Why am I overweight after doing MORE exercise?

SG27

I'm training for a marathon and have lost about 1/2 stone in 3 months. Purely cardio no weights running twice a week. Plus I have increased my calorie intake. I wasn't overweight to start with but I have lost a lot of fat and added muscle.

chuckley

Thanks so much for the feedback and advice guys!

I actually forgot that I started spinning a while back so I do 2 high intensity classes a week.

Protein powder - purely to aide recovery as I find I need 2 or more days between workouts otherwise. I missed it one evening after spinning, as I was starving and had half a chicken meal thinking it would be fine. I was totally sore for like 4 days! Couldn't do any exercise, so I'd rather not cut this out.

Food - I already know what I eat, as I plan and precook for the week. I only do the salads and veg daily. I'm adjusting portion control though as I feel I rely on carbs too much.
My blood sugar dips very quickly (no I'm not diabetic) but my body reacts a bit like one and I get severe migraines when I don't eat in a certain way. I have big meals and never snack. It's like my brain thinks I'll starve if I'm not 'full'. Little and often didn't work for me and gave me IBS symptoms with dreadful digestion. My system rejects things pretty quickly so I'm pretty strict on certain things, like wholewheat/wholemeal/olive oil/grilled/steamed, e.t.c. But when it comes to meals, it's either all or nothing. But I don't like relying on carbs so I'm trying to adjust this.

Free exercise - I walk a good hour a day, always a walker. But my thighs still touch.

Goal - strength, but a leaner body would be nice too. But I had to buy a blouse in M&S the other day in a size 16 when my vest tops are like a size 10!!!

Body fat % - I actually haven't had that checked in like 3 years...

In short, if I exercise twice a day 5 days a week I'll still be fat?

thor

Exercise AND calorie control does work. If you don't believe me just watch programmes like the 'Biggest Loser'. Some of them lose 200lbs or more through sheer hard work and eating discipline. They have had people there who started over 30 stones but at the end of the series managing to complete a full marathon. Of course they had professional help but they still have to put in the effort themselves.
Anyway if you look like a size 8 or 10 then I can't see a problem no matter what you weigh.

april87

I find doing masses amount of cardio always makes you hungrier. Switch to weight/resistance training. I started doing so 10/11 weeks ago and have lost more weight doing that then I did when I was training for marathons. I'm also a lot healthier/leaner than I was previously. So yeah switch to weight/resistance! I also only do 1 cardio class a week but that's more so because I enjoy the social side of it

silverwhistle

chuckley wrote: »

Goal - strength, but a leaner body would be nice too. But I had to buy a blouse in M&S the other day in a size 16 when my vest tops are like a size 10!!!

I was reading through the thread wondering what you were exercising for, so thanks for putting that.

I'm a fraction taller than you and a kilo and a half more, and I'm very solidly built. I tend to ignore my BMI, and maybe you should too: BMIs are only useful at a population/statistical level as there are so many variables with individuals. I could do with losing that kilo and a half off my tum, but that is because I play football and carrying less useless weight is always a good thing! As a skier as well I try to get fitter for the sports' sake, and not do the exercise to get fitter, IYSWIM.

I can go a long time without eating if I'm not exercising, and without much of an appetite after training/matches, so we're all different. Don't think there are many 60 year old women 11-a-side footie players around, so I must be doing something alright.

lantanna

UKTigerlily wrote: »

Muscle and fat weigh the same, a pound of muscle is the exact same as a pound of fat. Muscle is denser is all so takes up less room and you look smaller x

Glad you got this spot on! So annoying when people think and say muscle weighs more than fat!

Kendall80

lantanna wrote: »

Glad you got this spot on! So annoying when people think and say muscle weighs more than fat!

Provided both are of equal volume surely the saying holds true?

lantanna

Both weigh the same, the muscle is smaller than the fat. Takes up less space. Therefore you will look much smaller but still weight the same.

heartbreak_star

lantanna wrote: »

Both weigh the same, the muscle is smaller than the fat. Takes up less space. Therefore you will look much smaller but still weight the same.

This is why some weight-loss programmes irritate the daylights out of me...all that matters is pounds off!

HBS x

Gloomendoom

What is a "ruler" body type?

I assumed that it was straight up and down, but that doesn't really fit with the OP's claim to have a size 8 waist and 14 carcass.