation, and will break my fast.   
 
Good luck.   It's hard to control your fork when you're working out so much.  But ultimately, in order to control your weight, you *HAVE* to control your fork.  There's no other reliable way to make it work. 
2014-09-19 6:29 PM
in reply to: Carolyn24

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Subject: RE: Weight gain after training
Originally posted by Carolyn24

I started training four months ago for a supersprint and I've actually gained five pounds! (I'm 5'2" and I went from 105 to 110.) I know it's not just gaining muscle because my face looks a little fuller and my pants are a little tighter, too. My appetite has been HUGE since I started working out regularly (running 10 miles a week, biking 15, swimming a mile). I used to eat 1200 calories and now I regularly eat closer to 2000!

Does anyone have advice for how to curb a ravenous athlete appetite? I feel like I've been eating too much, even for my current activity level.


Don't be too worrysome out of the gate here. Many athletes who train hard will fluctuate even more than 5 lbs in a single workout. 5 lbs is mostly water weight anyway. Spend your concern on WHAT makes up the bodyweight number you speak of (bodyfat % vs. lean mass). Speeding up the metabolism from hard training is nothing but good, ENJOY THAT! Age has A LOT to do with it too...metabolism wise.

Now, you mentioned that face is fuller and pants tighter. Pants can be tighter from fuller muscle as well. Face fullness is usually mostly water for anyone not in an obese category. Pay close attention to detail on your physique changes. Hard training should have you burning through sugar (from proper diet), fat & water; therefore, presenting you leaner. If this isn't the case, then you ran too quickly to extra carb consumption from the training workload, or eat too infrequently with individual meals too large infrequently through the day. Remember, we're still only talking about FIVE pounds, so try a few things:

>Log your meals (size/amounts/time of day)(It's in these details that you can fine tune it all)
>Make 4 daily meals a minimum goal
>Add a day of moderate weight training of non-heavy weights (this will further stimulate proper muscle nitrogen balance and lean muscle mass you currently have)
*Also, if you have been training hard for 4 months and get insufficient sleep, then raised cortisol levels can even cause extra unnecessary fat/water retention as well.
*Many possibilities, let's narrow it down


2014-11-17 11:59 AM
in reply to: #5040966


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Subject: RE: Weight gain after training
I'm a bit late to the conversation but can I just add that, if you've upped your exercise, you could be putting on muscle but not yet losing the fat through cardio so you may see inch losses later as you increase cardio / fat burning. I find the only thing that I lose weight with is running. Cycling increases my quad size be patient
2015-08-06 3:01 PM
in reply to: Spikerabbit

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Subject: RE: Weight gain after training
I'm late to respond, but thank you, everyone, for your responses! My weight ended up staying the same, but clothes ended up fitting better.
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