WHOA, 4 LB WEIGHT GAIN

jaysanchez4
jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I had a pretty bad cheat weekend, although i never went over my calories in any of the days. I was alright either 100 under or just hit the calories exactly. I know some of you will say, it's not a cheat day unless you go over your calories. Well i ate pretty bad so i feel like it was a cheat day lol.

Anyways, i woke up this morning 4lbs heavier.

Could it really only be water weight? or did i actually gain weight.

Thanks.

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Sounds like water weight to me. It tends to happen with "cheat" days. Did you have a higher than normal sodium, carb, or alcohol intake?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    well, if you truly didn't go over calories how could it be fat? even if you did go over calories, your calorie targets are a substantial deficit from what you would need to maintain.

    if you had more sodium than normal...water. if you ate more carbs than normal you are going to replenish glycogen...essentially water.

    mathematically it would be very difficult if not impossible to put on 4 Lbs of actual fat over a weekend.

    also, most people can fluctuate 3-5 lbs just day to day with natural weight fluctuations...you should do some research on that and wrap your head around it, otherwise maintenance will be a *kitten* for you. weight isn't static.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    For it to be four pounds of fat, you would have to eat 14,000 calories over maintenance. Thinking of food as "good" or "bad" isn't necessarily a good thing...you fit it into your calories, so you did fine. Give it a couple days and the water will drop off.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    Unless you had a calorie surplus of 14000 calories, it's just the weight of the food in your system plus water weight. Give it time, this too shall pass (literally ;) )
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    Probably water weight.

    Did any of your 'cheat' meals include lots of sodium or alcohol?

    And If you consider undereating your calorie goal by 100 to be "cheating" I cry to think what you're doing to your body on a "regular" day.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Since you didn't have 14,000 extra calories, it's likely a temporary fluctuation due to water weight. I have found when I eat in restaurants rather than home, I gain weight temporarily despite having eaten at a deficit for that day.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    ceoverturf wrote: »
    Probably water weight.

    Did any of your 'cheat' meals include lots of sodium or alcohol?

    And If you consider undereating your calorie goal by 100 to be "cheating" I cry to think what you're doing to your body on a "regular" day.

    yeah, this too...
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    You posted last week that you were going to have a lot of pizza, beer, etc. over the weekend, didn't you? I think I remember that anyway. If that was you, then you could easily be up 4 lbs just from sodium/carb bloat alone.
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    Yeah that was me! I had some foods high in sodium and had a few beers. I'm hoping it really it is water weight. Thanks for all the information guys. I'm back to eating lighter and exercising.
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    Also, will i lose that sodium/carb bloat?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    jaysanchez4 wrote: »
    Also, will i lose that sodium/carb bloat?

    Yes, water retention should be temporary. But it could take a few days (up to a week, in my experience) for it to go away.

  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    Awesome. Does sitting in a steam room help?
  • TiJoGa
    TiJoGa Posts: 545 Member
    jaysanchez4 wrote: »
    Awesome. Does sitting in a steam room help?

    Oh man. Take a breath. It's going to be a very long journey for you if not an impossible one if you freak out over your body doing NORMAL body things.

    Eat your calories. All of your calories. A deficit is eating all of your calories. You didn't gain this weight in a week so don't punish your body by trying to lose it all in a week. Steam rooms are not necessary, calming down and taking your time is.

    Expect to gain water. It's going to happen. Too many carbs, really hot weather, extra sodium, extra carbs, extra poop, that time of the month...just expect it. Plan on it so you don't go into this spiral of panic every time it happens.

    You're going to be ok, just take a breath.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    jaysanchez4 wrote: »
    I had a pretty bad cheat weekend, although i never went over my calories in any of the days. I was alright either 100 under or just hit the calories exactly. I know some of you will say, it's not a cheat day unless you go over your calories. Well i ate pretty bad so i feel like it was a cheat day lol.

    Anyways, i woke up this morning 4lbs heavier.

    Could it really only be water weight? or did i actually gain weight.

    Thanks.

    I'll bite. I will ask the question to which you alluded, since you didn't answer it except to say you ate badly. To wit:

    How was this a "cheat" weekend if you didn't cheat? What is eating "bad"?
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    TiJoGa wrote: »
    jaysanchez4 wrote: »
    Awesome. Does sitting in a steam room help?

    Oh man. Take a breath. It's going to be a very long journey for you if not an impossible one if you freak out over your body doing NORMAL body things.

    Eat your calories. All of your calories. A deficit is eating all of your calories. You didn't gain this weight in a week so don't punish your body by trying to lose it all in a week. Steam rooms are not necessary, calming down and taking your time is.

    Expect to gain water. It's going to happen. Too many carbs, really hot weather, extra sodium, extra carbs, extra poop, that time of the month...just expect it. Plan on it so you don't go into this spiral of panic every time it happens.

    You're going to be ok, just take a breath.

    Thanks, I'm still getting used to all this. Thanks for the advice, I have to learn how to relax lol
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    Jruzer wrote: »
    jaysanchez4 wrote: »
    I had a pretty bad cheat weekend, although i never went over my calories in any of the days. I was alright either 100 under or just hit the calories exactly. I know some of you will say, it's not a cheat day unless you go over your calories. Well i ate pretty bad so i feel like it was a cheat day lol.

    Anyways, i woke up this morning 4lbs heavier.

    Could it really only be water weight? or did i actually gain weight.

    Thanks.

    I'll bite. I will ask the question to which you alluded, since you didn't answer it except to say you ate badly. To wit:

    How was this a "cheat" weekend if you didn't cheat? What is eating "bad"?

    My weekend really consisted of small handfuls of chips here and there, cookies, pizza, chicken fingers, fries, beer. Not an overload of all of it, I still managed to stay underneath my calories, but they were all fatty foods. None of which are good for me.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    It's water retention. Drink lot's of water and it will be gone in a few days.
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    It's water retention. Drink lot's of water and it will be gone in a few days.

    Thank You!

    Will Do!

  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    jaysanchez4 wrote: »
    I had a pretty bad cheat weekend, although i never went over my calories in any of the days. I was alright either 100 under or just hit the calories exactly. I know some of you will say, it's not a cheat day unless you go over your calories. Well i ate pretty bad so i feel like it was a cheat day lol.

    Anyways, i woke up this morning 4lbs heavier.

    Could it really only be water weight? or did i actually gain weight.

    Thanks.

    I doubt it's fat. You said you didn't go over your calories. You would have to eat like 14000 calories over maintenance to gain 4 pounds I believe.

    Give it a week. Weigh again.

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Every Monday I weigh 134. I'm back down to 130 by Friday. Dat weekend sodium is killer and delicious.
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    Merkavar wrote: »
    jaysanchez4 wrote: »
    I had a pretty bad cheat weekend, although i never went over my calories in any of the days. I was alright either 100 under or just hit the calories exactly. I know some of you will say, it's not a cheat day unless you go over your calories. Well i ate pretty bad so i feel like it was a cheat day lol.

    Anyways, i woke up this morning 4lbs heavier.

    Could it really only be water weight? or did i actually gain weight.

    Thanks.

    I doubt it's fat. You said you didn't go over your calories. You would have to eat like 14000 calories over maintenance to gain 4 pounds I believe.

    Give it a week. Weigh again.

    Thanks, I appreciate it!

  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Every Monday I weigh 134. I'm back down to 130 by Friday. Dat weekend sodium is killer and delicious.

    Same here, i hate it lol
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    jaysanchez4 wrote: »
    Jruzer wrote: »
    jaysanchez4 wrote: »
    I had a pretty bad cheat weekend, although i never went over my calories in any of the days. I was alright either 100 under or just hit the calories exactly. I know some of you will say, it's not a cheat day unless you go over your calories. Well i ate pretty bad so i feel like it was a cheat day lol.

    Anyways, i woke up this morning 4lbs heavier.

    Could it really only be water weight? or did i actually gain weight.

    Thanks.

    I'll bite. I will ask the question to which you alluded, since you didn't answer it except to say you ate badly. To wit:

    How was this a "cheat" weekend if you didn't cheat? What is eating "bad"?

    My weekend really consisted of small handfuls of chips here and there, cookies, pizza, chicken fingers, fries, beer. Not an overload of all of it, I still managed to stay underneath my calories, but they were all fatty foods. None of which are good for me.

    Just relax. No individual food is good or bad. Fat is not bad. Alcohol consumption in moderation has health benefits.
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Every Monday I weigh 134. I'm back down to 130 by Friday. Dat weekend sodium is killer and delicious.

    Me too. Exactly. It's nuts!

Categories