Disappointing setback: Is this normal?

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Spangler413
Spangler413 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I had one day of drinking and going above my calorie limit for a friend's birthday celebration, and I gained almost 5 lbs after working very hard for weeks to lose it. I know that I can't let little setbacks like this throw me off course, and I will continue doing what I can to keep losing weight, but it's very disappointing to watch so much progress go to waste in just one day. Can anyone explain how this could happen? I only went about 1000 calories over my limit with alcohol.

Replies

  • pineapple1989
    pineapple1989 Posts: 195 Member
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    How long did you leave it from the birthday to weighing yourself? It could be water weight if you had a lot of sodium etc
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,079 Member
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    Alcohol does that to me too.

    Give it a few days back on track, and the weight will drop back off. Alcohol is bad in a lot of ways . . . not the least of which is water retention while your body struggles to process the poison.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
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    You're just bloated from the alcohol. There is no way you put on 5 lb of fat in one night. Don't worry about it, drink lots of water and I'm sure you'll go back down in a few days.

    My weight fluctuates about 3 lb from day to day. If I drink, it goes up at least 4 the next morning. It is back down by the next day.
  • auuudriana
    auuudriana Posts: 18
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    In order to gain 5 lbs you would have had to drink/eat 17,500 excess calories. It is most likely just water weight and will come off soon.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    I had one day of drinking and going above my calorie limit for a friend's birthday celebration, and I gained almost 5 lbs after working very hard for weeks to lose it. I know that I can't let little setbacks like this throw me off course, and I will continue doing what I can to keep losing weight, but it's very disappointing to watch so much progress go to waste in just one day. Can anyone explain how this could happen? I only went about 1000 calories over my limit with alcohol.

    It takes an excess of 3500 calories to gain 1lb of fat.
    unless you consumed 5x3500 = 17500 over maintenance it is not fat, it's just water retention.

    Stay away from the scales for a few days.
  • CTredsoxfan
    CTredsoxfan Posts: 7 Member
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    give it a few days then weigh in again -its what i call "fake weight" dont weigh in everyday it can drive you mad
  • Spangler413
    Spangler413 Posts: 3
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    Thanks for the responses, folks. I'll check in again when I lose it. :)
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    I'm gonna run with the herd here. Moo. Yes, what you just experienced is temporary gain, probably brought on by water retention due to the alcohol, and quite possibly also any extra sodium you picked up in the snacky foods commonly found at parties.

    Drink an extra glass or two of water a day for a couple of days, then re-weigh. I bet most or all of the "gain" will vanish.

    If you really overate, some of it might be genuine gain, but I bet it's not much.
  • cannonsky
    cannonsky Posts: 850 Member
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    In order for you to gain 1 pound you have to eat a surplus of 3500 calories. What you are seeing is simply water weight from eating/drink more than usually and likely higher sodium items... it will come back off. Try not to stress over it too much

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