What's the most amount of weight you gained after a binge?

fragileelegance

So I went in pretty bad this weekend. Pizza, fried chicken and breadsticks yesterday and a double whopper with cheese and fries today, plus lots of alcohol and birthday cake. Last weekend was worse: chipotle, papa johns and burger king again. I'm realizing it's starting to become a normal ritual: work super hard and eat really good during the week and then pig out on weekends.

But anyways, that's a separate problem in itself. I gained 8 pounds this weekend. I know I ate bad, but is that normal? Sometimes I've gained 5 pounds in just one night. I know I'm eating horribly, I'm taking full responsibility for that, but is it possible there could be something wrong with my thyroid if I can gain so much in just 1 day or in 1 weekend? Has anyone else gained a lot of weight after a binge weekend or a few binge days?

Alairissa

You could not have gained 8 pounds of fat in two 8 because it would mean you ate 28000 calories over maintenance. That is quite impossible therefore the weight you are seeing is water weight due to the high amount of sodium in your food. Drink water it will disappear in a few days.

lesliethescribe

I SUFFER FROM THIS SAME ISSUE!

i binged hard today and think i gained a pound in one day from the amount of crap i ate (though i can say this isn't the worst for me, most i've gained in a day is 2 pounds, as in 7000 calories over maintenance). i'm praying that this week i can have some intense work outs and eat right to burn off what i consumed. but i'm absolutely terrified because this is becoming a vicious cycle.

i know my comment doesn't provide you with advice, but it does let you know you're not alone and i'm glad that you posted on this thing.

if anyone else could offer some good advice/insight/wisdom, it'd be much appreciated.

heybales

Besides the sodium mentioned, it's also water weight from going from very depleted glycogen stores to topping them off.

That's 3-4 lbs right there since they store with water.

And that is a needed part of the body. To think that is useful gone, is to think it would be useful to cut off a foot.

Also, that much stores to refill only means your normal diet is too extreme, or you'd never have that much to refill.

Your binging issues seems to prove the point too.

And yes, eating that low you can mess up your thyroid.

This is exactly how people claim they gain weight while on a diet though, because you did gain some fat with excess, just not that full amount.

But keep it up and guess where it will go....

Suggest you take a more reasonable deficit so you can comply with it better.

fragileelegance

I'll definitely be drinking lots of water, thanks

fragileelegance

I SUFFER FROM THIS SAME ISSUE!

i binged hard today and think i gained a pound in one day from the amount of crap i ate (though i can say this isn't the worst for me, most i've gained in a day is 2 pounds, as in 7000 calories over maintenance). i'm praying that this week i can have some intense work outs and eat right to burn off what i consumed. but i'm absolutely terrified because this is becoming a vicious cycle.

i know my comment doesn't provide you with advice, but it does let you know you're not alone and i'm glad that you posted on this thing.

if anyone else could offer some good advice/insight/wisdom, it'd be much appreciated.

That makes me feel so much better, it's really assuring to know there are people out there that have the same issue!

fragileelegance

Besides the sodium mentioned, it's also water weight from going from very depleted glycogen stores to topping them off.

That's 3-4 lbs right there since they store with water.

And that is a needed part of the body. To think that is useful gone, is to think it would be useful to cut off a foot.

Also, that much stores to refill only means your normal diet is too extreme, or you'd never have that much to refill.

Your binging issues seems to prove the point too.

And yes, eating that low you can mess up your thyroid.

This is exactly how people claim they gain weight while on a diet though, because you did gain some fat with excess, just not that full amount.

But keep it up and guess where it will go....

Suggest you take a more reasonable deficit so you can comply with it better.

This is probably a really dumb question, but what do you mean by taking a more reasonable deficit? Are you talking about upping my calorie intake? I feel like my main issue is cravings and getting past it. I know the food is bad for me but I crave it so much, I don't know how to not want bad food..

AHack3

It's not all actual fat gained. I stopped weighing more than once a week partly for that reason. I weigh once a week on a Wednesday now so I have a few days to drink a lot of water and correct my eating if I got off plan a little over the weekend. I haven't done that in a few months now, I had a rough time through the Holidays this year. The most I have gained over a weekend from weighing Friday morning and not again until Monday morning is 9 pounds. A few years back I had gone on about a month binger and I actually gained 20 pounds in one month! This past year on mfp I've been working on moderation and for the past few months trying to meet macros for the day and I haven't had the urges to binge like I used to at all!

DucklingtoSwan

It comes from things like water retention (Alairissa is dead on about the sodium) and a lot of is bloat from the sheer volume of food nesting in your insides. How often are you weighing yourself after one of these meals/weekends? When I slip and eat too much I have to fight my instinct to hop up and down off the scale like a maniac. The weight fluctuation is ALL over the place.

I too went a little nuts this weekend and the scale has wobbled up, I know i didn't do any irreparable damage, but I know my official weigh-in day Tuesday) will also most likely not register much of a loss, either. I'm just brushing myself off and sallying forth, because, really, what else can one do besides give up- no longer an option for me.

Drink as much water as you can hold. Then, drink some more. It will help flush you out.

If you are worried about these patterns, stop and look back on what exactly goes on over the weekends. After my first couple of serious weeks on mfp I started to recognize similar patterns, such as when I was the strongest, when I had the worst cravings, etc. So after I learned to plan ahead for what I recognized as the problematic areas, things have gotten better (not perfect, but better.)

edited to add: yes, upping your deficit means upping your calories. You may be trying to function on way too little for your body, which is why the cravings take over.

fragileelegance

It comes from things like water retention (Alairissa is dead on about the sodium) and a lot of is bloat from the sheer volume of food nesting in your insides. How often are you weighing yourself after one of these meals/weekends? When I slip and eat too much I have to fight my instinct to hop up and down off the scale like a maniac. The weight fluctuation is ALL over the place.

I too went a little nuts this weekend and the scale has wobbled up, I know i didn't do any irreparable damage, but I know my official weigh-in day Tuesday) will also most likely not register much of a loss, either. I'm just brushing myself off and sallying forth, because, really, what else can one do besides give up- no longer an option for me.

Drink as much water as you can hold. Then, drink some more. It will help flush you out.

If you are worried about these patterns, stop and look back on what exactly goes on over the weekends. After my first couple of serious weeks on mfp I started to recognize similar patterns, such as when I was the strongest, when I had the worst cravings, etc. So after I learned to plan ahead for what I recognized as the problematic areas, things have gotten better (not perfect, but better.)

I used to weigh myself once a week but then I stopped because the scale would budge. I would work SO hard and not binge and still not lose weight. So lately I've been discouraged. I still work out and meal prep for the work week but once weekend hits I feel so over it because my weight just wont go down. I would prep meals for the whole week but my money only stretches for the work week. Its been a real dent in my pocket trying to eat healthy and buy whole foods. I replied to another post before this one, but I really just need to control my cravings. I don't know how to even do that though

heybales

Besides the sodium mentioned, it's also water weight from going from very depleted glycogen stores to topping them off.

That's 3-4 lbs right there since they store with water.

And that is a needed part of the body. To think that is useful gone, is to think it would be useful to cut off a foot.

Also, that much stores to refill only means your normal diet is too extreme, or you'd never have that much to refill.

Your binging issues seems to prove the point too.

And yes, eating that low you can mess up your thyroid.

This is exactly how people claim they gain weight while on a diet though, because you did gain some fat with excess, just not that full amount.

But keep it up and guess where it will go....

Suggest you take a more reasonable deficit so you can comply with it better.

This is probably a really dumb question, but what do you mean by taking a more reasonable deficit? Are you talking about upping my calorie intake? I feel like my main issue is cravings and getting past it. I know the food is bad for me but I crave it so much, I don't know how to not want bad food..

Well, did you select 2 lbs to lose and you've kept that till now?
Reasonable at this point with only 24 to go would be 1 lb weekly, though you could do 1.5 until you hit 20 lbs left.

And yes, that means you'll be eating more.

And your relationship with food like that will be nothing but problems in the future, if there is "good" foods and "bad" foods.
Obviously you can't get your nutrients from just junk food, and body will be stressed out.
Just as you may not get enough energy from totally healthy food, and body will be stressed out.

Many follow the 80/20 method, 80% of foods from nutritious sources so that is taken care of, 20% from foods they enjoy and may not be the best if consumed in great quantity.

But if eating too little, it'll be hard for that 80% of calories to provide all the nutrition you may need.

Now, add on to eating too little - are you following the MFP method where you log and eat back your exercise calories, so you even get to eat more?

If you have taken MFP's goal as GROSS, when it's meant as NET, then you are again creating a very unreasonable deficit, and your body may just be screaming out for what it needs.
Sadly it usually doesn't do that, it just backfires later by slowing down so much you no longer lose weight.

At that point you are eating at a very suppressed metabolism, with no deficit and no weight loss anymore. Only way to get more is go lower.
And guess what that will do to compliance on the weekend?

LiftAllThePizzas

Besides the sodium mentioned, it's also water weight from going from very depleted glycogen stores to topping them off.

That's 3-4 lbs right there since they store with water.

And that is a needed part of the body. To think that is useful gone, is to think it would be useful to cut off a foot.

Also, that much stores to refill only means your normal diet is too extreme, or you'd never have that much to refill.

Your binging issues seems to prove the point too.

And yes, eating that low you can mess up your thyroid.

This is exactly how people claim they gain weight while on a diet though, because you did gain some fat with excess, just not that full amount.

But keep it up and guess where it will go....

Suggest you take a more reasonable deficit so you can comply with it better.

This is probably a really dumb question, but what do you mean by taking a more reasonable deficit? Are you talking about upping my calorie intake? I feel like my main issue is cravings and getting past it. I know the food is bad for me but I crave it so much, I don't know how to not want bad food..

1- make sure your deficit isn't too big. Bigger is not better.

2- Stop trying to classify food as good and bad. Learn how to eat a diet that meets your nutritional needs AND includes foods you like. (Just not massive amounts of nothing but your favorite calorie-dense foods.)

There is a happy medium, and you can learn to live that way and have the best of both worlds.

xsmilexforxmex

I did this for awhile- discovered it was because with my cravings, will power only did/does so much. There are no good/bad foods, honestly, everything in moderation.
Something that might help, this week, dump the healthy eating act. Eat what you want, when you want BUT eat smaller portions. Maybe once a day replace the junk with healthy items... the chicken and rice/salad, shrimp and veggies.. something you have to cook or prepare from home. You'll prob be over calories but DONT stress yet bc in the long run this should help (helped me but everyone is different so keep that in mind)
NEXT week, replace a few more meals with healthy options but still fit in smaller portions of what you want.
As you go, keep replacing the junk with healthy food until you can eat the junk only 1 or 2 times a week, in moderation.

Also, just my recommendation, after a binge, wait at least 48 hours before weighing yourself - helps get a 'true'-er number.

greenhumanclay

Sounds like you are an emotional eater, so just someone telling you to learn how to control your cravings is not going to be enough. I myself suffer from binge eating but have been binge eating now for several months causing me to gain 8 real pounds. I highly doubt you have gained any real weight. When we restrict ourselves so much during the week and then think the weekends we can be more flexible/relaxed that's when a binge happens for me.

Unfortunately my weekend binges have now turned into 3-4 times a week binges to daily binges. I'm trying to really control myself and read up on binge eating forums and looking into self help books. Wish I could be more helpful but maybe next time you feel like you are going to lose control and really binge occupy yourself with something else and really try and see why you are binging.

Those uncontrollable feelings of having to eat heavy, crab loaded greasy foods stems from other issues imo. Hope you get some more advice or tips from others and not be too hard on yourself. There are so many people out there suffering and recovering from similar issues, good luck take care.

chani8

I found relief in taking on the No S Diet (nosdiet.com). It's pretty much what you are doing, by feasting on the weekend, but once you get a healthy No S week in, you'll start to calm down about food in general. It helped me so much. Now I barely overeat on the weekend. No S means No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds during the week. On Yes S days (Sat,Sun,Special,Sick days) you can eat whatever you want. However, it works best with calorie counting (MFP) if you still need to lose weight. Good luck!

CamilleJackie350

about 350

Spreyton22K

Honey, I know that I'm not addressing the weight gain question that you posed but I was wondering if you had considered getting some counselling to help you address any underlying issues that are impacting on your life. Labelling foods as bad are are sure way to add to inner stress.....

Haybales has a really valid point that the restriction during the week is perhaps too severe and it is contributing to the binge cycle.....as you get closer to your goal weight a smaller loss is also a really great way to go.

If you have a long term unhealthy relationship with food/alcohol, please reach out for help. My own struggles with ED/binge drinking have left lasting repercussions that I'd hate for anyone to experience.

All the best and if you'd like an older shoulder to lean on, I'm here.

DopeItUp

8lbs? Pssh, lightweight. I believe my record was around 13lbs for a streak of awesome food eating.

LiftAllThePizzas

about 350

lunapetu0311

I recently gained 6lbs overnight from eating very salty vietnamese food and a few beers! It was scary but I ate perfectly the next two days and went for a jog and went back to normal. Not worth the stress of the temporary weight gain!