Thoughts... help me out of my own head!

I am 5' 7" , female, I weigh 132 as of this morning. I am very athletic. I strength train 6 days a week for about 15 - 20 min and that does not include abs that are 3 times a week. I either run or bike (indoors mostly right now) 6 days a week for 30 + min sometimes twice a day.

I am trying to bring my calories up a bit since I have been averaging 1,600 for the most part. I have been reading up and seeing that just doesn't seem to be enough and since I am competing (duathlon, bike racing and running) I need to gain some more speed and I just don't seem to have enough energy.

I eat really clean, whole grains, veggies, fruit, good protein and my fats consist of some butter, olive oil, coconut oil and some heavy cream in my coffee (just a little bit)

I also drink green tea, black tea and coffee and plenty of water.

I have been drinking hot chocolate (about 8 - 10 oz) after my workouts as a "recovery" drink instead of choc milk as it is cold outside.

There you have it. I am also hungry quite a bit but it usually doesn't catch up until later as I am a very active person during the day.

My "problem" is that I did weight less and it seems that I just keep gaining weight. I don't really know where it is going, I do have very muscular legs and butt. But I am concerned, I dont' want to keep gaining and to be honest I feel like if I were lighter I would be faster but maybe that is just all in my head because I am a woman and always think I should be lighter?

Thoughts?

My thought is you're already low weight for your height, so don't try to lose any more. It is all in your head. I've been there. You could have a zinc deficiency. Try adding some nuts and seeds to your diet.

Think of food as gasoline, and you're an engine. When you feel hungry, you're fuel indicator is flashing. Time to fill up, and better still, don't let it get so low that it flashes again.

At your height and weight 1600 calories barely keeps your body going if you were sedentary, and would not be enough to fuel the amount of exercise you do. You body might now be doing its best at conserving energy because it doesn't have enough fuel.

Two questions: how old are you and have you had your thyroid checked lately?

I generally think you may be underfueling and have thereby encouraged your metabolism to slow down.

I'm 5'7". When I was in grad school I weighed about 130 lbs. All my friends thought I had an eating disorder because I looked too thin.

If I tried to survive on 1600 calories a day I would be hungry and lightheaded all the time. I probably get more like 2000 calories a day. I currently weigh 141.

I'm a little shorter than you and I'm 135-ish. My friends think I'm a stick.

You're active. You need to eat to fuel those workouts. Redrhodie has good advice. I'm not nearly as active as you (though does refusing to turn the heat up too much count?) and while I haven't tallied it up, I'm probably eating 2000 calories a day. I would be very unhappy on 1600, as would everyone around me.

5'6.5" here. Current weight: 125, but I have gained a couple of lbs since Thanksgiving (gotta start running again!), and I'm not underweight. I try to consume an average of 1900 calories per day. During the summer, when I bike 2-4 hours, I am careful to have a meal soon after the ride.

Protein helps me keep hunger away, for the most part: I added protein to my breakfast (hard boiled egg whites, smoked salmon, Greek yogurt, peanut butter... ) and at the office I keep a jar with a mix of almonds, pistachios and cashews, for quick snacks. A nutritionist suggested I increase my protein consumption to ~50g per day.

PS: At 5'7", you'd have to go under 118 lbs to be considered underweight by the BMI tables, but I think it depends on your overall bone structure. Some people can look emaciated at that weight, others look just fine.

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Originally Posted by pll

Protein helps me keep hunger away, for the most part: I added protein to my breakfast (hard boiled egg whites, smoked salmon, Greek yogurt, peanut butter... ) and at the office I keep a jar with a mix of almonds, pistachios and cashews, for quick snacks. A nutritionist suggested I increase my protein consumption to ~50g per day.
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This. I can't do yogurt for breakfast if I ride, but eggs (whole, fried in my case), smoked salmon, bacon or even my favorite whole grain cereal with nuts in it are great. I keep a little container of almonds around.

Thank you for all the replies. I am glad to have some women to sound some things off of!

"Two questions: how old are you and have you had your thyroid checked lately?" No, I have never had my thyroid checked. I am 26 years old.

I guess I should also add that I am a mother of a 3 1/2 year old.

OJazzy1 EAT MORE.

You don't mention how often you eat. If I have my conversion right you're my weight but a bit taller. When I was training a lot and had a lot of muscle in my legs I was visibly thinner, but the same weight. At that point I could not afford to lose any weight. I don't think you should lose any!

It sounds to me like you're very active, but eat a bit too little, a bit too seldom. "Hungry quite a bit" leapt out at me. Hungry shouldn't catch up - when you're hungry, you need to eat.

I will echo what everyone is saying already: you need to eat some more. Hunger is a good indicator that you need the calories, as lph is pointing out. Based on my own "experiments" with long bike rides, I have learned you need to eat at the right times, too: if I do not eat after a long ride (read 4+ hours) I will be ravenous later on.

Ask your doctor for a thyroid check (it's a simple blood test). And, let the fit in clothing be your guide, rather than weight. Muscle is more dense than fat, so you can gain weight and your clothes can get looser.

I agree that you need to eat more. That hit chocolate that you're drinking? Do you use milk to make it? It's the milk in chocolate milk that plays an important part in recovery. Hot chocolate with water is not equivalent.

One additional personal question. Any chance that you're pregnant? The weight gain and low energy makes me wonder. Beyond that, my advice is to eat more and weigh yourself less. Just be active and give your body sufficient fuel.

I haven't checked about being pregnant... I don't think so but I guess it is a possibility.

I drink the hot chocolate with milk, make sure and get the protein!

Thanks for the pep talk ladies. Like I said, I am getting all bogged down in reading too much most likely and not being anywhere near other females that are very athletic as well as of course having the very common fear of not performing at my utmost!

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Originally Posted by OJazzy1

I haven't checked about being pregnant... I don't think so but I guess it is a possibility.

I drink the hot chocolate with milk, make sure and get the protein!

Thanks for the pep talk ladies. Like I said, I am getting all bogged down in reading too much most likely and not being anywhere near other females that are very athletic as well as of course having the very common fear of not performing at my utmost!

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another 2 cents worth! please eat more! At age 50 I am seeing the effects of those of us who eat plenty (healthy) and those who dieted all through their youth.........bones and muscle need nutrients to maintain. Please eat when you are hungry! Just keep it healthy and you will settle at your correct weight............

Muirenn:

Thanks for your info.

What weight do you think is ideal for you? Well for some reason I think that is should be between 128 - 130

Are you fine boned, medium, heavy boned? I am medium boned

How old are you? 26 :-)

What you are saying makes a whole lot of sense. I ate more yesterday and could already feel the effects even though I had a heavy exercise day. I am going to try and keep things up today and see how I continue to feel.

I would love to say that I am not roped in to the thought that women need to be super skinny and I hate that it is advertised everywhere but for some reason I have the feeling that I do have some of that thought in my mind and I know that that especially doesn't work for an athlete.

Wow. I guess I had never measured (both elbow and wrist) of what my bone structure was... go figure. I just guessed that I had a medium frame... by those charts and measurements I am actually "large" boned. Good perspective.

I am glad you understand the "freak out" feeling of gaining even though I know that I need to do things that are healthier for my body. Seems like it is an ongoing journey!

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Originally Posted by OJazzy1

Wow. I guess I had never measured (both elbow and wrist) of what my bone structure was... go figure. I just guessed that I had a medium frame... by those charts and measurements I am actually "large" boned. Good perspective.

I am glad you understand the "freak out" feeling of gaining even though I know that I need to do things that are healthier for my body. Seems like it is an ongoing journey!

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Keep us posted for support on your ongoing journey! Fighting the media induced image of unhealthy skinniness takes the support of fellow athletes! I have worked with young ladies who are fighting eating disorders and a key to healthy eating can be to focus on speed and strength, rather than weight/the mirror. Ironically enough- we actually all look best when we are strongest/healthiest anyway! (:

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Originally Posted by tealtreak

Keep us posted for support on your ongoing journey! Fighting the media induced image of unhealthy skinniness takes the support of fellow athletes! I have worked with young ladies who are fighting eating disorders and a key to healthy eating can be to focus on speed and strength, rather than weight/the mirror. Ironically enough- we actually all look best when we are strongest/healthiest anyway! (:

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Amen to this last bit. I have a coworker who is obsessed with aging. She's had Botox, chemical peels and the like. She also does not exercise or eat much. I saw her in a sleeveless dress yesterday and she is very thin but with no muscle tone. IMO, that alone really ages her; more so than wrinkles and grey hair. I'd rather be strong than thin. Granted, I do think you can be strong and slender, but it takes a mindful approach to diet to achieve that. Otherwise, your body will look to muscle to feed itself.

I am with you on the being very thin with no muscle aging you. I don't like that look at all. And honestly I have a couple of friends who are stick thin but only because they are that way and they don't eat a healthy diet and they don't look healthy either so I know that the concept is correct but it is also strange how much weight is talked about in the athletic arena as well...

Happy to be here for some support and to get a little bit of a wake up call about my eating choices!

I read the articles. They were very informative.