Gaining weight is normal right?

taratru · February 2012

I've noticed the number heading up just a bit and my belly getting a bit soft... I've heard it's normal to gain a bit during marathon training, is that true? I am so hungry all. the. time.

Joenali · February 2012

It's muscle... for sure.

I have no idea, but when I did my first marathon (I've only done one!) I never lost weight because I'm sure I ate all of my calories I burned plus more.

feinicstine · February 2012

My teeny teeny tiny cousin who trained for a marathon definitely gained weight and she said it was because she was always hungry. When I trained for a half I tracked calories obsessively because I didn't want to gain weight and seriously... it's ridiculous how much you burn on some of those runs, so it makes sense that you're hungry. I still felt like I'd gone soft.

The best thing anyone every said to me was, "Get to the starting line feeling healthy. It's ok to feel a little squishy, you won't by the end of the run."

I think this is definitely a situation where you need to focus a ton of the quality as well as the quantity, because you're using that body!

becca474 · February 2012

I've never trained for a full but have read over and over that it's completely normal to gain weight. Marathon training is never recommended as a weight loss tool. Plus as PP said you are gaining a lot of muscle as well. But it's important to listen to your body and refuel as well.

ebeth_msn · February 2012

yeah. I think it's pretty common to put on some pounds marathon training. I don't think it's attributable to muscle. it's hard to unintentionally put on even one pound of muscle during marathon training. muscle loss is more common.

I put on like 8 pounds training for my first. which is a lot. basically I was just eating too much because I was SO HUNGRY all the time and not paying attention to what I weighed.

the second time basically maintained my weight but lost a lot of inches. the primary difference was that I did not completely forego weight training, which I think helped prevent some of the muscle loss I had the first time and I made sure to get something with carbs and protein into my belly within 30 minutes of the end of my long runs which curbed the hunger immensely.

psyri · February 2012

Yeah, sounds pretty normal. Just wait til a few weeks down the road where you will want to eat everything that isn't nailed down. That's where I am now. I joke around that I have a little marathon monster that lives in my stomach, and it is always hungry. Well, if the monster is hungry, I feed it. I try to have a good selection of snacks available at all times. Trail mix or trail mix-like blends that I portion out from whatever dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and chocolate I have in my house is one of my stand-by snacks.

gumiberg · February 2012

i once read that when you put your body through stressful situations, it releases a chemical called cortisone that makes you gain weight. running 20 miles is considered a physically stressful situation.

i notice though that this is more common with newer marathoners. i know a lot of women who have ran 10+ marathons and they dont gain weight. i think its because their bodies adapt, so its no longer stressful to them.

also, keep in mind that although i dont think you gaining muscle (cardio very rarely attributes to muscle gain), you are going to retain more water.

shorty20 · February 2012

I gained a little with both of mine.

Cinco · February 2012

I gained during my first, maintained the next couple, and then in my last two I lost a little weight. I think my body adapted, and also I ran more mileage in the last two training cycles.

When I started running and lifting again post baby I gained a few pounds, even though I have been tracking on myfitnesspal. It seems to have subsided and I am losing again (thank goodness!) I think my body was under too much stress (I'm breast feeding too), and maybe some of it was due to muscle soreness/water retention.

taratru · February 2012

Thanks, guys. All of that makes sense. I'll track for a few days, just to make sure I'm not getting out of control. I'm sure all those cake balls I ate last night probably aren't the best fuel. Smile

EveXmas · February 2012

I am thankful for this post! I'm training for my first half and I've put on a couple pounds. I am not running for weight loss by any means, but I didn't expect to gain. I feel a little bit better now!

JoeLies · February 2012

It's not unusual for people to gain during their first training cycle, especially if they didn't previously run much. Basically it's over-estimating your caloric burn. There have been studies that point out that increased exercise in the short term leads to increased appetite to an extent that people often negate the effects of exercise or even gain rather than lose. This causes many people to give up BUT if they'd stuck with it, they'd find their appetite would even out over time and they've start to see the fitness gains they'd expected.

Personally I gained about 5lbs while training for my first, held steady for #2 and didn't learn how to lose while training until #3 and beyond.

PrincessPeach05 · February 2012

I don't know anything about it, but I say if you are hungry than fuel healthy. I think you look great! My impression of you is that you look like a "runner." Which is a compliment, so I hope you take it that way!

Gaining weight is normal right?

Re: Gaining weight is normal right?

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