[tricon7]

So as I understand it, one would need to eat an extra 3500 calories above one's maintenance level in order to gain one pound?

If so, it's hard to believe that I ate an extra 7000 calories on my birthday pie and cake two days ago. True, I ate more than I should have, but the rest of the day previous to that night I had only eaten 700 calories, and my maintenance level is 1800.

[Sum38]

Your scale is up 2 pounds?

You did not gain 2 pounds of fat, but sugar and carbs and junk food overall cause water retention. You are probably hanging onto a lot of bloat. Eat clean and drink tons of water and it will pass. When I have an off day, it will take days, upto a week to flush bad stuff out of the system.

I did a detox this week, and I "lost" 5 pounds. I am sure I did not lose 5 pounds of fat, but ton of water weight

[twinieten]

It is my opinion that it takes 1 bowl of ice cream to gain a pound, and eighteen thousand million calories to lose a pound.

[cbressler1976]

Originally Posted by twinieten

It is my opinion that it takes 1 bowl of ice cream to gain a pound, and eighteen thousand million calories to lose a pound.

too funny and too true!

[Bobbles]

Originally Posted by twinieten

It is my opinion that it takes 1 bowl of ice cream to gain a pound, and eighteen thousand million calories to lose a pound.

YES!!!!

[JohnP]

Fat loss or gain should not be confused with weight loss or gain.

[twinieten]

Originally Posted by JohnP

Fat loss or gain should not be confused with weight loss or gain.

Aren't they one in the same? Can you explain what you mean?

[LockItUp]

To gain a pound of fat yes, but I could go drink a couple cups of water right now and go weigh myself and gain a pound. The numbers will drive you crazy because it's losing or gaining weight isn't a simple equation, there are many factors.

Like JohnP always says, don't confuse weight gain/loss with fat gain/loss.

[Only Me]

As the others have said, the 3500 calories is to gain one pound of fat. All it takes to gain 1 lb on the scale is to weigh yourself and then drink 2 cups of water before stepping back on the scale (no peeing!). Or weigh, eat 1lb of lettuce, and weigh again.

You're probably still retaining both food and water weight from your night out. If I have takeout pizza or indian food, it takes several days for the extra water and food weight to leave me.

[JohnP]

Originally Posted by twinieten

Aren't they one in the same? Can you explain what you mean?

Yes.

Fat is stored energy. You eat more calories than you burn over a period of time (lets say a week) and you will have stored a net amount of fat over this period of time. This is fat gain. Conversely the opposite causes fat loss.

Your weight is how much you weigh which is affected by everything inside your body including muscle, muscle, glyocgen, bones, water, fat, digesting food, waste products, etc.

If you go on a low carb diet, your water weight will immediately be reduced as your muscle glycogen stores are reduced. For someone my size that might mean 8 lbs. However if I reintroduce carbs muscle gylcogen storage will increase and my weight will rebound.

Did I lose 8 lbs of fat and regain 8 lbs of fat? No.

Fat loss or gain is an equation of energy. Energy is measured in calories. Unfortunately there is no inexpensive way to measure fat loss so people rely on weight to measure progress which is a bad idea because the scale can flucuate a lot especially in women. Pictures and measurements are far better indicators of progress.

Hope this helps.

[pixelllate]

I once went up 9 pounds on a 1 day carb binge and went back to original weight after a week. 2 lbs isn't much and isn't likely much fat gain, if any.