Running Addiction & Gaining Muscle

Chris__D · 07-Jan-03, 08:09 AM

Hi, I wonder if any of you have any opinions on this. I've been weight training (& jogging) for the past six months. Prior to starting weight training I ran on a semiregular basis, but that was it. My weight routine is:
Monday: biceps/back--pullups, arm curls, etc.
Wednesday: chest/triceps--dips, bench press, etc.
Friday: legs--squats, calve raises, etc.
I've stuck pretty well with this routine and have gradually increased weight (and reps for pullups and dips are way up from when I first started).
The thing is, I've also been doing a lot (for me) of running outside. I have a 5 mile course near my house which includes some pretty long hills. I started out with 3 to 4 days a week, but couldn't get rid of enough body fat, so in October I increased it to virtually running every day. For example, in November I even ran on Thanksgiving. In December I took 4 days off over Christmas, but that was it.
I'm currently 5'10" and weigh 157 pounds(I used to weigh over 180). All this time I've been following a pretty standard healthy eating routine including whey protein shakes. I estimate my body fat at around 10% since I have no love handles and have about a "4 pack" for abs, lol. Also, my face much looks much thinner now than it did before, which is good in my opinion.
My problem is this: have any of you kept up with a similar cardio routine and still gained muscle? I am honestly addicted to it. In the past I have had problems with depression, but if I run everday I feel great and rarely get depressed about anything, so I'm reluctant to cut back on it. I have definitely gained some muscle (since I had none before lol), but would like to be about 165 with my current (or even less) body fat by this summer. Is this a realistic goal?
I just wondered if any of you had any experience with gaining muscle in this situation. BTW, if I run each day I don't feel tired at all; I actually have much more energy. It's on days that I don't run that I feel bogged down. Also, I stopped losing weight on the scale around the beginning of December.
Thanks for any responses, and sorry for such a long-winded post from a first-timer.
Chris

redrider · 07-Jan-03, 08:56 AM

sounds like me brother
I'm 5'10" 180 lbs right at the moment. Back when i had no clue about running or fitness i was at 205. Then one day i said f this im sick of being a fat slob. I managed to drop down to 168 in a matter of 4 months from just running and watching what I was eating. Then i said f that i wanna be stronger so i started weight training. Well here I am at 180 and and in the best shape of my life. And i kept runniing the whole time, just not as much. I cut it down to 2-3 times a week instead of 5-6 like i was doing prior. Like you said, I feel alot better when i go out and run a couple miles, but i get that feeling also when i have a good lifting session.
I guess basically is depends on your metabolism. I would suggest to cut down the running if you want to see some weight gainage, because it seems to me you have a high metabolism. Hopefully you will get that "feeling" when you pump the iron. When you start to see the gains, everything will change, at least for me it did. I had some bouts with depression. But when my body started changing into what i wanted it to look like, it helped out a ton!! Try eating alot, getting alot of protein see what happens.

goodluck

**cursor** · 07-Jan-03, 09:55 AM

Welcome aboard Chris_D. There are currently several threads that address the role of aerobics in muscle gain and quality fitness. Do some browsing and see what you find.

Chris__D · 07-Jan-03, 12:57 PM

Wow, I'm really surprised at people's opinions of cardio after browsing through a lot of the old posts. I wonder if it depends on a person's fitness level whether or not it should be done. For example, I just got done running. I did 5 miles in right at 40 minutes, which is my average. I go all out up the hills -- there are 4 long hills on my course -- and just go at a fairly leisurely pace the rest of the way. I'd love to keep doing it because I feel so high afterwards, but if it's detrimental then I guess I should cut back. The thing is, I don't think that's still all that many calories burned. For example, someone working construction as their daily job would burn WAY more calories than I do during my 5 mile run. And if I don't exercise like that, it just doesn't seem like enough exercise to me because I'm usually sitting down at work. So do people think (for example) that someone who had a job which required them to burn a lot of calories throughout the day would have a hard time building mass? Also, couldn't the calories burned be easily replaced with an extra meal?

Redrider, thanks for the advice! For the time being I will probably just cut the running back to 5 days per week and increase my food intake somewhat. As for my weight, I have kind of a small frame, so even at my goal of 165 (with low bodyfat) I would look pretty "athletic". I actually have very wide shoulders, but other than that I'm small. I do get a high somewhat from lifting, but it just isn't the same, & though the running seems fairly easy anymore, it puts me in a great mood when I'm done.

Also, I'm reluctant to do anything that would add very much fat back on after I've lost it, though that may be necessary. I have friends who weight train on a regular basis who have large muscles but also have that "chubby" look with really round faces and some fat around the stomach, but I want to avoid that at all costs even if it means slower gains. (Forgive me for the free association typing...)

Chris

**cursor** · 07-Jan-03, 01:13 PM

By intentional manipulation of your nutrition plan (yo! ... watch what you shove in your mouth!), there is no need to worry about the "chubby" look. Through a responsible plan of lifting and food control, your muscles become more full, while your body fat reduces.

I started at 180 lbs some time back. I'm still 180 lbs. The difference is in the body fat percentage. I lost 23 lbs of fat and gained 23 lbs of muscle. Properly performed resistance training can provide more benefits to your build and physical condition than conventional aerobics can.

Running for enjoyment is great. Your idea of eating a bit more in an attempt to offset any catabolic results is a good thing.

Chris__D · 07-Jan-03, 01:35 PM

cursor, wow, that's quite a difference in the before-and-after photo! You weigh 180, how tall are you if you don't mind me asking? Anyway, great accomplishment, & I'll take whatever you say as gospel from now on.

**cursor** · 07-Jan-03, 03:19 PM

I'm 4'-9" tall...

not really

6'-0" ... and when I finish growing up I'm going to be 6'-8"

Lil'Lifter · 07-Jan-03, 05:51 PM

Here you may want to check out this thread about Cardio:
http://www.discussfitness.com/showth...&threadid=3014

I don't know if you already read that thread above or not, but I find it to be very true and helpful. I have by no means a physically demanding job (I am in high school and sit for 8 periods in school) so that is something we have in common. When I decided I wanted to get bigger and seriously weight train I had already been running a lot, 4-5 days a week. I saw slow and small gains while lifting, then I read in a magazine how too much cardio makes you go catabolic and eats your muscle mass. I stopped running all together and the gains just started coming (I changed my routine and went from a 3 day a week to 5). Running was something I could easily let go your case seems a little different however......I hope the thread above proves helpful.
Good Luck to you,
-Mike