I gained 20 pounds in 3 days

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Replies

  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    HodgeGainz.jpg

    Seriously though, don't worry about it. You couldn't put on 20lbs. of real weight that quickly. It's water retention.

    Unless you're actually feeling bad or notice some visible problem-- in which case I'd say go see a doctor.
  • CountryGirl8542
    CountryGirl8542 Posts: 449 Member
    Water weight. Sounds like you ate a lot of sodium-heavy foods, so you'll be retaining water due to that. You have to eat 3500cal over maintenance to gain a pound - and so unless you ate 70,000 calories over maintenance in three days, you won't have gained 20 pounds of fat. Drink lots of water and it should come off.

    this
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    That's actually pretty impressive, 20lbs over 3 days
  • ayalowich
    ayalowich Posts: 242 Member
    With respect to item #1, that is not true. I had a kidney issue and was in the hospital for 48 hours on constant IV saline drip. I had not eaten much but when I was finally discharged I was shocked that i put on 17 lbs in 2 days. Sickened was the more realistic thought. Here I was with a kidney stone still lodged, a stent that messed up other things and now I was at my highest weight ever.

    Fortunately, in 4 days, the weight all came off.

    Obviously a different situation then the OP, but still not impossible.
    1. It would be impossible to actually gain 20 lbs in 3 days.

    2. I hope you learned your lesson that after a bad day starving yourself for the next 2 days isn't going to be a successful plan. You should have instead ate your calorie goal on Tues & Wed with plenty of healthy foods. One bad day won't do a much damage. A whole week of the nonsense you did likely will - but not 20 lbs worth.

    Just jump back on track. Don't be so hard on yourself.
  • lyzmorrison
    lyzmorrison Posts: 172 Member
    Don't knock yourself out with guilt. What's done is done, and now you just look towards the future. This is a lifestyle change. It's about making mistakes and then learning how to avoid them in the future. It's about learning how to make good food choices and then realizing that hey...that grilled shrimp and veggies was just as good as the chicken fried steak and smashed potatoes. Next time you go on a business trip, you can mentally prepare yourself for the hazards and then steer clear of them. We just got back from a cruise and I love love love the desserts on the cruises, so I told myself that I was going to enjoy one a day, but just one. That way I didn't feel too deprived, but I didn't go as crazy as I wanted. And when the trip was over, I felt like I got to enjoy my dessert splurge and I didn't have the guilt of knowing I hoovered up the entire dessert table.

    Just continue to burn more calories then you consume and you'll be back on track. You can do this!
  • hseipel12
    hseipel12 Posts: 26
    Ok, this has been bothering me all day. Please ignore all of these posts to just drink water and let the water weight fall off on it's own. That kind of water retention is a sign of kidney issues. Please don't ignore such a giant red flag. Go to the doctor and have the protein in your blood and urine tested. It could be nothing, but I really wish someone would have made me go into the doctor the first time this happened to me. It would have saved a bunch of money had I just found out right away. If it was 5-7lbs I would say it's nothing, but 20lbs should not be ignored!
  • ehimass
    ehimass Posts: 92 Member
    I just did an hour of cardio (31 minutes going pretty hard on the elliptical and 35 minutes jogging at 7.5 mph) and weighed in at 185 lbs. So I'm guessing it was mostly water weight. It'll be interesting to see where I stand at the end of this week.
  • mazmataz
    mazmataz Posts: 331 Member
    Yup something's not right. It may be because one of the sets of scales you used is out by 15lbs...or you've accidentally eaten a lump of lead over the weekend! But yeah, I'd say that's not accurate!
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    Please don't starve yourself again :(

    It is so unhealthy and it is never the right mind set to lose weight as a lifestyle.

    What is your plan to deal with cravings? What is your mindset towards the next set back (because, there will be many). Who are your support people? What is your exercise plan for the rest of the year?

    Plan plan plan - and get support - for a real change, and not a silly starvation phase followed by a binge phase.


    Actually that's called a fast & perfectly ok as long as you dont develop an ED over it. I don't eat anything for 40 hours 3 times a week. I don't binge at all on normal days.
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,271 Member
    Also did you weigh after you drank a gallon of water
  • ehimass
    ehimass Posts: 92 Member
    No. I weighed myself after eating the following on Sunday:

    1 Pastrami Sandwich (approx 4 oz of pastrami, 2 slices wheat bread, lettuce) (200 cal)
    .5 Turkey wrap (flour toritilla filled with approx 4 oz turkey meat and 1 oz cheddar cheese) (300 cal)
    4 oz beef lasagna (300 cal)
    2 oz mixed vegetables (grean beans, corn, diced carrots) (100 cal)
    6 oz cornbread (400 cal)
    1 brownie (2 oz?) (200 cal)
    1 Payday candy bar (250 cal)
    2 Take 5 candy bar (500 cal)
    1 Nutrageous candy bar (480 cal)
    2 Chocolate Chip cookies (300 cal)
    approx 4 litres water

    So I would actually only estimate 3000-4000 calories on sunday....obvoiusly I have to estimate the catering on the airplane because there are no labels (the sandwich, wrap, lasagna, cornbread, brownie, and veggies in this case).

    I was getting these cravings for chocolate/peanut candy and I just went absolutely bonkers. Cookies, candy bars, peanuts, caramel, I just couldn't get enough of it over the weekend.

    Today I have done well and am back on the diet. I am hoping to be able to maintain throughout the week.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    Water weight. Sounds like you ate a lot of sodium-heavy foods, so you'll be retaining water due to that. You have to eat 3500cal over maintenance to gain a pound - and so unless you ate 70,000 calories over maintenance in three days, you won't have gained 20 pounds of fat. Drink lots of water and it should come off.
    ^^^this
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Congratulations, you have managed to completely break the laws of thermodynamics!

    Or it is water weight.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    Did you weigh yourself on different scales
    Have the batteries gone
    did you weight yourself with the scales on a carpet one day and on hard floor the next
    20 lb even for water is a lot - its got to be 16pts extra.... in 3 days ?
  • sarahertzberger
    sarahertzberger Posts: 534 Member
    change the batteries in your scale, or get a new one... that is false, even for water weight!

    Agree completely
  • Erikalynne18
    Erikalynne18 Posts: 558 Member
    Okay firstly... don't starve yourself. If you have a bad meal or day or whatever, just accept it and move on. Starving will NOT make up for it! :( As you have probably learned, not eating makes your body want food even more!

    And next... when did you weight yourself? You should always use the same scale and also the same time of day and conditions. You should weight yourself first thing in the morning after you used the washroom and before you eat or drink anything, also minimal clothing. And if it's that Time of Month... just skip the scale.

    Weight can fluctuate like 5 lbs throughout the day for me just depending on when I weight myself. Is my stomach/bladder full? Have I just finished an intense workout? What am I wearing? Did I just shower/is my hair wet? (I have really thick/long hair). Also when it's that time of the month, I can "gain" an extra 5lbs. So in a way I could weight myself one morning in ideal conditions, then 3 days later start my period and weight myself in cloths, with a full stomach, after a workout and suddenly "gain" 10 lbs (although not really) even with healthy eating.

    Point being... don't always trust the scale!
  • rosemary98
    rosemary98 Posts: 632
    Did you fly on this trip? When I went overseas last year, I gained 20 lbs in two days. I was retaining water from the flight and change in food, constipated from flying, travelling and the food, and god knows what else the problem was.

    You didnt actually do any damage, I'm sure. Just go back to eating properly, exercise and drink a lot of water. It'll be ok.

    definitely agree. when I flew back from paris, my feet were almost bruised from my shoes. so much water retention during the flight.
  • ehimass
    ehimass Posts: 92 Member
    Just as an update I weighed in this morning at 173 lbs. So I gained 20 lbs in 3 days then lost 22 lbs over the next 6 days. I went back on my diet and exercise program, and even though I did have another binge day on Wednesday I got back to normal. The human body can be pretty resilient, I guess. I'm hoping to get down to 155 by the end of the year, then it's time to put some muscle on.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    Just as an update I weighed in this morning at 173 lbs. So I gained 20 lbs in 3 days then lost 22 lbs over the next 6 days. I went back on my diet and exercise program, and even though I did have another binge day on Wednesday I got back to normal. The human body can be pretty resilient, I guess. I'm hoping to get down to 155 by the end of the year, then it's time to put some muscle on.

    good job and good luck :-)
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    It would be possible to weigh 20lbs heavier over a 3 days period, imho. I can gain 7lb after a splurge and I'm female and slim.

    But, as others have said, it IS just water weight, not fat. You need to eat 3,500 calories OVER your TDEE to gain one pound of fat. It's just your muscles refilling with glycogen and water. It'll soon go, as soon as you get back on track.

    All the best :smile:

    Oh - just read the... yeah anyway, you're good!
  • LyndsieLovejoyyy
    LyndsieLovejoyyy Posts: 48
    your scale is broken

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