weight gain after one cheat day!!! :(

im into my 4th week, i lost 8lbs in the first 3 weeks,
yesterday i had a carvery lunch ( 4 roast potatoes, vegs, turkey one yorkshire pudding, mash potato, gravy bit of stuffing)

then for my evening meal i went out with family to an indian restaurant,
i had one poppadom, a tandoori starter, chicken saag main meal with some garlic rice,

i got weighed this morning and i have gained 6lbs since yesterday!

surely this cant be right, i know i ate a lot of calories yesterday but 6lb!

Replies

divinenanny

No, you didn't eat that many calories over. Because you went out for lunch, there was probably a lot of sodium in it. You're probably retaining water. Just go back to what you know works, and in a couple of days it should be gone again (I have this when I go out for Chinese...)

Shooter219

I doubt your body has even had the time to metabolize the food you ate and turn it into fat gain yet. I'm sure it is water weight from a higher sodium day. Seriously, you wouldn't have gained six pounds of fat from one day, especially not overnight!! You would have had to eat 21,000 calories, or something like that.

just_jess7

It's most likely water retention, as eating out generally comes with a much higher sodium content than if you made the same meal at home.

Don't stress, and drink a TON of water over the next few days - I'm sure you'll see the scale drop back down quickly.

JazmineYoli

It happens to me all the time if I cheat. It takes me 2 weeks to loose it. It's not fat though, probably just water. Hope you have better luck than I do.

aliceclutz90

As above! it isn't fat that you've gained, so don't worry. Just return to normal and you'll be fine and probably not the best to weigh yourself straight after a cheat meal as other posters have said water retention happens and this can be very de motivating.

sijomial

Get on the scales - record your weight.
Get on the scales holding two big plates of food - wow what a lot of weight you have put on!
Drink a pint of water - oh no! Gained another pound of weight!!

Weight fluctuates so you need to track over time and not day to day.

Cindyinpg

It's NOT right, to gain 6lbs you would've had to eat 21,000 calories over maintenance. What caused your apparent gain is only water retention. I get it frequently myself, as I don't track sodium and have a tendency to overindulge in some of the saltier stuff like soya sauce, chips and Campbell's soups. Just go back to what you were doing, drink lots of water and it will go away.

GunslingerGirl

Why on earth are you weighing yourself every day anyways?

Sarauk2sf

Food and water weight primarily.

_Zardoz_

Did you eat 19500 calories above your maintenance intake? That's the only way it would be real weight gain.

rayfu75

I can put on 10lbs in a day after a weight cut (sometimes more) but it's mostly water. If I have a day that I go way over my calories / macros I make sure not to check the scale for a few days as to not be pissed off at myself. Weight will bounce around during the day anyway so it's normal.

Frankie_Felinius

You will drop some "weight" after you...uh...drop some weight. Ya know what I'm sayin'? Usually within two days after a cheat day, the scale looks like what you want it to, after your body has "processed" the food. And also with what everyone said about salty stuff. A salty meal that is low in calories can put me two pounds over when I wake up! Flush it out with lots of water and do a little reading in the bathroom. You'll be back to where you want to be.

I'm preparing myself for my cheat day tomorrow...mattar paneer and naan, here I come. I just won't weigh myself for a few days afterward so I don't get disappointed over something temporary.

njbh86

To echo what basically everyone has said in this thread:

1) no, you didn't gain 6lb of fat. You're retaining water because you ate salty food. It'll come back off in a few days if you eat well and stay hydrated.

2) Stop weighing yourself daily. Your weight naturally fluctuates day-to-day and during the day to boot. There's no need to weigh more than once or twice a week, and if you do it that way seeing the drops on the scales is more pleasing.

Most of all - don't panic!

TLwineguzzler

I put 2 or 3lbs on every weekend because I eat crap and drink too much alcohol :ohwell: - but its gone by Tuesday

padams2359

Once you put a massive amount of sodium in your system, all the water you are putting in your body each day piles up. At 80 oz per day, it adds up quickly. It can take 3 to 5 days for me to clear that out of my body. I went over my sodium intake for the day yesterday, which is very unusual for me, but didn't go over my calories. Try to avoid high sodium meals for a couple of days, and you should balance out. Home made salads and lots of water should clear that up.

Feisty_one

thanks everyone, makes sense,
i weigh myself everyday as i use a website caller hacker diet and it has a chart on there which i like to use to monitor different things and helps me stick to my goal.
i will now be drinking huge amounts of water!

Kotuliak

Unlike many other posters, I DO get on the scales after a cheat day. Even thought it is mostly water weight, to me, the extra pounds provide additional motivation...

lynnymcc

If you happen to have a treat day, or meal or MEALS...DO NOT WEIGH yourself the next day. Give your self a few days of drinking TONS of water to flush all the sodium out.
And stop weighing yourself daily!!!

rjmudlax13

Most likely water weight. Indian food tends to be high in sodium.