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

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?

Replies

  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,371 Member
    Fluid retention gain...its temporary as long as you get back on track
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
    Water weight.

    It'll go away eventually.
  • christinasoonmrsnewton
    christinasoonmrsnewton Posts: 22 Member
    Why does overeating cause fluid retention?
  • mikevandewetering
    mikevandewetering Posts: 155 Member
    edited November 2015
    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: 3,371 Member
    Probably some fluid retention due to high sodium intake as well as due to extra carbs.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    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
    Drink lots of water too.
  • Mondoweft
    Mondoweft Posts: 49 Member
    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
    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
    Out of interest how often do people have a diet free day?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    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
    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: 29,136 Member
    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: 13,342 Member
    As already has been said, its fluid/water retention and will go away in a few days....
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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: 610 Member
    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
    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
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Derf_Smeggle wrote: »
    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.

    So much this and I love the "drunken sailor with vertigo" analogy!

    OP as others have said, the scale increase you're seeing is temp water weight gain. I have been here for just over 1000 days (currently in maintenance) and have only not logged a meal or two, I've never even skipped entire days on vacation or holidays. I like having the numbers, even if they are wild guesses and/or o go way over my totals. For me it helps keep things in perspective because when you do look at the long term trends, you see that logging a 4000 cal day on Thanksgiving for example, results only in a temporary set back, not a total halt/reversal of your progress.

    I think not keeping that perspective often leads people to think they should just give up or day, well I'm already over, might as well do it all again tomorrow too, what the heck!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,321 Member
    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?

    As many say, it is water weight both from eating higher sodium that normal and from replenishing your stores of glycogen in your muscles, not to mention the food that is still working its way through your digestive tract. The likelihood of gaining 3 pounds of fat is minimal.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    tmcracknell wrote: »
    Out of interest how often do people have a diet free day?

    I haven't decided whether or not I am going to log on Thanksgiving, but in general, if I want to eat more, I exercise more, and log every day.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited November 2015
    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...well, not fat anyway...that's not how your body works.

    you consumed more so obviously you have more inherent waste in your system...waste has mass and thus weight. also, with increased consumption you are going to retain more water and you're going to replenish depleted glycogen stores...both have mass and thus weight.

    body weight isn't a static number...3 Lbs is well within normal body weight fluctuations for most people.

    weight management, whether you're talking about losing, maintaining, or gaining is all about trend analysis over time, not the day to day.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    tmcracknell wrote: »
    Out of interest how often do people have a diet free day?

    I'm not "on a diet", so I never "go off" a diet. Before started I realized I needed to make changes I could sustain the rest of my life. My eating plan includes a few treats now and then. Quite frankly, if I gorge myself or eat a lot of food I'm not used to, it doesn't sit well & I feel horrible. It's just not worth it to me.

    Sw 301
    CW 183
    GW 150
    17 months
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,091 Member
    mikevandewetering wrote: »
    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.

    I believe this should be 4 grams of water for every gram of glycogen (a type of carbs your body uses for "quick-energy" storage) that you store, rather than carbs consumed in general. When you're eating at deficit, your body taps its glycogen stores, and rids itself of the associated water -- hence early big losses for many people starting a new deficit-calorie diet. When you consume an energy surplus, your body tops off its glycogen stores, and retains water along with the glycogen. When you go back to a deficit, your body will again tap the glycogen stores and shed the retained water.

    If you're eating at deficit, your body isn't retaining 4 grams of water for every gram of carbs you consume. It's using those carbs, so it doesn't need to store them.

    It's also likely that in your 3000 calorie splurge you consumed more sodium than you typically do, which can also cause your body to retain more water.
  • christinasoonmrsnewton
    christinasoonmrsnewton Posts: 22 Member
    Thanks so so so much everyone. This has been so helpful!
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    mikevandewetering wrote: »
    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.

    I believe this should be 4 grams of water for every gram of glycogen (a type of carbs your body uses for "quick-energy" storage) that you store, rather than carbs consumed in general. When you're eating at deficit, your body taps its glycogen stores, and rids itself of the associated water -- hence early big losses for many people starting a new deficit-calorie diet. When you consume an energy surplus, your body tops off its glycogen stores, and retains water along with the glycogen. When you go back to a deficit, your body will again tap the glycogen stores and shed the retained water.

    If you're eating at deficit, your body isn't retaining 4 grams of water for every gram of carbs you consume. It's using those carbs, so it doesn't need to store them.

    It's also likely that in your 3000 calorie splurge you consumed more sodium than you typically do, which can also cause your body to retain more water.

    And this is why I was able to eat ~3000 calories (approximately maintenance when I do 50 minutes of cardio) for a week and go up 2.6lb, and lose that entire 2.6lb two days back into eating at a deficit (and not even exercising outside of some yard work).
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Jruzer wrote: »
    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

    Yeeessss, this.

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