We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!
When you fall off track but don't gain weight?

holly55555
Posts: 306 Member
I'm recovering from an awful breakup and although I've counted consistently for 250 days, I just went "ugh I don't care" while on a trip this last week and only partially logged. I drank lots of wine, ate fast food, and absurd amounts of ice cream cake.
I got back last night and weighed in this morning fearing a gain.. and I maintained my same weight?!
I'm back on track today (and from now on!) but I was wondering, what happens when you all of a sudden eat at a surplus but the scale doesn't reflect it? I'm scared I'm going to wake up tomorrow to a 5 lb gain or something ridiculous. Did I just get lucky? I was definitely eating over maintenance and not working out or doing anything active.
I got back last night and weighed in this morning fearing a gain.. and I maintained my same weight?!
I'm back on track today (and from now on!) but I was wondering, what happens when you all of a sudden eat at a surplus but the scale doesn't reflect it? I'm scared I'm going to wake up tomorrow to a 5 lb gain or something ridiculous. Did I just get lucky? I was definitely eating over maintenance and not working out or doing anything active.
0
Replies
-
Enough over maintenance to washout any normal fluctuations? If you weren't logging, how do you know? It's not like weight loss, or gain, is linear.0
-
May I suggest not worrying about it.
Wait until you actually gain the weight, you seemed o be concerned over a possible future.
Get back on track and if the weight shows up deal with it then not before hand.0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »Enough over maintenance to washout any normal fluctuations? If you weren't logging, how do you know? It's not like weight loss, or gain, is linear.
Because I was eating fast food meals (1000+ calories for one meal) and all kinds of desserts AND not weighing tracking my food. It was quite the binge.
0 -
How far over maintenance were you for the week?0
-
Many diets allow a cheat day where you can eat and drink anything. You would need to consume like 5500 calories just to gain a pound. I think a day here and there is good. Give yourself a day off once in a while0
-
julieglenn2014 wrote: »Many diets allow a cheat day where you can eat and drink anything. You would need to consume like 5500 calories just to gain a pound. I think a day here and there is good. Give yourself a day off once in a while
That would be 3500 calories, not 5500.0 -
holly55555 wrote: »I'm scared I'm going to wake up tomorrow to a 5 lb gain or something ridiculous. Did I just get lucky? I was definitely eating over maintenance and not working out or doing anything active.
A five-pound gain would entail eating 17,500 calories extra. Wine has a lot of calories, as does fast food and ice cream cake. And if you ate 2,500 calories more than maintenance every day for a week, for about a total of 5,000 calories a day depending on your weight and height, then you'll probably gain that five pounds at some point. But that's a LOT to eat and drink in one day, and I doubt you did it every day for an entire week. Since you weren't logging, chances are you are way overestimating how much you consumed.
A couple of weeks ago, I went on a weekend trip where I was sure I gained weight. I was afraid to get on the scales. When I did, I actually lost 1.5 pounds. Never underestimate the power of CICO!0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »julieglenn2014 wrote: »Many diets allow a cheat day where you can eat and drink anything. You would need to consume like 5500 calories just to gain a pound. I think a day here and there is good. Give yourself a day off once in a while
That would be 3500 calories, not 5500.
0 -
jennifer_417 wrote: »atypicalsmith wrote: »julieglenn2014 wrote: »Many diets allow a cheat day where you can eat and drink anything. You would need to consume like 5500 calories just to gain a pound. I think a day here and there is good. Give yourself a day off once in a while
That would be 3500 calories, not 5500.
A pound is an additional 3500 calories, not 5500.0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »jennifer_417 wrote: »atypicalsmith wrote: »julieglenn2014 wrote: »Many diets allow a cheat day where you can eat and drink anything. You would need to consume like 5500 calories just to gain a pound. I think a day here and there is good. Give yourself a day off once in a while
That would be 3500 calories, not 5500.
A pound is an additional 3500 calories, not 5500.
If her tdee is 2000 calories, then it would take an extra 3,500 calories on top of that to gain a pound.
2,000 + 3,500= 5,500 calories
0 -
christinev297 wrote: »atypicalsmith wrote: »jennifer_417 wrote: »atypicalsmith wrote: »julieglenn2014 wrote: »Many diets allow a cheat day where you can eat and drink anything. You would need to consume like 5500 calories just to gain a pound. I think a day here and there is good. Give yourself a day off once in a while
That would be 3500 calories, not 5500.
A pound is an additional 3500 calories, not 5500.
If her tdee is 2000 calories, then it would take an extra 3,500 calories on top of that to gain a pound.
2,000 + 3,500= 5,500 calories
That's exactly what I said. Doesn't matter what her TDEE is.0 -
regardless of the semantics of how much you have to eat to gain.... dont worry about it and be thankful LOLOLOL
i went on vacation for a week and ate all the things and only gained a pound and a half, which came off within a few days.
weight loss is not linear. its likely you didnt take in as many calories as you THINK you did, or you somehow managed to burn a lot of them off.0 -
All I can say is - well done you
And congratulations for still making that effort to track loosely despite going through a difficult time.
0 -
You were obviously eating at maintenance, so well done0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 394.7K Introduce Yourself
- 44K Getting Started
- 260.6K Health and Weight Loss
- 176.2K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.7K Fitness and Exercise
- 444 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153.1K Motivation and Support
- 8.2K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 4.1K MyFitnessPal Information
- 16 News and Announcements
- 1.3K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.8K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions