Why am I gaining weight even though I exercise a lot?

Question

Hi I'm 15 years old and I don't understand why I'm gaining weight. I run 6-11 miles a day (I love to run & I'm doing cross country) and I eat 1500-1600 calories a day, at the most. Last week I gained 1.5 pounds! It can't possibly be muscle weight, can it?

Answer 1

How are your clothes fitting? If it is muscle weight your clothes will be loose. If it is fat you clothes will be tighter. A pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat.

Answer 2

I think it takes longer than a week to build a pound of muscle.  Cardio actually wears away at your muscle, so if you're running so much, you probably aren't gaining muscle.  It's probably water weight.

Answer 3

Muscle does weigh heavier than fat and is more compact so it most probably is. Are your clothes looser on you now if they are then it is muscle weight you are gaining

Answer 4

Yes, as a matter of fact, it can be.  Muscle weights more than fat.  Keep an eye on your measurements and how your clothes fit rather than your weight.

Answer 5

You could still be growing.  That and you may have drank more water or eating right before taking your weight.  Don't worry about 1-5 pound swings.  You lose and gain that much over one day.  Instead, worry about a 20 pound gain over five or six months.

Otherwise, I think you're being too nitpicky over a pound.

Answer 6

Yes it can be muscle weight. If you REALLY want to track how your body is doing you need to take measurements of your body once a week and then you'll know where you are 'gaining size' and where you're 'losing size' and then based on where you gain you can tell if you gained muscle or fat. ; ) If you feel like you are gaining fat and losing muscle eat more protein and cut out more sugar and fats. Also try weightlifting. Don't cut your calories, though. This is a good website for calorie amount needed.

http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness...

Good Luck!

Hope that helped!

Answer 7

From the amount of running you do a day its got to be muscle weight. Your actual weight doesn't really matter, as long as your staying the same clothes size then that's fine.

Plus, your 15, your still growing, so that will have something to do with it.