So I was pretty on plan this week. Not as on plan as I'd like to be, but overall still pretty good. BUT, I did go out a lot this week and probably drink wayyyyy more alcohol then I should have. I also didn't exercise due to getting over a chest cold.

So my question is, is it really possible to gain 6lbs in one week? Or is it probably somewhat a false weight gain??

It could be water retention. That's really the only advice I can give you on that. The only other thing that I can tell you is that it might be the alcohol... I think it's artificial (water retention), drink plenty of water to flush out the cold, and stay as close to your plan as you can, and try to get more exercise in next week, and you should be ok...

6 lbs? There's no freaking way you gained 6 lbs of fat in one week. 3,500 calories is 1 lb... you would've had to have taken in about 21,000 excess calories to actually gain that, and... I feel like you'd've noticed if you'd overdone the week by that much.

I second water retention. You never know what you could've eaten that was shockingly laden with tonnes of sodium... some people are more sensitive to some foods than others. When I eat potato chips, my face is literally POOFY the next day, I retain so much fluid.
And when is your TOM starting? My TOM water retention sometimes shows up in advance of my TOM itself. Annoying, and scary if I've forgotten about the monthly water weight, and I just think I've suddenly shot up a few lbs...

I vote... drink tonnes of water, and go easy on foods with sodium, and re-weigh in soon. See if there's a noticeable drop.

Some of it is probably false, and a tinsy bit might be real. Alcohol adds up. AND its dehydrating. Plus you had a cold. So I would think its almost all water weight, with possibly a few 100grams real weight gain. No biggy. Start chugging water like its going out of fashion

i'm guessing it's probably water weight ...

I'm guessing maybe 5 pounds or 5.5 is water weight, but alcohol really packs a big caloric punch, and it's hard to tell exactly how many calories are in what you drink.

It's a scary number to see on the scale, but just look at it as your body warning you about what can happen if bad food habits are continued. A couple days of sensible eating and staying hydrated should get that number moving in the right direction.

And, hey - you're probably due for a pretty motivating whoosh!

It's probably a bit of water retention and some weight gain due to alcohol. Alcohol makes your insulin level shoot up due to it being processed by your liver, which screws up your metabolism a bit. Plus, one shot of alcohol typically has around 100-140 calories. Your body is most likely dehydrated and holding on to the water for reserve purposes (and you need water to expel alcohol).

You'll be back down by tomorrow or Tuesday

I agree with everyone else. I think putting on 6lbs of water weight is easy. Drinking alcohol will dehydrate you so you body will want to store water plus being sick will do the same.

Thanks ladies for all your input!! I saw that number on the scale and seriously wanted to cry. I will drink my weight in water the next few days and DEF lay off the alcohol and hopefully I will be back down to my "pre-binge" weight in no time!!

Water weight. If you are drinking alot of alcohol and have a cold/chest thing, your body will do some weird stuff like retain 5-6 pounds of water. Try cutting out the alcohol and i am sure you will lose most of that by Friday.

Very definitely water weight. After only one night of medium to heavy drinking and eating for me will result in anywhere from 3 to 5lbs of water weight! Usually I don't gain more than 1lb "permanent" weight though.

Just doesn't make it worth it very often, does it?

Its probably mostly your cold and some of alcohol (so what everyone else said). You don't realize how much water you retain when you have a cold.

I don't even weigh myself after alcohol. For my body, I'm always down a pound or so after alcohol (dehydration), up 2-3 pounds the next day (water retention), and back to normal on day three. If I drink more than once a week, it's only magnified. Don't stress about it... It's fine to enjoy yourself once in a while and the weight is not permanent. :-)

QT I once gained ten pounds in a weekend...not a real ten pounds but I was totally bummed

Haley- ugh I know what you mean! I mean I know I over indulged with the alcohol but it was very depressing to hop on that scale when I know my eating wasn't that out of control.

So far I've already had 74oz of water so hopefully I will see a whoosh over the next few days.