Running and bodybuilding

[karuntc]

I have been advised by a couple of trainers that I am "spinning my wheels" if I continue to run 3-4 times a week while trying to add muscle mass for my first bodybuilding show. By the way, I am already quite lean and will probably only lose another 10 lbs at the most in the last 3 months before the show. Have been training hard for 4 months and have another 8 to go before the show. I am a 41 year old female and the reason I am asking is that I love running and am addicted to my cardio. Have gotten into the habit of doing my strength training before my cardio. I generally lift heavy 5-6 days a week and do 60 minutes of cardio 6-7 days a week. Would love thoughts on this.

[DJAuto]

You'll just have to adjust your diet accordingly (increasing clean caloric intake) to prevent unwanted loss of mass.

[burroz]

I have been advised by a couple of trainers that I am "spinning my wheels" if I continue to run 3-4 times a week while trying to add muscle mass for my first bodybuilding show. By the way, I am already quite lean and will probably only lose another 10 lbs at the most in the last 3 months before the show. Have been training hard for 4 months and have another 8 to go before the show. I am a 41 year old female and the reason I am asking is that I love running and am addicted to my cardio. Have gotten into the habit of doing my strength training before my cardio. I generally lift heavy 5-6 days a week and do 60 minutes of cardio 6-7 days a week. Would love thoughts on this.

I am not sure if you have ever calculated your caloric needs just to maintain and so forth, but if you have you would want to do that so you know what you should be taking in...especially if your training is intense. *From the sound of it, you are likely pretty fit, but a visit to the nutrition section might be worth your while...

[DCSpartan]

keep running! You wont be adding a lot of mass anyway.

[VIsland]

Eating more will slow down those "spinning wheels"