The body does tend to store fat around the mid section when doing an exercise; however it is only storing fat to push out the muscles. Then, with in a couple of months the fatty area will be a leaner area. When you exercise yes, you will gain weight. Not because you are fat but due to muscle weighing more than fat. Therefore, you clothes maybe fitting tighter(at first) due to muscle gain in the thighs, arms, and waist, etc.– It will more than likely take your body at least 10-12 weeks to get used to the routine and finally loose weight.
Accompanied by running you may want to do weight training or at least abdominal training. As someone mentioned previously it is quite important to stretch before and after you run. Also, a secret to loosing weight more quickly when you run is to not the steady distance you run it is more so the intensity. You need to run in intervals. 30 second fast pace(as hard as you can) 45 second half pace/ normal jogging running pace. Then as reach your Plateau you will increase your intervals 45 second fast pace 1 minute rest and etc. until you are at your goal weight. Always cool down after intervals. [try hip hop abs]

It is also important to have a proper running and breathing technique for jogging/ running long distances. You need to lengthen your strides as you run and your foot should be hitting on the balls of your foot not flat footed . Also when you run for endurance it is important to breath in through you nose and out through you mouth and really force out the nitrogen from your mouth. When running a faster pace it is important to have shorter breaths still breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.

As for eating, pending on your type of training it is a good idea to not eat too many carbs like bready foods. However, when running you can eat some pastas. Have a balanced diet with a lot of colorful veggies, fruits, and lean protein like (cod/ salmon) fish and lean chicken breast. If you are a vegetarian eat a lot of veggies, fruits, and beans like black beans, navy beans, field peas, etc. A fruit that helps w/ the digestive system is a pear. Now if you don't like eating your veggies you can always make veggies fruit shakes with all of your servings of fruit and veggies that you need through out the day. [try naked juices] Try seeking a dietitian if you are still concerned.

After 1 year of not running, my weight went up 4# after one session of running (weighed before and after on the same scale). Some sort of fluid shifts for sure, but if I can hang with running through the initial ‘puff’ I start to lose.

I always want to quit when I first start, but hang in there. I also lose weight after 2 week non-exercise vacations, but am skinny/flabby. =(

It’s so unfair. Boys work out and they look great–women work out and we look less feminine. I’m intrigued by the “stress/defense” mode some people mentioned here–maybe that explains the extra fat stores when exercising!

1. get a good pair of jogging sneakers (some aren’t really designed for running or jogging)

2. Before you run, give yourself 5-10 mins for warm ups and stretching. when you jog/ run, make sure to inhale and exhale deeply, and coordinate the breathing with your steps, find your own rhythm. keeping it as an aerobic exercise, after the run, you are exhausted but your muscles aren’t sore or tight. (soreness and tightness can cause bulky muscles). Lots of stretching after your run, if there’s any tightness and soreness, they would go away more efficiently after stretching. Then a cool shower.

3. I do not know if this one affects directly… when i eat protein, i don’t eat carb/sugar, vice versa… and I have been eating protein mostly, with veggies. Protein consumes more calories to digest and to burn, it helps to get rid of water retention and fat… carbs makes you to store fat…

I’d like to see more suggestions from experienced runners on this issue.