Hi.
I seem to put on an incredible amount of weight really quickly, when I divert from a diet. I honestly could put on 10 pounds in a matter of days! I was just wondering if any of you have put on weight really rapidly after "cheating"?

Cait - what you're putting on isn't all, or even mostly, fat. When we are watching what we eat, we eat less sodium and sugar than when we "cheat" (usually plan deviations fall into the "sweet" or the "salty" category...cakes, chocolate, and candy or fries, chips, and the like). Sodium and sugar both cause water retention, especially if your system isn't used to them. As a result, our bodies hold onto water right after a "cheat".

Luckily, if you get back on plan and drink plenty of water to flush out your system, those pounds should drop nearly as quickly as they come on. The most damage you could do in terms of actual fat in a few days is 1-2 lbs (it takes 3500 calories of EXTRA...above and beyond what you burn in a regular day...to put on a pound).

Hi Cait,

You are not alone my dear . In 04' I lost about 30 pounds in just over 3 months (pretty quick, I know). It was with LA Weight Loss. I was so ecstatic about the loss I went overboard - in one week I had a birthday party, a few nights out drinking with colleagues, and some fast food stops. I gained TWELVE pounds during that week. Uccckkk. All in all I gained everything back in just 2 months - and 10 more to boot! So in 5 months I lost 30 pounds and gained it all back. Sad, sad.

As quickly regaining lost lbs has been a problem for me, I have started a new plan. My new plan is that I eat calories at or below what my maintenance calories will be (when I reach goal). I have met another woman on here who has lost 30 lbs counting cals this way. What we both agree is best about this plan is that you are not just losing weight, but also living maintenance. It's really good practice and my hope is that this will give me the tools so I don't gain it all back!

Good luck!

It seems to happen to me too. Well a lot of it is water weight sometimes I feel like I gain more then normal. Like I gained 20 pounds from about end of October till end of November, only about 5 of it seem to be water weight. So I managed to gain 15 pounds - but it doesn't feel like I over ate THAT much. Maybe I did? blah

And not just this holidays, it seems to happen to me in general. Like I can eat super good all week, eat day for two days and end up gaining a pound - well the rest of the week should even it out.

And yes, I count EVERYTHING I put in my mouth - well not over the holidays, lol. But it's a new year a new start! we can do it! I will lose those 15 pounds in no time! i hope! haha

I hate this. I had lost 30+ lbs last year, and when I hurt my foot and then got in a depressed state I gained back 22lbs in 5 weeks. This was without even eating much more, just not exercising. It's very demoralizing when the weight piles back on so quickly, but hey, what can we do but do our best to keep going and get the weight back off.

Dee

I know exactly how you feel, it sux But we just have to keep on eating right and the weight will have to come off eventually.

I use the dreaded threat of water weight to keep me on track. I try to think about it when I'm tempted to veer in a salty, starchy or sweet direction. Yeah, it's just water weight But... do you know what five to ten pounds of water looks like? I visualize how much more tired I'd feel at the end of the day if I had to carry it around everywhere in a purse. I imagine how holding extra water will cover up any new muscle definition or hide any weight loss that I could otherwise be proud of.

I'm always looking for new reasons to stay motivated to eat right, and from that perspective the very idea of water weight whets my whistle.

Has happened to me a lot and while Mandalin is 100% correct, it can be just as stubborn to lose and or contribute to real regain.

I also think that if your calories are too low you throw off your metabolism and cause the yo-yo effect.

I regained easy from every diet I'd ever been on. It's only now that with low carb and exercise it's easy to lose or maintain....

Hi Everyone
Thanks for taking the time to respond. Good news is that I am still on track, weigh-in on Monday! Hopefully I'll see that some of those pounds have gone.

I was thinking about something similar lately...I can only lose about 2 lbs in a week, but I can gain 7. How does that happen? Crap. Life's not fair.

Yes, it happens to me too. It really stinks but it also helps to keep me on plan. I KNOW that if I eat a burrito or burger or whatever the scale will show a dramatic gain. It just isn't worth it most of the time.