Guys running 70+ miles a week: do you still put on weight if you don't watch what you eat?

Precious Roy wrote:

When I am over 70 mpw, I cannot gain weight unless I really do something over the top. I am 42. If I am not running, I will put on a pound a week if I eat like a pig. Running 40-50 mpw means that I do not have to worry about diet much, but cannot let myself overeat. Once I am over 70 mpw, I generally will lose about 1-2 lbs a month and level off at a good race weight after about 2-3 months as long as I do not over eat. If I pig out too much, I will level off sooner, but not gain any weight back.

I'm 41. It takes me 40 miles a week to not gain weight if I watch what I eat. At 60 miles a week I will not lose weight if I don't watch what I eat but I will not gain any weight. At 80-100 miles I will lose weight regardless of what I eat. At 40 miles a week if I don't watch what I eat I will gain a ton of weight.

20, male, 135ish, 5'10"

running anything over 50 mpw i can eat whatever i want and there is no change in my weight

I tend to lose weight when I'm running more than 60 miles a week. I eat pretty healthy but I got a killer sweet tooth so cookies and candy are in the diet. When I have to take time off for injury, I really have to cut back what I eat because I gain weight quickly.

Xfit_guy_the_real_one_1 wrote:

The natural bodys reaction to CHRONIC CARDIO is that it increases appetite and that the stomach holds on to as much BF as possible. What you end up is the often described runners problem "SKINNY FAT".

complet BS, as usual from CULT_FIT_PALEO_DOUCHE_real_1

I drive by xfit "gyms" (boxes? yes, tools go into boxes) all the time. It is true I don't see "skinny fat" people jogging around their parking lot. Instead, I simply see FAT FAT people waddling along (no "skinny" anywhere on them, and any muscle is hidden below gobs of fat). Yes, I know, come back in 2 weeks and these same people will be RIPPED and BUFFED!!!!!!!, right? suuuuure....

Tyrannosaurus Rexing wrote:

Yes, I know, come back in 2 weeks and these same people will be RIPPED and BUFFED!!!!!!!, right? suuuuure....

Hey clown. Of course no one is going to make a miracle transformation in 2 weeks. But trust me, I have seen insane makeovers in about 2 months. Like 20lbs fat converted to 20lbs of lean muscle. Yep, in my box.

26 year-old male here. I eat whatever I feel like, run 85 miles per week and never gain weight. I am 5'11" and consistently weigh between 150-155. One night last week, I at a 12-inch pizza with pepperoni and 3 cheese-stuffed breadsticks. Last night, I had a case of the drunken munchies. I ate 2 Qdoba chicken queso burritos. Life is good.

I think it depends a lot on genetics.

Personally, I have gained weight running 85-100mpw (eating crap and ridiculous portions), while my roommate eats absolute garbage all the time and looks like Mo Farah.

I have to be on a fairly strict diet during racing season while he can continue to eat whatever he wants; so in my experience, I'd say it really depends.

Interesting responses...I guess athletes need to find what works for themselves!

I would bash the crossfit guy but if you want to keep weight off and have a good physique, his method is probably the best. It works. As much as the runners here won't agree, sprints and lifting is proven to get you a beach body.

As for the OP, it is all about moderation. Some people are lucky or unlucky and have a fast or slow metabolism. Find out how you react to different eating habits. But mostly, eat clean 90% of the week and you should be good to go. Don't go crazy ONLY eating healthy stuff, you need a cheat meal here and there.

First, fat doesn't convert to muscle. Second without PEDs it is impossible to gain 20 lbs of muscle in 2 months.

I think crossfit is a fad, but a fad that can work. Just like body for life or any other fad workout before it.

However you're skinny fat theory is crap. Look at pics of Kemboi with his shirt off. Or really any elite distance runner, no fat anywhere. Sure, lots of mediocre distance runners have fat, just as most mediocre crossfit guys.

Back to original topic, I maxed at 50 mpw and I lost weight when I first started marathons. I was 6' 138lbs and no fat at all. Now in my mid 30s same mileage and I'm 10 lbs heavier. Mostly due to slowed metabolism and drinking heavy beer a few nights per week.

Wow 6' 138 lbs, no wonder no one takes 90% of the anorexic posters on this site seriously.

The fact that this thread even exists is laughable enough already.

I'd rather be 6' 138 lbs than 5'9" 160lbs.

In fact at nearly 150lbs now, I need to get back in shape.

early to mid 20s - no.

late 20s - YES. if i go over 3K calories per day, the weight slowly starts creeping up.

When I ran 70-75 mpw I still had to watch what I ate.

Crazy as this sounds I gained 5 lbs in one week in Hawaii at age 35 but trained 8-10 miles a day while there.

In my 60's it's almost a non issue. I am five pounds up no matter what I do. Metabolism has slowd down significantly and I can't run the miles I used to.

I am sure I could lose the five on a rigorous calories exercise counting diet but there's a day where that just gets old.

i recognized the skinny fat issue back in h.s. and college ... i was running 50 - 90 mpw, yet sprinters were much leaner than me. they simply sprinted a lot with full recovery and had 5% body fat.

in college, i could run more and still could weigh the same or more 2 weeks later.

In my mid 30s here and I dont lose weight and even gain a few lbs when I average 80-110 miles /week. I do eat like garbage and most days end up in the 3500-4000 calorie range.

Fast food and beer tend to be the culprits for weight gain during higher mileage for me.

enjoy it while it lasts!

162430 wrote:

26 year-old male here. I eat whatever I feel like, run 85 miles per week and never gain weight. I am 5'11" and consistently weigh between 150-155. One night last week, I at a 12-inch pizza with pepperoni and 3 cheese-stuffed breadsticks. Last night, I had a case of the drunken munchies. I ate 2 Qdoba chicken queso burritos. Life is good.

Arm Chair Wrestling wrote:

I would bash the crossfit guy but if you want to keep weight off and have a good physique, his method is probably the best. It works. As much as the runners here won't agree, sprints and lifting is proven to get you a beach body.

1) "his method"?? What is "his method" ?? Crossfit?? Hilarious. Crossfit didn't invent cross-training, it's been around since exercise has been around. They just jumped on the bandwagon and did a good job marketing, that's it! You don't think strict bodybuilding will give you a "good physique and beach body" ?? Of course it will, much better than crossfit. So will any combination of weight training and cardio. Eat more protein and do a little more lifting if you want to be a little bigger. CULTfit invented this concept???? Too funny. They are marketing scheme, that's it. Nothing original, nothing new, nothing better than any other combo of weight training and cardio. Oh wait, but they do charge you a ton of $ to brainwash you and scream how f'n ELITE you are when come to their gyms, so there's that.

2) I know plenty of fat people that have been doing crossfit for months and months. It may work for some people, but plenty of people it does not.

3) most recreational runners I know do plenty of cross-training/lifting/body weight exercises along with their running, and are extremely lean and well muscled. So this idea of "skinny fat" they/he is pushing is complete BS. Again, most cult-fit-paleo-douches I know are just plain fat-fat, and it's disgusting to watch them waddle around those industrial park parking lots they "work out" in. Hey, but if that's his scene....