[mommyof1]

I Have A Question About Gaining Weight, It Seems That If I Go Off Of A Diet Or Eating Good I Can Put On Anywhere From 5 To 12 Pounds In One Week!!!!! Is That Normal? Some People Can Be Off Of Their Diets For Months And Only Put On Five Pounds Or So. It Seems Unfair. Does Anyone Else Gain Weight Very Quickly Like That As Well? Thanks For Your Help Ahead Of Time

[JayEll]

Hey mommyof1!

The weight gain is not all fat--some of it is probably water weight. It could be that going off your plan means eating more salty food or sugary food than you do when on plan, and that will cause some water gain. Of course, it's not all water, so the best thing to do is (1) drink more water to help flush out the salt etc. that is causing retention, and (2) go back on your program.

Hang in there!

Jay

[rockinrobin]

I too gain lots and lots of weight from a couple of off days. But, like Jay says, it's definitely not fat. As quickly as I gain it, a week of strict back on plan eating removes it all.

[Ellen]

I sure can relate. I can struggle for a month to lose two or three pounds and gain it and a few friends in one fall off the wagon! Drinking plenty of water and getting right back on plan should help. Seriously though, if you gain very easily, and really have a hard time losing, you might want to talk to your doctor about it. A thyroid problem can cause you to gain easily, and have difficulty losing.

[freiamaya]

When you diet, in particular, restrict your carbs, your body will respond by flushing out water and using up all the stored carbs, called glycogen, that you carry around. This amount can account for anywheres between 3 and 8 lbs of body mass! I think those of us who have been around the diet merry-go-round are familiar with losing alot of weight in the first few weeks of a restrictive diet. IF you eat the way you used to, your body will respond by retaining water and by replenishing its glycogen stores. And for every gram of stored carbohydrate, you will retain 3 grams of water. Result: an overnight "gain" of 3-8 lbs. Don't forget that to gain a REAL 3 to 8 lbs, you have to have eaten an extra 10,500 - 28,000 calories above and beyond the calories your body needs to survive. Generally not possible in one day. For me, I can "gain" 7-10 lbs overnight. Not a word of a lie. BUT, if I go back on plan, this amount will drop off quickly (glycogen and water!). This is why most diets have a "transition period" -- you slowly increase your caloric and carb intake but still are calorie restricted, so that the fat lost will equal or be slightly more than your water/glycogen retention weight. At some point, you will have balanced out and weight loss will stop.
You are experiencing a temporary bump up in weight PROVIDED you get back on plan rather promptly -- you WILL gain weight if you eat and eat and EAT, as 3500 extra calories = 1 lb of fat.

[KforKitty]

Yep, been there. Last Christmas I ate what I wanted but did not go crazy. Net result, 8lb gain. This Christmas I've kept almost to plan. Net result, a 2lb loss Its unfair but some of us have to be vigilant 365 days a year (or 366 this year).

Kitty

[mandalinn82]

Yep - you can gain WEIGHT, but rest assured you don't gain that much FAT. Most of it is water weight (ie, the "off plan" foods have more sugar and salt, which cause you to retain water) and will disappear quickly if you up your water intake and flush out the extra sodium.

It can be irritating to watch the scale fluctuate, but it is probably temporary. Just get back on plan and the majority will fall off in no time.

[evilwomaniamshe]

Oh yeah I remember once I gained 13 pounds in 10 days, some kind of RECORD and I wanted to cry! yeah it is crazy to gain it that fast, but it does happen 'specially if you eat chinese, mexican and chocolate and booze. I was living proof of that one!
The good news is, as soon as you get back to eating healthy fare and drinking water and exercising those LBS will be a thing of the past..

[Eves]

I would second (or third) to get back on plan drink lots of water for a day or two and then get on the scale again. When I got back home from South America in August my family made me, after a 6 hour flight followed by a 5 hour flight, to step on the scale at midnight when I got in. It said 186. They congratulated me, but I knew it was too high. I just drank more water the next day, and two mornings later I called in my family to look at the 177 on the scale.

9 pounds in two days. Don't you sometimes wish it was like that?

[MaryL]

OK, just read through this thread LOL. I have had a really good xmas!!!!
( Or bad depending on how you look at it)
Taking advice from here. Grabbing water bottle and going to the gym.
All is not lost lol. Thank you people
MaryL