Why does one day 'off plan' cause so much damage?

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christinasoonmrsnewton
christinasoonmrsnewton Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm just curious really

I went to 2 celebrations on Saturday and didn't calorie count at all. At a rough guess, I'd say I ate 3000 calories that day.

Yesterday I was back on 1570 cals.

I had a sneaky weigh-in this morning and I've gained 3lbs. All from 1 day off!

Why is it so easy and quick to gain weight, but so much slower to come off?!

Have I REALLY gained 3lbs from 1 day off?
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Replies

  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,360 Member
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    Fluid retention gain...its temporary as long as you get back on track
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,767 Member
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    Water weight.

    It'll go away eventually.
  • christinasoonmrsnewton
    christinasoonmrsnewton Posts: 22 Member
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    Why does overeating cause fluid retention?
  • mikevandewetering
    mikevandewetering Posts: 155 Member
    edited November 2015
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    carbs retain more water. Bodybuilding.com says this: Every gram of carbohydrate you take into the body, you'll store four grams of water with this.
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,360 Member
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    Probably some fluid retention due to high sodium intake as well as due to extra carbs.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    christinasoonmrsnewton wrote: »
    I'm just curious really

    I went to 2 celebrations on Saturday and didn't calorie count at all. At a rough guess, I'd say I ate 3000 calories that day.

    Yesterday I was back on 1570 cals.

    I had a sneaky weigh-in this morning and I've gained 3lbs. All from 1 day off!

    Why is it so easy and quick to gain weight, but so much slower to come off?!

    Have I REALLY gained 3lbs from 1 day off?

    No - it's temporary

    just get back on your horse and weigh back in a few days - it will have gone

  • thunder1982
    thunder1982 Posts: 280 Member
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    Drink lots of water too.
  • Mondoweft
    Mondoweft Posts: 49 Member
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    There is also the bulk weight of the food in excess of your normal food weight. It will clear in a few days.
  • Soopatt
    Soopatt Posts: 563 Member
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    You may have stalled and slowed your weight loss for the week with a day like that but it is unlikely you have gained. I agree with the others on the water weight.

    I find it take me about a week to see where I really am after a big day of eating. My weight peaks and then levels off and a week later I am at worst almost the same weight with a tiny loss. I find it better to avoid the scale for a few days as the water weight messes with my head.

    Just get back on track, drink loads of water and weigh in a week. Don't stress.
  • tmcracknell
    tmcracknell Posts: 2 Member
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    Out of interest how often do people have a diet free day?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    tmcracknell wrote: »
    Out of interest how often do people have a diet free day?

    I'm in maintenance - I still log every single day - still weigh the majority of my food and only estimate restaurant but again veer on the side of caution

    so my answer is - since May 2014 - never

    although I have 3-4000 calorie days logged over that time
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
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    The only damage it does me is my stomach isn't a fan. Had 2 days off this weekend (I was away for my birthday and I decided I wasn't counting, my weight is the same but I got sick). It's water weight. Won't weigh for a couple of days and it will be gone.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    christinasoonmrsnewton wrote: »
    I'm just curious really

    I went to 2 celebrations on Saturday and didn't calorie count at all. At a rough guess, I'd say I ate 3000 calories that day.

    Yesterday I was back on 1570 cals.

    I had a sneaky weigh-in this morning and I've gained 3lbs. All from 1 day off!

    Why is it so easy and quick to gain weight, but so much slower to come off?!

    Have I REALLY gained 3lbs from 1 day off?

    no, it is water weight and will subside in a few days.

    IMO one is better off eating the foods you like on a daily basis and incorporating them into your day rather then having a cheat day or blow out day once a week.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    As already has been said, its fluid/water retention and will go away in a few days....
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
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    I think the real damage from having off days is that if you are new to this lifestyle change, it puts you that much closer to reverting back to old habits. I realize that one day may not make or break you, but it probably felt pretty good to be able to eat indiscriminately. It may make you more inclined to do so again in the near future. People like to be comfortable, change is difficult. That being said, you most likely didn't gain three pounds from overeating one day. It's probably just water weight. Drink more water and you'll notice the extra weight is gone in a few days.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited November 2015
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    I had da food bomb from weekend birthday foodabrations - pancakes, bacon, fried chicken, fries, sushi, cake, you name it! Was up 3.2 lbs this morning. I know that this is from the sodium bomb and will clear in a few days.

    I always log everything I eat - even (especially!) on a weekend like this. It keeps me accountable to myself. :)
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    edited November 2015
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    My weight will fluxuate 3 pounds, or more, over the course of the day when I'm adhereing to my plan. The weight gain reported seems to be water weight or just normal fluxuation. Nothing to be worried about. One day, or two, don't ruin weeks/months of work.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
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    tmcracknell wrote: »
    Out of interest how often do people have a diet free day?

    I'm maintaining so I don't track what I eat on the weekends. Haven't gained any weight back at all doing this. I like the freedom of not tracking every day.
  • Derf_Smeggle
    Derf_Smeggle Posts: 611 Member
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    1. Day to day weight fluctuates due to water retention, stool retention, etc as others have pointed out. This can occur because if what you ate and drank the day before. Hormonal changes can cause this. Level of hydration day to day can impact the numbers.
    2. When we are in a weight loss/calorie deficit cycle, we should not compare day to day recordings. We are looking at overall downward trends over weeks and months.

    We have to get away from this expectation that weight loss is a graphed as a linear diagonal line that either goes straight down our straight up. Heck, mine looks like someone gave an airplane to a drunken sailor with vertigo. The over all trend is downward, but it goes up and down day to day.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
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    Can't repost this one enough:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/993576/why-you-gain-weight-if-you-eat-more-than-your-cut/p1

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