Gained 4 pounds in a day?

albone
albone Posts: 21 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm at a loss for how I gained 4 pounds in a day. I didn't eat great, but I was under calories from the day before without weight gain (actually a weight loss). So, it's kind of frustrating and I was wondering if there's an explanation to wrap my head around this or some cautionary tale to avoid this in the future.
For those interested, I believe my diary is public, but the biggest difference I'd consider is that I had a caramel apple and movie theater popcorn, though I find it hard to believe that THEY'RE the reason for gaining 4 pounds in a day.

Anyways, would love to hear some helpful ideas or thoughts on this if you fancy.

Thanks!

Replies

  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    Water.
  • KTDNLady
    KTDNLady Posts: 13 Member
    edited September 2016
    The movie theater popcorn probably had a TON of sodium...I am guessing. I don't think it would be unrealistic that it would cause you to retain a bunch of water. Drink lots of water today and eat right and weigh in again tomorrow.
  • hummingbird92548
    hummingbird92548 Posts: 19 Member
    Look at your sodium intake. I can gain five pounds overnight because of the amount of salt....It will come off easily if you increase your fluids for a few days. You can do this
  • lauractemple85
    lauractemple85 Posts: 109 Member
    I gained 2 lbs since yesterday. I'm trying not to pay too much attention to it because I did eat some salty foods. Movie theater popcorn can be high is sodium- especially with butter, so you're probably retaining water. There are also other factors like the last time you had a bowel movement, and muscle soreness (sore muscles retain water as they heal).
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited September 2016
    I'd say the sodium count for the popcorn in your diary is probably low. The combination of the popcorn and the baked beans have probably led to the WATER weight. Eat as planned, drink lots of water and it will probably be gone in a day or two.
  • Purplebunnysarah
    Purplebunnysarah Posts: 3,252 Member
    Yup, water retention due to the sodium in the popcorn. Popcorn & caramel apple also are high in sugars/carbs which can lead to ... more water retention. Should take 1-5 days to flush out of your system. But the bonus is, if you stick to your calorie goals you will keep losing fat and sometimes you can lose all the extra plus a bit more (the water weight masks the fat loss temporarily).
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    You didn't gain 4 lbs in a day. Your scale doesn't reflect the weight change that happens all through out the day, only that point in time.
  • Chrismadison100
    Chrismadison100 Posts: 70 Member
    It sounds like water and the weight of food eaten.
  • Exquisitern
    Exquisitern Posts: 89 Member
    Daily fluctuations in weight frustrate me and lead me to go off track. I stick to weekly weights. Some people can do daily weights but it's not for me.
  • albone
    albone Posts: 21 Member
    Thanks everyone. I'll stick to the water and keep at it.

  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    Not only water retention, but consider the weight of the food and drink you consume..
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
    Water weight is pretty common and caused by MULTIPLE things. You can hold water due to:

    1. Heavy salt intake one day or often
    2. Starting a new exercise routine or increasing the intensity of current exercise
    3. Being female and having a monthly cycle
    4. getting sick with something as small as a mild cold, if you're doing what the doc tells you to do and drinking plenty of fluids
    5. Just existing really, you may not know the cause, but that's why it's important to look at general weight loss trends over a long period of time instead of stressing about the day-to-day. Weight loss isn't linear, and weight loss does NOT equal fat loss 100% of the time.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    If you are weighing in daily, expect fluctuations :)
    THIS is the exact reason why I choose to weigh in once a week. This is not a fat gain.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    edited September 2016
    It is not fat so don't panic. Whatever it is it will go away. I wouldn't even bother identifying it. You haven't got fatter so no need to avoid doing whatever you did.

    ETA
    Retaining water is not necessarily bad. It's not like you're going to compete today and want to fit in a given weight category.
    I for example have some health issues which require me to eat more salt for the purpose of retainimg more water. I'm not getting fatter from this :smile: So don't sweat it.
  • albone
    albone Posts: 21 Member
    First off, thanks everyone for the support! It was very helpful.

    Second, I drank a bunch of water yesterday and ta-da! Down 4 pounds today. Despite all the data you presented me with, it's still kind of a headscratcher, but I'll take all of this and at least keep the sodium in mind the next time I get hit with a big fluctuation.

    Thanks!
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    albone wrote: »
    First off, thanks everyone for the support! It was very helpful.

    Second, I drank a bunch of water yesterday and ta-da! Down 4 pounds today. Despite all the data you presented me with, it's still kind of a headscratcher, but I'll take all of this and at least keep the sodium in mind the next time I get hit with a big fluctuation.

    Thanks!

    Glad to hear it's all sorted now! :)
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    Everyone always says "sodium" (WHY? What's wrong with saying "salt"? Seriously? Do you take your canine for a perambulation every forenoon as well???) but rarely does anyone mention carbs. Carb intake has a huge effect on water retention. So if you eat more carbs one day, you get heavier. Eat less carbs the next day and that weight will come off again.

    But whatever the cause, it's just water. Unless you ate fourteen thousand calories over maintenance, you did not put on 4lb of fat.
  • AMSmit88
    AMSmit88 Posts: 100 Member
    CattOfTheGarage wrote: »
    Everyone always says "sodium" (WHY? What's wrong with saying "salt"? Seriously? Do you take your canine for a perambulation every forenoon as well???) but rarely does anyone mention carbs. Carb intake has a huge effect on water retention. So if you eat more carbs one day, you get heavier. Eat less carbs the next day and that weight will come off again.

    But whatever the cause, it's just water. Unless you ate fourteen thousand calories over maintenance, you did not put on 4lb of fat.

    I actually do say perambulate when I'm talking about walks and my dog is in earshot - it's so he doesn't get overexcited! :D

    Sodium I think a lot of the time it's because that's how it's measured on here. And yes, carbs make you seriously retain water too, but when you overindulge on carbs you're often taking in a lot of salt too. I'm thinking of the burger, fries and mac & cheese combo I had on Monday night - so, so good, but I was up a whopping 2kg overnight from both the carb sesh & salt intake
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,324 Member
    salty popcorn.
  • jamcdonel
    jamcdonel Posts: 533 Member
    We say "Perambulate the Pooch" for exactly the same reason!

    4 Pounds is only 64oz. Of water. Your bladder holds about half of that easily, and your bowels also!
  • BeGrandLike
    BeGrandLike Posts: 184 Member
    So there's a takeout place a few minutes walk from my house that has a load of 'lite' (under 500cal) options. If I've had a long day? You bet I'm gonna be there slurping down a bowl of delicious delicious <500cal ramen.

    And EVERY time I do, I'm up a pound or two the next morning. Back down again the day after, of course. Cause it's not fat. It's just the carbs and the sodium in the noodles. I used to worry about it but- why bother? It's delicious delicious takeout and it fits into my cals. So! Don't worry about your lovely butter popcorn. Next time you have it, expect the scales to go up the next day and then you can feel smug about yourself when they do and you know exactly why ;)
  • Missbright14
    Missbright14 Posts: 57 Member
    CattOfTheGarage wrote: »
    Everyone always says "sodium" (WHY? What's wrong with saying "salt"? Seriously? Do you take your canine for a perambulation every forenoon as well???) but rarely does anyone mention carbs. Carb intake has a huge effect on water retention. So if you eat more carbs one day, you get heavier. Eat less carbs the next day and that weight will come off again.

    But whatever the cause, it's just water. Unless you ate fourteen thousand calories over maintenance, you did not put on 4lb of fat.

    Just had to LOL at this.... cheered me up!

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