Busting my rear because of a cheat meal

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ladyleo_l
ladyleo_l Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So last weekend I had a cheat meal. I didn't go high over my calories, I just didn't eat clean. I gained .6 lbs and it took me 6 days to get rid of it. Then yesterday I cheated a bit due to it being Easter. I have gained 2.2 lbs. I am totally discouraged. I don't know why other people can have a cheat meal and not work a whole week to work it off. I am doing high intensity interval training (cardio) and weight training. I consume plenty of water and try to keep sodium and carbs low. Why am I gaining so much weight after one moderate cheat meal!? This doesn't seem normal. Any hints? Suggestions? Comments?
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Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    You aren't "gaining" weight due to one meal. Tiny weight fluctuations are a part of life. If .6 pounds is truly going to stress you out, then consider weighing yourself less often. If you are keeping carbohydrates low, you will especially see an increase on the scale whenever you have them go back up.

    Think of your weight as a long-term trend.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,564 Member
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    Where are you at in your cycle? That could also play a factor in your gain.

    Additionally, that's why I don't do "cheat" anything...if I want something, I work it into my calorie goals for the week.
  • never2bstopped
    never2bstopped Posts: 438 Member
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    It takes 3-5days for water fluctuations of a cheat meal to dissipate. Shrug*

    it's just the way it is....
  • ladyleo_l
    ladyleo_l Posts: 11 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Fluctuations don't bother me but a six day .6 lb increase is a gain not a fluctuation in my book. I'm trying to keep carbs reasonably low not severely low. I've seen a nutritionist and I am following a normal, healthy diet plan. Sorry, I probably should've mentioned these details sooner.

    Also it's not my cycle, I've already ruled that out. But that was a good suggestion.
  • futuremanda
    futuremanda Posts: 816 Member
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    Unless your cheat meal was like 7700 calories, and you ate to maintenance the rest of that day, and on the other weekend days too, you're just retaining some water. It can happen when you suddenly eat more sodium and/or carbs than you're used to, change up your exercise (such as intensifying it in reaction to your last "cheat"?), ovulate, PMS, etc. Just ignore it.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    ladyleo_l wrote: »
    Fluctuations don't bother me but a six day .6 lb increase is a gain not a fluctuation in my book. I'm trying to keep carbs reasonably low. Not Atkins low where it's not normal. I've seen a nutritionist and I am following a normal healthy diet plan.

    Unless you ate enough calories in one meal to truly gain .6 pounds or 2.2 pounds, that isn't a true gain. I understand it's frustrating to see the scale go up like that, but if you insist on classifying it as a true gain, I'm not sure what anyone can say to persuade you otherwise.
  • slantmaster
    slantmaster Posts: 5 Member
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    Hey- first what I would ask is how are you measuring your weight? Are you using a scale? Scales are not good for measuring weight loss and progress!! Our weight can vary 2-5 pounds DAILY, depending on if we've eaten, what we're wearing, if our body is retaining water/waste, etc. I would recommend you do not measure your progress by the scale at all. There are other methods of measuring if you are making progress.

    One option is getting a scale which measures your body fat- this sort of scale is called Bioelectrical impedance analysis scale and it's going to more accurately tell you how much of your body weight is fat. Remember- muscle weighs MORE than fat!

    Another option is to track your progress by measuring your proportions- your waistline, arms, etc. Then you can tell if you're bloating, gaining weight, or if despite the scale you are actually slimming down. Also pay attention to the way your clothes fit. Are they tighter? Looser? Etc.

    Ultimately a few pounds is nothing to worry about as long as you are still working out and get to eating right. Don't fall for the scale obsession cycle! It's not healthy and it's not going to help you. I lost 60+ pounds and because I was relying on the scale, when my weight didn't move for 2 months, I got distressed. I tried cutting calories and working out more and then I GAINED weight! What I realized much later was that I was gaining muscle and that's why I had hit a "plateau". I so wish I had not relied on my weight to assess how I was doing, because maybe then I would not have gotten discouraged as easily.
  • sjdowhower
    sjdowhower Posts: 15 Member
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    I was up 4 lbs after a night out with friends. No food just drinks and it will take me like a week to work off that water that I'm retaining from being dehydrated from the drinking. It will come off. I tend to not weight myself too often after a night like that.
  • TheBeachgod
    TheBeachgod Posts: 825 Member
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    Scales can cause insanity. I've been there. Your weight (per the scales) can easily fluctuate in a matter of moments. Weigh yourself, step off the scales, weigh yourself again. I bet you won't get the same # twice.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    ladyleo_l wrote: »
    Fluctuations don't bother me but a six day .6 lb increase is a gain not a fluctuation in my book. I'm trying to keep carbs reasonably low not severely low. I've seen a nutritionist and I am following a normal, healthy diet plan. Sorry, I probably should've mentioned these details sooner.

    Also it's not my cycle, I've already ruled that out. But that was a good suggestion.

    Then you should probably stop weighing yourself if you think that is a gain while you are eating at a deficit overall.

    Also lol @ the assumption that "eating clean" is what is preventing any weight gain.
  • acgansen
    acgansen Posts: 3 Member
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    It could be what happened to me recently- I had a couple of intense workouts that had me sore and the scale said all week that I had gained a couple pounds even though I was 100% sure that I was eating at a deficit. Yesterday I had a cheat day (Easter) and even though I was expecting it to go up or stay the same, it actually went down a couple pounds. Only thing I can think is that my muscles were no longer sore and retaining fluid.
  • never2bstopped
    never2bstopped Posts: 438 Member
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    ladyleo_l wrote: »
    Fluctuations don't bother me but a six day .6 lb increase is a gain not a fluctuation in my book. I'm trying to keep carbs reasonably low. Not Atkins low where it's not normal. I've seen a nutritionist and I am following a normal healthy diet plan.

    No, a true gain in that short of a time takes work!
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
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    I don't believe it's possible to gain 2 lbs overnight. I just don't see it. I would venture to guess something is making you retain water. I overate yesterday by an absurd amount....I couldn't even track it because I had no idea how many calories I was eating...but today, I did not have any gain at all. Weighed the same as I weighed 2 days ago. So....
  • ksy1969
    ksy1969 Posts: 700 Member
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    The biggest mistake we make when losing weight is over thinking and stressing over a "cheat" meal. More than once I have had a "cheat" meal turn into and event because I stressed over it. Not anymore. We celebrated Easter on Saturday and I ended up eating a bunch of candy and other stuff I originally had no intention of eating or drinking. The next day I woke up, and treated it like any other day and didn't stress about the evening before except I really stressed drinking fluids. It worked because I still lost over 2 lbs this week. However, I know if I would have got up yesterday and beat myself up I would have ended up having a "cheat" event instead of just an evening.
  • ladyleo_l
    ladyleo_l Posts: 11 Member
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    Thank you to everyone who is being understanding and offering suggestions. But to those that are judging or poking fun at a beginner such as myself, shame on you. This is supposed to be a community where people can help each other learn and grow.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    ladyleo_l wrote: »
    Thank you to everyone who is being understanding and offering suggestions. But to those that are judging or poking fun at a beginner such as myself, shame on you. This is supposed to be a community where people can help each other learn and grow.

    Nobody (that I can see) is judging you or poking fun at you. Many of us have been in your shoes (stressing over fluctuations) and are trying to help offer some perspective.
  • ksy1969
    ksy1969 Posts: 700 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    ladyleo_l wrote: »
    Thank you to everyone who is being understanding and offering suggestions. But to those that are judging or poking fun at a beginner such as myself, shame on you. This is supposed to be a community where people can help each other learn and grow.

    Nobody (that I can see) is judging you or poking fun at you. Many of us have been in your shoes (stressing over fluctuations) and are trying to help offer some perspective.

    Agree. All I see is people giving good advice.

    Another piece of advice, this is the internet. Not everyone has perfect writing that can convey what they may mean versus what is wrote. I have learned it is best to try and leave out emotion when reading responses. Instead try and just read the words.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    It's time to hide the scale, if you going to panic every time you see rise in weight. I have lost 121 pounds over a 2 year 9 months, I had ups and downs, but as long as it was going in the down direction that's all I care!!!!
  • ladyleo_l
    ladyleo_l Posts: 11 Member
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    If everyone has been in my shoes why is someone laughing at "clean eating"? Is it not good for weight loss to eat whole foods? Why make it seem like something is wrong with me because I'm disappointed that I am working so hard and gaining weight? Other people have said the same thing as you but in a nicer more understanding way. Who's opinions do you think I'll actually pay attention to?
  • never2bstopped
    never2bstopped Posts: 438 Member
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    ksy1969 wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    ladyleo_l wrote: »
    Thank you to everyone who is being understanding and offering suggestions. But to those that are judging or poking fun at a beginner such as myself, shame on you. This is supposed to be a community where people can help each other learn and grow.

    Nobody (that I can see) is judging you or poking fun at you. Many of us have been in your shoes (stressing over fluctuations) and are trying to help offer some perspective.

    Agree. All I see is people giving good advice.

    Another piece of advice, this is the internet. Not everyone has perfect writing that can convey what they may mean versus what is wrote. I have learned it is best to try and leave out emotion when reading responses. Instead try and just read the words.

    Gonna second leaving emotion out of it.

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