Weight gain since cycling (no change in calorie intake)?!

Hello!

I am new to the forum, though not new to woman issues (being one myself) and not new to cycling!

There is a problem that's been troubling me for a while and I was wondering if anyone might have any ideas/suggestions. Around this time 2 years ago, I was 23 and at 5'2" I weighted about 105 lbs. In August 2008, I moved to a new city and bought a target bike to start commuting. It lasted for about 4 months, during which time I gained about 10 pounds. I stopped bike commuting, and the weight gain stopped, too. Between may and august of 2009, I was doing a lot of hiking, and lost about 5 lbs. In August 09 I started commuting by bike again, and like last time, I gained weight. And like last time, the weight gain stopped when I stopped bike commuting. In December 09 I lost my car, could not replace it, so I rode my bike everywhere. I really fell in love with the sport and the mode of transportation, so I started training for a century. And guess what? I weighed in at 125 this week.

I have had the habit of keeping food journals diligently and honestly since my teens, and looking back at my food journals I felt that I ate way healthier whenever I am biking (I don't exercise otherwise--the only other sport I like is hiking and I don't live near any mountains) although my overall calories are about the same for the past couple of years.

For the past 4 weeks or so, I eat about 1400-1600 calories a day, and I ride about 10 miles a day. My BMR is supposed to be 1300 cal/day. You would think at the very last I would maintain, but no, on January 8th I weighed 120.

I am really confused! And I was wondering if this happens to anyone else? I don't mind weighing more, but my pants are so tight I had to buy new ones. Is it just the muscle I've developed (I live in a hilly place)? Should I go to a doctor?

My guess is it's muscle. I'm probably about the same height/weight/build as what you described, and when I'm getting good regular exercise my clothes will start to feel snug -- I especially notice this with work clothes. Muscle is dense, and it can be surprising to some people that when you develop muscle, it is often accompanied by weight gain.

I don't own a scale, but I do know that my weight has varied with my relative health/fitness. If I'm not training for anything specific, I'm usually in the 105-108 range. I may have weighed a little over 120 after my first sprint tri, and that is probably the most I have ever weighed.

IMHO, you would KNOW if there were something to be concerned about -- your energy levels might be low, for example. It sounds to me that you are very fit.

That said, if you're really concerned that something other than your physical activity is responsible for the weight gain, then by all means you should go to the doctor.

(They will probably tell you to keep up the good work and that they wished all their patients were as active as you!)

When I ride regularly but not hard I lose a little weight and fit into clothes better. When I ride harder I gain a little weight and pants start getting tight over the thigh... I call it "biking out of my pants" ;) It's all muscle at that point.

I suppose you could be putting on muscle, but I'd be really surprised if that explains all 20 pounds of your weight gain. What changes do you otherwise see in your body? Are your legs bigger and more defined or do you see additional fat in your stomach, hips, thighs, and arms? If you feel trim and toned, then I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Are you sure you're not overcompensating for the mileage in terms of what you're eating? Ten miles, while fantastic, isn't a long distance from a caloric expenditure point of view. Age, too, can change your metabolism. If you'd like to lose a bit of the weight, I'd encourage you to increase both the amount of time you're spending on the bike and the intensity of your rides.

I too am in the same boat and trying very hard not to get frustrated. I moved to the NC mountains several months ago and have begun cycling at least 3-4 times/week an average of 25-35 miles each time. I was cycling a lot living in the city without mountains and was much "thinner." Now it seems my pants are a tad snug in the butt and upper thighs. Beyond frustrating even though my muscles and vasculature are far more pronounced. Knowing that means a drop in body fat still doesn't make the tighter clothes any easier. I too would welcome any and all suggestions!

Love your body.
Enjoy your fitness and life.
Stay away from the scale.
Have fun!

(And maybe get new pants, or wear skirts more often.)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Grog

Stay away from the scale.

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Do your clothes still fit?

The fact that you've been diligent about food journals since you were a teenager concerns me a bit.

Muscle weighs more than fat!

I dont ever weigh myself. I use my clothes to judge how I am doing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zen

Do your clothes still fit?

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I was going to ask this, too.

Also, is that 1300 calories the total goal for the day, or the amount just to sustain you before exercise?

How much time do you spend riding those 10 miles? You're probably not burning very many calories on the bike.

The OP has not been back since she posted this in Feb.

Veronica