Weight Gain

[Lbnewsom]

Is it weird to gain weight even though you are counting calories? I walk on my off days but I'm not seeing any differences in inches or on the scale, only in my stamina. I finished week 2 day 2 yesterday.

[RainbowC Graduate]

Weight fluctuates a lot from day to day, according to all sorts of factors. Fundamentally, if you're using up more calories than you're eating, it will drop - but especially in the early weeks of this plan, the running doesn't use up vast amounts of calories. As you run further and longer, it will start to help with weight loss, but it does take time...

[McFitty Graduate]

Also, as you start to build muscle, you may see a slight increase in weight as muscle weighs more than fat. What you will definitely notice as the weeks progress is a change in your shape (for the better)

[misswobble Graduate]

The weight thing takes time. It's cumulative so keep watching your weight, running and cross training, and it is certain to come off. Persistence is key. Stick at it and you'll succeed. Eat healthily! Plan healthy, nutritious meals as you will need good sustenance to support your exercise. The more you clean up your act the healthier and energised you will feel.

C25k is a great programme! Take it very carefully. Slow is the best way to tackle it.

[mooning Graduate]

In addition to what others have said already, make sure that you don't eat more just because you're exercising. Sometimes doing exercise has a psychological aspect that results in people eating more than they need to ('I've done a run, I can have a more relaxed breakfast') or being less active in the day than they generally would ('I've gone for a run, now I can conk out on the sofa'). I'm not suggesting that you're doing either of these, but as misswobble says, it is important to plan your meals so that they provide good sustenance and to prevent you from binge eating on unplanned items. Best of luck.

[Sarah1703]

Week 2 is still fairly early days. I count calories too and didn't really see much of a loss over the first couple of weeks, but now that the runs have started to ramp up the weight loss is coming, and I'm definitely changing shape so am losing inches and feeling (and hopefully looking) more toned.

Keep at it and you'll definitely see results.

[JoolieB1 Graduate]

An interesting question! I lost 2 stone before doing C25K using a calorie counting app and it was simply by weighing everything, counting up all my calories and being below my daily allowance. I did some exercise, but not a lot. When I started running, I gave up calorie counting and guessed my food portions and didn't track calories. Put a stone back on even though my fitness was great and I graduated too. That was a year ago, decided to count calories AND keep running. I have lost the stone I put back on. So now when I lose, it will be extra - lost in total 2 stone 3 lbs with another stone needing to shift. I recently stopped eating bread and feel that as well as being calorie deficient, eating filling and healthy foods and tracking EVERY morsel of food, that I will do it. I never eat additional calories no matter what exercise I do. I am not really hungry or suffering but I know I have a compulsion to eat bread, sweets, crisps and cookies so I don't eat them right now