Okay, what the heck?

shannon128
shannon128 Posts: 61
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
So, like most people I ate over my calories this weekend. It really wasn't too bad calorie wise- I was about 400 over per day or so. But, I ate things with higher fat content- part of a cheeseburger, nachos, muffins with butter and things rather than my usual 0 gram of fat foods. Plus alcohol which I had pretty much cut out of my diet.

Well – The scale said I gained 4 pounds!!! FOUR POUNDS!

Ahhhhhhhhh!

I know it is probably water weight or something? But what really concerns me is more long term- what is going to happen when I have lost all the weight and am trying to maintain? I can't eat 1200 calories/day forever... I love the healthy changes but it really is a pretty small amount of food.

Even with my overeating, I still only had about 1600 calories a day which I didn't think was so bad.

Can someone explain this to me? Are these four pounds going to hang around or will it fall off now that I'm eating better?

Also- can we talk about alcohol? In general I have just been trying to be really healthy through this and had pretty much cut it out entirely. (maybe a drink once or twice a week but that was it)

But I am 21, and I work at a bar:drinker: ... so it is really pretty unreasonable to say that I'm going to totally stop drinking or even keep this up for an extended amount of time. So my question- How does alcohol effect weight? I know most drinks have a lot of calories but I have also heard things about how it deteriorates any muscle gain and things like that. Did I balloon because I drank this weekend?

I need answers people! :sad:

Replies

  • shannon128
    shannon128 Posts: 61
    So, like most people I ate over my calories this weekend. It really wasn't too bad calorie wise- I was about 400 over per day or so. But, I ate things with higher fat content- part of a cheeseburger, nachos, muffins with butter and things rather than my usual 0 gram of fat foods. Plus alcohol which I had pretty much cut out of my diet.

    Well – The scale said I gained 4 pounds!!! FOUR POUNDS!

    Ahhhhhhhhh!

    I know it is probably water weight or something? But what really concerns me is more long term- what is going to happen when I have lost all the weight and am trying to maintain? I can't eat 1200 calories/day forever... I love the healthy changes but it really is a pretty small amount of food.

    Even with my overeating, I still only had about 1600 calories a day which I didn't think was so bad.

    Can someone explain this to me? Are these four pounds going to hang around or will it fall off now that I'm eating better?

    Also- can we talk about alcohol? In general I have just been trying to be really healthy through this and had pretty much cut it out entirely. (maybe a drink once or twice a week but that was it)

    But I am 21, and I work at a bar:drinker: ... so it is really pretty unreasonable to say that I'm going to totally stop drinking or even keep this up for an extended amount of time. So my question- How does alcohol effect weight? I know most drinks have a lot of calories but I have also heard things about how it deteriorates any muscle gain and things like that. Did I balloon because I drank this weekend?

    I need answers people! :sad:
  • AnneElise
    AnneElise Posts: 4,206 Member
    did you exercise this weekend? When you are maintaining you will be able to eat 1700 calories without exercising if you are at 1200 now. Are you sure your calories were only at 1600? I know that it seems tough but most of it probably is water weight so get out and exercise a couple days and then weigh yourself again, it will be better!

    as for the drinks... i dont know! I don't drink very much at all but i have a weekend ahead that i am visiting college friends (still in college) and the sole purpose of the weekend it to celebrate and drink :C i am just going to put all of the calories into my daily diary and eat way less (and still exercise both days i am there)

    Keep it up, i am sure you will see positive results soon!
  • StiringWendel
    StiringWendel Posts: 3,908 Member
    I would wager that most of those four pounds you gained is water weight due to the high sodium content of the food you ate (most notably, the nachos). And, yes, alcohol can cause you to retain water as well. If you drink alot of water over the next couple of days, you will probably lose that weight.

    Regarding alcohol in particular, I think alot depends on how much you drink and what you drink. If you are drinking mixed drinks like margaritas, you are taking in alot of calories (about 500 per if I'm not mistaken). But if you are drinking red wine, it isn't that bad. There are alot of articles out there about how women metabolize alcohol (most of them saying that women and alcohol are not a good mix), but I think the key to alcohol consumption if you are going to drink is really to make wise choices and to drink in moderation.

    I'm also finding the key to maintenance (I'm in my third week of maintaining right now) is moderation. Maintenance doesn't mean 'eat as you did before' and it doesn't mean 'eat like you are on a diet'. It's an in between. Can you have the odd cheeseburger and nachos? Yes. But can you have them everyday or even every other day? No. Every person at every weight still has a calorie allowance, and if you want to maintain, you are going to have to eat around that calorie allowance the great majority of the time.

    For instance, my maintenance calories are 1420 (per MFP). For some people, that's their diet calories, but for me (because of my age and height), that's how much I get to maintain before I workout. So you can see that even one full meal in a restaurant (the average any more being about 1500 calories per restaurant meal) would blow my calorie allowance out of the water. So, for me, eating out is now something I will do very rarely, and when I do, I will make sure to NOT eat full portions and I will try (when I can) to figure out what I am going to order based on the nutritional content of the food.

    As this becomes habit, it isn't really difficult. Yesterday for Easter, I had modified Eggs Benedict (no hollandaise, but very tasty english muffins to make up for that), grilled salmon for dinner (absolutely delicious), a piece of carrot cake (for my husband's birthday), and I worked out. I ate a total of 1600 calories, including the cake, and everything I ate filled me up and, again, was delicious. All of it fit into my maintenance calorie allowance (because I worked out). And I didn't gain an ounce.

    It is unfortunate we live in a society where portion control and healthy foods are not prevalent, but that's the way it is. But that doesn't mean you can't maintain your weight because there are plenty of options out there and plenty of ways to do it while still enjoying your food if you just train yourself on how to do it.
  • lawkat
    lawkat Posts: 538 Member
    What kind of alcohol did you drink? If it was beer, then yea, that can make you bloated. I know because when I have drinks with friends 2-3 times a month, the next day shows about a one pound gain. I don't freak out because I allow myself to go out with friends and drink and eat in moderation. When I drink beer, I drink good beer. I drank enough bad cheap beer in college and now I prefer something that has a good flavor.

    I do usually have a glass of red wine at night. 2/3 cup of wine which is about 135 calories, depending on what type of wine. I have found that it has not affected my weight loss. If I had more than the 2/3 or 6oz of red wine, then I might see a gain. I find that anything in moderation is fine.

    I also have a piece of dark choclate with almonds in it a few times a week as well. I eat 2 sections of a large bar which comes to 100 calories. I have been focusing on realizing that I only need a little to satisfy my craving.

    It does take time to change your mentality. I am an emotional eater and when I first starting changing my diet to lose weight and be healthy, the first day I had a stressful day and all I wanted to do was eat a lot of junk. I thought "would eating that really make me feel better?" No. I still struggle with it, but know that eating everything in my fridge won't make me feel better. I know I went a little off topic with this last part, but what I am getting at is that so long as you change your thinking that a little is okay and once in a while is fine. You have to realize your limits. As tempting as it is to drink a whole bottle of wine sometimes, I know it won't do me any good.

    Just calculate how many calories are in your favorite drink and slowly incorporate it into your diet. If you give it up complete, it only makes it more tempting to overindulge. A treat once in a while is a good thing.
  • tinalayne
    tinalayne Posts: 3
    I have a nutrition analysis book with exchanges for every food imaginable.

    Hard drinks and regular beer aren't listed at all in the book.

    Red wine, white wine, and LIGHT Beer are listed as "not recommended" for the weight loss portion of the diet.

    For maintaining your weight goals, it shows 3/4 cup (6 ounces) as a serving for all of these drinks. The light beer is the lowest at 74 calories, 3.53 g carbs, 0 fat, .53 g protein. This book would have you exchange one of your normal daily fruits for one 6 ounce cup of beer.

    When I first started worrying about my weight I decided it wasn't worth giving up any of my real food that keeps my tummy from grumbling just to have an occasional beer or glass of wine. But, I *might* have had a couple beers once a month prior to the new diet, so I wasn't a big drinker or partier to begin with. It wasn't a loss for me at all, and I found it just as exnjoyable to hang out with my friends while drinking my diet pop and water bottles.. especially since I wasn't giving up food to stay within my meal plans! :)
  • shannon128
    shannon128 Posts: 61
    I had whiskey sours! A lot of them.... I guess now that I'm thinking about all I drank the four pounds makes a lot of sense. It was also really late last night.

    ...and nachos= my kryptonite
  • Wolfena
    Wolfena Posts: 1,570 Member
    It's probably your body holding on to sodium... I can gain 5 pounds literally overnight when I eat a salty dinner. It takes a few days but it will go away soon.
  • lawkat
    lawkat Posts: 538 Member
    I get my calorie source from CalorieKing. It said that one 2 oz. whiskey sour is 155 calories. If you quite a few, then they can easily rack up. When I go out, which as I said is about 2-3 times a month, I will have about 2 beers. I generally know that it ends up being probably about 500 calories. I generally don't count them because allow myself to have them. I know the scale will reflect it the next day, but I don't get upset. I know it is one night and that the weight will come off.

    I have lost 29 pounds since 1/20/09. So far, have a drink now and then hasn't hurt me. I do it in moderation.
  • BlazinEmerald
    BlazinEmerald Posts: 842
    ok so realistically... this is what you want to know right......

    Yes, if you plan on keeping the weight off even after your goals are met , you need to be on maintenance, it may be 1200 cals it may be more. If you are right back to eatting 1600 cals right after and not maintaining, you are gaining 1.6 lbs. every 2 weeks. Thus.. you are gonna be right back in the same boat.

    As it has been said many times before.. this isn't a quick fix, you can't work really hard for 2 months lose what you want then go back to eatting 1600 cal a day and expect the weight to stay off. Or if you feel you must , well I'll guess we'll see you back next time you wanna lose 10 lbs.

    You can have nachos and alcohol and whatever you want... just fit em into your daily plan. This isn't about giving up everything you love, it's being able to find a way to have them thats not going to impact your life in a negative way.

    Good luck to you :flowerforyou:
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