Is it Water Weight?

blukitten

So I have been doing some research lately on cheat days and have several questions. Some background info first.

I have been doing the low carb thing for a while and it has helped me to start losing again. I had been at a stall for a while but now am losing again. It has been very successful so far. I am doing it because I have PCOS- related to insulin resistance. I figured if they treat PCOS with diabetic medications, a low carb- diabetic diet would help me lose weight/ treat the PCOS right?
I had a cheat day on Sunday where I had alot more carbs than I have been-- I usually have around 100g but went up to 600g on this cheat day. Yes, I am aware I overdid it and that was a mistake, but I weighed myself this morning and have gained 4 lbs!!

Now I know I didnt go over my calories by that much!! I went over by about a days worth of calories which I know is alot,, but -- lesson learned. In my research, I have come across some varying information and opinions on cheat days with the low carb diet. I have read that cheat days are ok on a low carb diet (yes, as long as you dont over do it) and also that you shouldnt have cheat days on a low carb diet. The opinions for the cheat days say have somthing like chocolate or cheesecake but dont over do it, also that it will help you lose weight because it will help lower leptin levels. The arguments against say it will cause you to start storing fat again instead of losing it. I am not necessarily trying to get my body or even know if my body is in ketosis but I dont think my carbs are low enough to go into that.

So here are my questions:

1) Is this 4lbs water weight? (I will admit that I havent been doing my normal regimen of water, after the cheat day I felt like crap from all the junk food I ate and have had to work to get back to my normal intake of water)

2) Does anyone do a cheat day and have had success with it on a low carb diet/PCOS diet? I mean like massive weight loss in excess of 100lbs with doing a cheat day the whole time?

3)If it is water weight, how many days will it take to come back off in your experience?

I am happy with my weight loss on the low carb thing so far and am glad I am finally losing weight again, but would like to have a simple carb once in a while if that will be possible, just dont want to gain 4-5lbs every time I have a "cheat" day.

What I am thinking of for like a cheat "treat" meal would be like biscuits and gravy for breakfast but do low carb the rest of the day. So I dont want to over do it but just one meal or once in a while, or one meal on my cheat day.

Any advice/experience would be great! thank you all!!

QuilterInVA

It's mostly water weight and it will come off in a few days but up your water intake until it does.

I do low carb - Atkins - and if you follow the plan correctly, you work your way up the carb ladder and the occasional simple carb works in very nicely. The real problem with cheat days or meals is that they can awaken carb cravings.