Can you gain weight by overindulging for a day or two?

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  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    Can you gain weight by overindulging for a day or two?

    Turn the question around... can you LOSE weight by eating very little for a day or two?

    Maybe a little, but not enough for it to make any permanent difference. Same goes for indulging. The only way a day or two of indulging is going to make a major change is if you see it as failing and go back to eating like that all the time.
  • Bumaquad
    Bumaquad Posts: 2
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    I don't have a favorite, depends on my mood. I don't use Sunday as a binge day anymore. I got used to eating less calories, smaller portions, less sugar, etc. now I just add a goodie in once in a while. Sometimes its a donut, sometimes just a beer in the evening, but I still watch my calories and try to excersize more after eating them. it is becoming a way of life now for me. Hang in there, it will get easier.
  • stubbysticks
    stubbysticks Posts: 1,275 Member
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    Why do so many people think that losing weight means you have to give up foods you love? There's nothing wrong with enjoying food. The key is relearning HOW to enjoy it without packing on fat.

    To answer the question in the title of this thread, yes you will gain WEIGHT if you overindulge for a day or two, but it's unlikely you'll store much FAT. It will be mostly water retention from the excess carbs & sodium in your indulgences. That will flush itself after just a few days back on plan.

    You should be aware that if you still want to lose weight, you should limit it to 1 day. In my experience when I've done free weekends vs. free days, I've just maintained my weight. I give myself a 24 hr period every weekend to eat/drink whatever I want & I kick it off at happy hour on Fridays. ;)
  • fitness_woman
    fitness_woman Posts: 46
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    I guess that's how the diets fail. I miss how I used to eat WHATEVER I wanted in a day and at night, but I'm so much happier with how I look and feel now. Overindulging feels good in my brain, but not my body. Such a toxic and feel like crap the next morning, why put such a toxic in my body right? That's how I motivate myself everyday even though I talk about junk food to others 24/7
  • jessashcher
    jessashcher Posts: 155
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    if you want brownies, then eat some, I ate a brownie last night and 2 chocolate dipped strawberries, I just made sure through out the day that I kept my calories a little low so that I could have those things last night at a party I was at. I have not given up on anything I like to it, I just watch the portions and stay within my calories.
  • andreacord
    andreacord Posts: 928
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    Well honestly I have been eating terribly at some points since I've moved out of the house, and I haven't gained a pound yet. I think that's fate telling me to get my butt back on track before I actually do gain one though! Indulge a little bit every once and awhile and you should be okay.=)
  • stubbysticks
    stubbysticks Posts: 1,275 Member
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    if you want brownies, then eat some, I ate a brownie last night and 2 chocolate dipped strawberries, I just made sure through out the day that I kept my calories a little low so that I could have those things last night at a party I was at. I have not given up on anything I like to it, I just watch the portions and stay within my calories.
    THIS is a perfect example of being able to incorporate the foods you love into your diet. If you're making a conscious decision to cut back elsewhere to accomodate them, why should it be a bad thing? One of my favorite sayings is this:

    There's no such thing as cheating, only choices!
  • JamesBurkes
    JamesBurkes Posts: 382 Member
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    While it's true you can't out-exercise a bad diet, personally, I've found that I can out-exercise a cheat day.... as long as the other 6 days of the week are good.

    So I now program them in - they not only help psychologically, but I think the massive calorie boost may actually keep the ol' bod confused, too.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    While it's true you can't out-exercise a bad diet, personally, I've found that I can out-exercise a cheat day.... as long as the other 6 days of the week are good.

    So I now program them in - they not only help psychologically, but I think the massive calorie boost may actually keep the ol' bod confused, too.

    I did this today. Had pumpkin cheesecake, frozen yogurt, and lots of other goodies. I worked my a*s off to offset it and i am betting tomorrow's weigh in will be just fine! :)
  • geekymom57
    geekymom57 Posts: 176 Member
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    You're right, I just need to learn how to balance. Would it be okay for me to eat the whole burrito once a week? (just making sure)
    I'd say it depends on the burrito--how big it is, what size and kind of tortilla is used, the fillings, etc. Based on my own experience with my "treat" foods," I usually start with no more than half of whatever it is. Most of the time, I'm full and the flavors/tastes I've craved have been met by the first part of it.
  • fitness_woman
    fitness_woman Posts: 46
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    Everytime I have a cheat meal, it goes wrong and turns to eating till I throw up kind of cheating, I guess I don't learn my lesson =/
  • fitness_woman
    fitness_woman Posts: 46
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    What is your favorite cheat meal? and How often do you cheat?
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    Remember it takes a calorie excess of 3,500 to gain 1 lb of fat. So unless your "overindulging" was really extreme, it'll be fine :)
  • Poupet
    Poupet Posts: 14 Member
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    The absolute best part of this program is that you can eat whatever you want! Just log it in, and don't over do it. I hve some sort of "treat" nearly everyday and have lost 16 pounds and counting......!
  • fitness_woman
    fitness_woman Posts: 46
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    Remember it takes a calorie excess of 3,500 to gain 1 lb of fat. So unless your "overindulging" was really extreme, it'll be fine :)

    Yes it was exreme! I remember I had 5 hot dogs with the bun and ate soo much smores and liver spread with white bread. It was just really crazy...That was 2 months ago though. Its like i ate everything that I saw.
  • fitness_woman
    fitness_woman Posts: 46
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    The absolute best part of this program is that you can eat whatever you want! Just log it in, and don't over do it. I hve some sort of "treat" nearly everyday and have lost 16 pounds and counting......!

    What is your favorite treat?
  • fitness_woman
    fitness_woman Posts: 46
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    I really appreciate everyone who replied to my thread! I needed this support
  • jmuhnie
    jmuhnie Posts: 93 Member
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    From personal experience a day doesn't seem to matter. Give me a three day weekend, a wedding, unlimited beer and fried food and I'll show you what a solid 4 pound gain can look like. (My ticker gives evidence to this...progress has been slow).

    I think indulging a little is much different than going on a binge.
  • fitness_woman
    fitness_woman Posts: 46
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    From personal experience a day doesn't seem to matter. Give me a three day weekend, a wedding, unlimited beer and fried food and I'll show you what a solid 4 pound gain can look like. (My ticker gives evidence to this...progress has been slow).

    I think indulging a little is much different than going on a binge.

    Wow really? That's crazy!
  • stubbysticks
    stubbysticks Posts: 1,275 Member
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    @fitness_woman, it really sounds to me like the way you view your "cheat" meals is the problem, not the meals themselves. I hate the word because it has such a negative connotation, like I should feel ashamed for eating something I want. If I worked my *kitten* off for 6 days & want to eat some crap on the 7th day, why shouldn't I? And why should I feel bad about it? I'm entitled to eat/drink stuff I like even if it doesn't fit my weekday nutritional goals. And I continue to lose weight eating this way. You can't convince me that anything I eat on that one day each week cancels out the work I put in & the healthy food I eat on the other 6 days. You just can't.

    I suspect that depriving yourself of indulgences most of the time contributes to you going off the deep end when you finally do indulge. I can't say for sure though, because I don't know you & I've never been a binge eater. It's true that some people can't handle going on & off plan like this mentally, because it triggers binge eating, so you are the only one who can really make the decision about whether it can work for you.

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