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!
Cheat day weight gain?
Iheartrunning36
Posts: 73 Member
I've worked really hard to lose ten pounds in five weeks. I did it the healthy way of exercising more then I consume, exercise and counting calories. I've done well having a balanced diet, and changing my lifestyle. I went away for the weekend and didn't eat as healthy as I wanted, And I made a rule that exercise will not be punishment for what I eat, so I didn't go to gym because I worked out the previous five days and want exercise to be positive. Well after my weekend, I gained three pounds on scale and no way did I consume 3500 calories times three. Is this water weight...did I undo everything I worked for in two days? When should I reweigh myself? I'm trying to lose over 50 pounds, I'm trying to not get discouraged. Any advise????
0
Replies
-
Most likely it is water weight. But even without cheat days, water fluctuates 24/7. You will never lose every single day or even week. Watch the long term trend rather than the single points.
But you really aren't exercising more than you eat, are you? That isn't necessary (or even healthy) since you burn plenty of calories just by living and going about your day.11 -
Weighing every day allows me to observe normal fluctuations and not get freaked out by them. I'm up two pounds myself today and know it will drop back off quickly.8
-
Exercising more than you eat?!0
-
I think I worded it wrong, I basically make sure I have a calorie deficit, my fitness pal gives me my calories and when I exercise I am allotted more calories to consume, but I don't eat it back because that is for weight maintenance, so I am left with usually 500 cal left over each day....hope that makes more sense.2
-
Good on you for thinking through this logically - I often use the mental mindset of 3,500 calories to ground myself so I don't spiral out of control when my weight unexpectedly goes up. Indeed, the process of weight loss is not linear and a variety of factors can lead to temporary weight gain - more sodium than normal, more carbs than normal, time of the month, etc. Sharing a photo of 3 months progress from last year when I was losing (maintenance since late last year and my weight still fluctuates regularly). Hope this helps you - trust the process. You'll see results.5
-
Iheartrunning36 wrote: »I think I worded it wrong, I basically make sure I have a calorie deficit, my fitness pal gives me my calories and when I exercise I am allotted more calories to consume, but I don't eat it back because that is for weight maintenance, so I am left with usually 500 cal left over each day....hope that makes more sense.
Nope... you have a deficit before exercise, which means you can eat exercise cals back.3 -
Iheartrunning36 wrote: »I think I worded it wrong, I basically make sure I have a calorie deficit, my fitness pal gives me my calories and when I exercise I am allotted more calories to consume, but I don't eat it back because that is for weight maintenance, so I am left with usually 500 cal left over each day....hope that makes more sense.
Wrong!
That's now how your goal is worked out on here.
You can eat back exercise calories whether your goal is losing, maintaining or gaining weight.6 -
It's okay! You haven't fallen off just because of one weekend!
My weight fluctuates day to day, week to week, but over all my monthly trend is still going down.
Don't get discouraged and trust the process!5 -
Iheartrunning36 wrote: »I think I worded it wrong, I basically make sure I have a calorie deficit, my fitness pal gives me my calories and when I exercise I am allotted more calories to consume, but I don't eat it back because that is for weight maintenance, so I am left with usually 500 cal left over each day....hope that makes more sense.
If you set your profile to lose weight you're already in a deficit. Since you burn more calories when you exercise than MFP expects, you should be eating back at least a portion of those calories.4 -
Omg I didn't realize!! I thought eating them back would make me maintain!!! Thanks for the info3
-
It will be water weight, I had a bad weekend of drinking and eating and was up 3lbs on Sunday and now just up 1lb it will go in a few days or so1
-
Definitely water weight. You said it yourself-you didn't eat 10,500 calories. Don't freak out! Keep chugging water, weigh again in 3-4 days and you'll see that 3lbs disappear again.0
-
Along with water from sodium, some of the physical food may not have, ah, cleared out yet.4
-
You can worry about food, count calories, weigh everything and let nutrition take over your life or you can just change the schedule in which you eat and live a plastic container free life. Watch this video and add me if you have any questions.
https://youtu.be/ue-qz-9ndfM 5 -
You can worry about food, count calories, weigh everything and let nutrition take over your life or you can just change the schedule in which you eat and live a plastic container free life. Watch this video and add me if you have any questions.https://youtu.be/ue-qz-9ndfM
To lose weight while following IF plan, you still have to be in a calorie deficit. Cutting your eating window down a few hours does not magically void the laws of thermodynamics. I know people who lose, maintain, and gain on IF all by manipulating their caloric intake.5 -
@willgt78 you realise this is a calorie counting website right?6
-
Don't listen to people telling you to eat your exercise calories back! You certainly can eat some of them, but how accurately are you measuring your calorie burn? MFP, fitness trackers, and machines at the gym can't be 100% trusted. They are great for estimating and great for motivating, but I wouldn't trust them completely. Listen to your body. Eat healthy things when you are hungry, and drink lots of water. Don't worry about daily fluctuations in the scale. Weight loss is not linear. Sounds like you've got a good handle on this. Slow and steady wins the race.2
-
rachelleahsmom wrote: »Don't listen to people telling you to eat your exercise calories back! You certainly can eat some of them, but how accurately are you measuring your calorie burn? MFP, fitness trackers, and machines at the gym can't be 100% trusted. They are great for estimating and great for motivating, but I wouldn't trust them completely. Listen to your body. Eat healthy things when you are hungry, and drink lots of water. Don't worry about daily fluctuations in the scale. Weight loss is not linear. Sounds like you've got a good handle on this. Slow and steady wins the race.
Accuracy is fairly easily determined by weight loss results over a period of 4-6 weeks. Personally speaking my own tracker is 2% underestimating my burns and whilst I would suggest starting at eating 50% of them back it wouldn't be the end of the world if she ate them all back and adjusted based on results.5 -
Cheat days are usually high sodium days as well. Most of the weight gain will be water related if you consumed high-sodium meals that day.3
-
You can worry about food, count calories, weigh everything and let nutrition take over your life or you can just change the schedule in which you eat and live a plastic container free life.
Why are you spamming every thread with this baloney? Seriously, are you making money off of this or something? Stop.
6 -
I ate ~3k calories on Sunday, and was up 2.6 pounds Monday morning. Today (Wednesday), I'm back down 3.4, which is .8 below my pre-Oreo and Wine extravaganza. I ate basically normally the next two days (close to my kcal allotment, but not the healthiest foods), and drank plenty of water. As long as you have an overall deficit over time, don't worry about the scale after a 'cheat'. It'll come back down in a few days.2
-
Iheartrunning36 wrote: »I've worked really hard to lose ten pounds in five weeks. I did it the healthy way of exercising more then I consume, exercise and counting calories. I've done well having a balanced diet, and changing my lifestyle. I went away for the weekend and didn't eat as healthy as I wanted, And I made a rule that exercise will not be punishment for what I eat, so I didn't go to gym because I worked out the previous five days and want exercise to be positive. Well after my weekend, I gained three pounds on scale and no way did I consume 3500 calories times three. Is this water weight...did I undo everything I worked for in two days? When should I reweigh myself? I'm trying to lose over 50 pounds, I'm trying to not get discouraged. Any advise????
You answered yourself.0 -
I'm up 10 pounds after a cheat weekend right now..lol. Went to the gym this morning and drinking plenty of water right now..0
-
rachelleahsmom wrote: »Don't listen to people telling you to eat your exercise calories back! You certainly can eat some of them, but how accurately are you measuring your calorie burn? MFP, fitness trackers, and machines at the gym can't be 100% trusted. They are great for estimating and great for motivating, but I wouldn't trust them completely. Listen to your body. Eat healthy things when you are hungry, and drink lots of water. Don't worry about daily fluctuations in the scale. Weight loss is not linear. Sounds like you've got a good handle on this. Slow and steady wins the race.
I've always eaten mine back and lost as expected...0 -
Hmmm, now you know the effect of "cheating".0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 394.6K Introduce Yourself
- 44K Getting Started
- 260.5K Health and Weight Loss
- 176.1K 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
- 8.1K 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