UKC

Thought about putting in this in the training forum but it's not just climbing related.

At the beginning of December I stopped climbing due to injury, over the following 9 weeks I did absolutely no exercise other than three days downhill skiing (normally I would climb 3 or four days a week and have bursts of going running). As it was Christmas time I expected to pile on the weight but actually went down from just under 11 stones to 10.5. Fair enough, I thought, I must be losing muscle. This in itself was surprising as I'm not really muscly but I couldn't see any other reason. I started climbing again beginning Feb and also started to run so was exercising every day. In the first two weeks my weight shot up to 11 stone 2 pounds, since then its stabilised at about 11 stone.

Why is this? There's no way anyone could put on 8 pounds of muscle in two weeks, especially not just running and climbing and especially not me; so what's the explanation? When you change your activity level like this does your body start to store more fat? I wasn't noticeably eating more.

In reply to Tyler:

A bit anecdotal. Have you tried keeping a food diary? And be strict about it. I was amazed how much it adds up and what you sort of forget about.

I also found that exercise really did drive my appetite, especially running.

cheers
mark

In reply to Mark Westerman:

It is anecdotal but I'm pretty aware of what I eat and whilst I don't deprive myself of food now I certainly didn't when I was injured. Unfortunately I might have to now!

In reply to Tyler:

Has your body shape changed, or the amount you can pinch?

In reply to Tyler:
Hydration?
Soon as you went back to exercising you paid more attention to drinking enough water during the day, which you had neglected to do for the previous 9 weeks (other than beer!) could account for a few pounds?

In reply to Tyler: maybe glycogen storage and water retension along with it? And a slight increase of muscle mass

In reply to Tyler:
I think my body tends to be a bit 'laggy', it could well be you are eating more due to more exercise but your body has switched to put on weight 'mode'.

For example I was in cogne for a week skiing and climbing everyday and only lost just under a kg since then done moderate amounts of exercise and made a conscious effort to go back to normal amounts of eating (definitely NOT dieting) and I've lost 2kg in a week!

Ofcourse its not just the calories you eat its what they are. Fats for example the body tends to want to burn and increase metabolic rate, carbs especially sugar, white flour etc do the opposite.

In reply to Tyler:

Check your scales. Mine add as much as 4 pounds depending on where in the bathroom I move them. It's a great way to upset friends who use them when they visit my bathrooom

In reply to Tyler: Quality post Ash....

Metabolism could be slowing with age?

In reply to Tyler:

I think it's the weight of 'marital expectation'. So good luck with that one.

In reply to Tyler: Is the hole in your face bigger than the hole in your arse?

Look at yourself in the mirror rather than scales.

In reply to Tyler:
11 stone????? I dream of being 11 stone!

In reply to Tyler: You are, at most 2 pounds above your previous normal weight and you feel like that's a big change? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

In reply to Tyler:

adjusting glycogen storage is probably the cause

In reply to Tyler:

How tall are you?

In reply to Tyler: Have you started any medication during this time? I'm not suggesting a mental health medication but some mental health medications and I'm sure others can have the side effect of weight gain, not just by making you want to eat more but also by changing how your body uses what you eat.

In reply to Tyler:

I'm a stone more than I used to be last year and I'm not sure why, I do more exercise now and it's certainly not muscle.

I can't really SEE much of a difference in body shape though, so I'm not arsed.

In reply to Tyler:
I started climbing 3 times a week and also swimming 1km each lunchtime at the start of january and shot up from 75kg to 85kg in 4 weeks. I've also lost a few inches round the waist so have decided that it's "healthy" weight gain as a result of doing lots of exercise using my shoulders and core. As long as you haven't had to buy larger trousers, I'd not worry about it too much.

In reply to Tyler:

Beer or pregnancy?

CB

In reply to Tyler:

Thanks for all the replies, none of the suggestions so far seem to fit, I thought there might have been a well known physiological explanation but it seems not. Interesting to note though that a couple of others have experienced similar

In reply to Tyler: exercise promotes appetite, you overshot.

Forget weight.

Measure climbing grade,waist and chest.

If one is dropping and two are rising all is well.