When you eat under your calorie limit and still gain... how

karenfelloutofbedagain

My calorie limit I set for myself each day is 1200. Yesterday, I worked off over 400 calories (447, I think), so I should have been able to eat 1,800 calories. I ate almost 1,400 (had a HUGE mexican feast with my roommates, a 600 calorie meal!). It was a mistake, but I had worked out so much, that I thought it wouldn't make too much of a difference. But I still gained 3 lbs since yesterday! Help! That's as much as I'd lost so far This really depresses me, and I was wondering how others stay motivated when they get a setback like this, especially when it seems like an unwarrented setback! Or advice for getting rid of this food weight lol. Thanks!

Mindful_Trent

Unless you ate over 10,000 calories more than your maintenance level then you didn't actually gain 3 pounds overnight. Mexican food tends to be high in sodium, which lends itself to water retention. Drink lots of water, try to keep your sodium levels down, and you should be fine. Any big change like this overnight with no logical reason based on what you ate, is usually due to water weight. It happens to the best of us.

patio1313

Get a good workout, try not to weigh yourself too much (too many fluctuations) and make sure you drink lots of water...You are probably fine and in a couple of days you might be surprised that this MIGHT jump start your loss

aymetcalf

I'm guessing water weight from the mexican food - i wouldnt stress too much about it - check again in a few days :flowerforyou:

jrich1

I'm guessing water weight from the mexican food - i wouldnt stress too much about it - check again in a few days :flowerforyou:

This...

Sodium is huge in Mexican food, its water weight gain.

eamartin

drink more water, dont weigh yourself everyday and try going #2

AnnaPixie

agree that it's water retention. Stop worrying, you'll get used to this....

mariapuhl

I also wouldn't weigh yourself EVERYDAY when you're first starting out, solely for this reason. Pick a day once a week and do it at the same time that day. Day-to-day you freak yourself out because of little fluctuations just like the one you experienced just now, when it's really just water weight or something similar (like *that* time of the month ahahah)

JulieBoBoo

I gained 4.4 lbs in two days from Chinese food (curse you sodium!) today I've already lost 3 of them. Water Water Water...

tam8374

Unless you ate over 10,000 calories more than your maintenance level then you didn't actually gain 3 pounds overnight. Mexican food tends to be high in sodium, which lends itself to water retention. Drink lots of water, try to keep your sodium levels down, and you should be fine. Any big change like this overnight with no logical reason based on what you ate, is usually due to water weight. It happens to the best of us.

I agree, usually you wouldn't gain overnight. Just drink a lot of water to flush out the extra sodium.

Also don't weigh yourself after you work out. I am not sure when you weighed yourself. But it's best to weigh yourself before you work out because if you don't drink enough you will have water retention and plus muscles tend to be swollen after you work out.

superhippiechik

No one can live on 800 calories a day. You are starving yourself.

iamstaceywood

yeah, biggest thing i have learned is to weigh weekly and don't deviate. ever. it makes every little thing a big deal and it is bad for morale. if you have a 5 lb lost week, you get it in little tiny bits and you can't enjoy it properly. Once a week max. Do it for a month. I used to read these posts and think they were crap, and now, i know. you people all were right.

StPattysGrl

Definately the sodium from the Mexican food. It causes you to retain water. Blah. I had a high sodium day... and my weight also skyrocketed 3 lbs.... even though I was under my calorie count. Sodium is brutal. You can add sodium to your food diary and you can keep track of those numbers as well.

elainegsd

Not just water gain, but think of all that extra food in your system... until it works its way out the "other end", the scale may not be your friend. Both the water weight and the other baggage are only temporary. Keep on keeping on.

chelekaz

Sodium, sodium and sodium.

Mexican, chinense, japanese.... all very high in sodium. I'm talking through the roof in outer space. Drink lots of water and get plenty of exercise. All the sodium is causing your body to retain water, the more you drink (pure water) the more you flush out of our system. Oxy-moronic I know but it's the truth.

You should see most of that weight (if not all) disappear within a few days.

NatalieWinning

Get a good workout, try not to weigh yourself too much (too many fluctuations) and make sure you drink lots of water...You are probably fine and in a couple of days you might be surprised that this MIGHT jump start your loss

I agree. If I could only follow that weigh in advice myself!

tolygal

I have learned that whenever I am not "perfect," I have to expect the scale to be my enemy. If I expect it, then it helps me keep from giving up. That doesn't mean I'm not frustrated, but at least I know what's going on. For example, On Nov 19, I went out for a few drinks. I worked out hard before because I knew the alcohol was going to slow down my metabolism for days to come and I'd probably retain water. Sure enough, the scale went up. Then came thanksgiving and black friday just days later where I wasnt' "bad," but I wasn't "perfect." It took 2 full weeks to get back to what I weighed before going out that night. Then happily, I'm finally down a little more this morning. My point is, this happens every time I do something outside the norm. It's incredibly frustrating while I'm trying to lose, but - it's either I expect it and plan for it and wait for it to pass, or I live an extremely boring and perfect life until I get to my goals. It's what you do MOST of the time that is going to make the biggest difference IMO. Just keep working hard and be patient. Don't give up!!