Why you gain weight if you eat more than your cut

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  • DianeinCA
    DianeinCA Posts: 307 Member
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    Good post!
  • steffipaulina
    steffipaulina Posts: 161
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    bump to read later
  • katorihanzo
    katorihanzo Posts: 234 Member
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    This is such a great post and explains what I've found so annoying! I always wondered why eating just a couple hundred calories over my deficit calories should cause me to gain (logically I should be able to eat all the way up to maintenance without gaining). I'll aim for 5 lbs lower than my end goal and won't beat myself up for gaining back 5 or so lbs. Thanks!
  • ochibi91
    ochibi91 Posts: 115 Member
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    Thank you for posting this! It was very informative! ^_^
  • lauraf130490
    lauraf130490 Posts: 12
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    Very good post, I've been ill the past week, so ate nearer my maintenance (1700-1850) and gained almost three pound in 5 days. Was freaking out until I read this, makes a lot of sense. I suffer from a lot of weight fluctuations anyway due to water retention, if I'm stressed I can gain up to 5 pounds in a few days. Makes it hard to know whether you're making good progress when your weight can change so much in days.
  • Rosie_McA
    Rosie_McA Posts: 256 Member
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    I have recently hit maintenance but even though I've been eating much more than when losing weight I have still felt jaded. Last night I consumed around 2000 or more extra calories in about one hour from coffee ice cream, cornflakes, Nakd bars, meringues, etc. This was of course done purely in the interests of science and not at all a large binge triggered by recent serious health concerns.
    I can therefore confirm that the approximate 5lbs in weight gained when fully replenishing the bodies' glycogen store is bang on the money. I hit the scales on Saturday morning at 54.1kg (119.3lbs) and after last night's "experiment" I measured up today at 56.5kg (124.6lbs). Not saying that my maths is perfect but I'm assuming that this figure is made up from 5lbs (water/glycogen) + 0.3lbs (fat from the approximate 2500 extra calories) = total gain of 5.3lbs? One thing's for sure the difference in my energy levels and general alertness from yesterday to today are in huge contrast.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    Very good post, I've been ill the past week, so ate nearer my maintenance (1700-1850) and gained almost three pound in 5 days. Was freaking out until I read this, makes a lot of sense. I suffer from a lot of weight fluctuations anyway due to water retention, if I'm stressed I can gain up to 5 pounds in a few days. Makes it hard to know whether you're making good progress when your weight can change so much in days.

    This is exactly what this post is about. As soon as you're back to a reasonable cut those will drop right off.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    I have recently hit maintenance but even though I've been eating much more than when losing weight I have still felt jaded. Last night I consumed around 2000 or more extra calories in about one hour from coffee ice cream, cornflakes, Nakd bars, meringues, etc. This was of course done purely in the interests of science and not at all a large binge triggered by recent serious health concerns.
    I can therefore confirm that the approximate 5lbs in weight gained when fully replenishing the bodies' glycogen store is bang on the money. I hit the scales on Saturday morning at 54.1kg (119.3lbs) and after last night's "experiment" I measured up today at 56.5kg (124.6lbs). Not saying that my maths is perfect but I'm assuming that this figure is made up from 5lbs (water/glycogen) + 0.3lbs (fat from the approximate 2500 extra calories) = total gain of 5.3lbs? One thing's for sure the difference in my energy levels and general alertness from yesterday to today are in huge contrast.

    As I said before, it's not 5 lbs for everyone... you can't replenish glycogen stores in one evening. It typically takes 2-3 days eating a 90% carb diet to get it done that fast, but you are still experiencing a non-fat weight fluctuation of water, some glycogen storage AND the weight of the food in your body. One evening doesn't make or break your diet, so get back to normal and those will go away.

    However, as I have also said before, the super lean feeling you get at the bottom of a cut is unsustainable long-term. You feel that lean precisely because of glycogen and water depletion. As soon as you are back to "normal" you will store glycogen and water and will not feel quite as lean.

    It's VERY important to realize that super-lean feeling is not sustainable. The "most lean" you can get is always depleted and unsustainable. And, when you're in a steep deficit, I have found water weight fluctuations are much higher than when you're eating at maintenance.
  • Rosie_McA
    Rosie_McA Posts: 256 Member
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    As I said before, it's not 5 lbs for everyone... you can't replenish glycogen stores in one evening. It typically takes 2-3 days eating a 90% carb diet to get it done that fast, but you are still experiencing a non-fat weight fluctuation of water, some glycogen storage AND the weight of the food in your body. One evening doesn't make or break your diet, so get back to normal and those will go away.

    However, as I have also said before, the super lean feeling you get at the bottom of a cut is unsustainable long-term. You feel that lean precisely because of glycogen and water depletion. As soon as you are back to "normal" you will store glycogen and water and will not feel quite as lean.

    It's VERY important to realize that super-lean feeling is not sustainable. The "most lean" you can get is always depleted and unsustainable. And, when you're in a steep deficit, I have found water weight fluctuations are much higher than when you're eating at maintenance.
    I have only a basic knowledge of what's going on from a biological viewpoint but thought it might be useful to others to post what actually happened to me. I didn't weigh myself on Sunday and I suspect that I was somewhat economical with my diary for the whole weekend. I am notorious for letting go when not at work and in fact late Saturday night I also had a severe case of the munchies and demolished several bowls of cereal before bed. If nothing else it's at least helped me to understand my own body better. I had previously read your original post on this subject which prevented me from being shocked at the increased weight, so I appreciate you making the effort to post the explanation in the first place.
  • Josalinn
    Josalinn Posts: 1,066 Member
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    tagged for the future
  • Frigs
    Frigs Posts: 745 Member
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    bump for when I get to maintenance..thanks
  • lulufitmfp
    lulufitmfp Posts: 27 Member
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    Awesome post! Really helps me understand weight influxes
  • Maryanne1923
    Maryanne1923 Posts: 53 Member
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    I just snorted tea out all over my laptop when I read this post title as 'Why you gain weight if you eat more than your cat'

    haha x
  • Sarahperren2706
    Sarahperren2706 Posts: 1
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    Hello,

    Please can you help me, I did the Lipotrim diet (3 shakes a day no food, 2 ltrs water a day only) it works I lost a lot of weight and fast but I never came of the diet properly and now I have put on so much weight and fast. Apparently Lipotrim if you dont come off it properly it causes problems with the Glycogen pockets and you will put on weight and fast. Is there any way I can diet again and lose the weight naturally. I really need advice, please help your advice is great.
  • KayBallin
    KayBallin Posts: 111 Member
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    bump for reference.
  • sheilaq14
    sheilaq14 Posts: 35 Member
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    Bump, thank you!
  • sassyjae21
    sassyjae21 Posts: 1,217 Member
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    bump
  • samgathercole1
    samgathercole1 Posts: 1
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    Hi, Lipotrim is a great diet for losing weight quickly but it all goes back on quicky once you finish. You need something that you can do all the time to keep weight off, not just 3 shakes a day. My mum tried it and couldn't do it. She is now using Juice Plus Complete shakes, using it to replace one meal a day (breakfast) and just having two other healthy meals a day. She has lost a lot of weight and only been doing it about a month now. (Its also loads cheaper and much better for you from what i have read) So maybe give that a try.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Great information!
  • BuckeyeBabe10
    BuckeyeBabe10 Posts: 204 Member
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    Bump.

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