Is A 5 Pound Gain Possible?

[cbreeden28 23]

When I weighed myself at home on 2/6/12, I weighed 256. I was so happy because I had lost 2 pounds (I was 258 the previous Monday). I stuck close to my diet all week, but did cheat a few times with some crackers and sweets in the evenings. I still exercised each day though. Then, over the weekend, we had friends over and they brought Long John Silvers for dinner. I knew it was bad, but I didn't want to insult them, so I had 2 pieces of fish, 2 hushpuppies, and cole slaw. While we were playing cards, I also ended up snacking on brownies and Cookies that my husband had made. I knew it was bad and a no-no, but it had been sooooo long since I had those things. Well, Monday morning, I had an adjustment appointment and I weighed in at 261. I was so angry and mad at myself. I couldn't figure out how I gained 5 pounds in 1 week, but I bust my butt to only lose 2 pounds the previous week....

Is this possible, or was it possibly Water retention. My PA gave me a big lecture about carbs and how they affect blood sugar, insulin production, and fat storage. I felt like a little kid who had failed their science test. I weighed today and I'm back down to 258, which I'm happy about, but I'm still at a loss of the 5 pounds in 1 week.

My scales are also very accurate. They are usually within 1 pound with my doctor's scales. I know there will be bumps in this road, but I didn't realize one cheat day would produce those horrible results. Needless to say, I'm back on the wagon this week and hopefully next Monday, I can see that 256 or less again....

[Ric 89]

I don't know about 5 lbs but that 2 lb gain I had really erked me!

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

Unfortunately yes, it is possible. The reason being all the foods you listed are high in both fat and carbs. Even the fish from Long John's Silvers is has more carbs than Protein because of the breading. Look I copied it here, this is for one piece of their fish:

Calories: 260

Total fat: 16g

Sat. fat: 4g

Carb: 17g

Protein: 12g

Still, I wouldn't beat yourself up. Look at it like this, at least you had your "oh crap" moment and got back on the bandwagon after only gaining 5 pounds. Some people gain 20, 40, even 50+ pounds back and still don't get back on board. I bet the 5 pounds will fall back off relatively fast once you're back on good, healthy foods again.

Just chalk it up to a learning experience and move ahead

[Jess55 97]

In order to TRUELY gain 5 lbs you'd have to eat 17,500 calories OVER your maintenance calories. Did you? Very highly unlikely. So it was not a true gain. It was probably Water retention.

[bluetigereyes 95]

The things you ate were high in carbs, fat, and sodium. I would not doubt if it was a combination of both the diet and salt. Today is a new day....dont look back and get stuck on what went wrong, look forward and make the changes that can affect your future. You cant change the past, but you have full control over your future

[lorena st 33]

Wow, that must have been discouraging! I find it hard to believe that one evening of excess=5 pounds, but it must be true. Likely a combination weight gain and Water retention (due to salt, alcohol?, high carbs, etc). Just get back on the program and all will be okay. Learn from this and add it to the list of things to avoid in the future. Part of this journey is figuring out how you gained so much weight in the past (and you just got a clue on the weekend). Good luck and carry on.

[bev712 28]

Another important thing here is to learn to say no to your friends when they offer to bring over high cal high carb stuff that you know you'll pig out on. Or, if they brought the food without clearing it with you because they wanted to "surprise" you, you have to tell them something like, my house my food, and then provide healthy stuff. Or level with them about your need for healthy food and say that they can no longer bring over food that will tempt you like that. I say tempt, because you know if they bring it, you'll eat it, but it's really sabotage. And so is your husband baking Cookies and brownies. Thaat's sabotage if I ever heard of it. So there are a lot of up-front things you need to do and say. Put yourself first. I know it sounds selfish, but, as the great sage Hillel said, if I am not for myself, who will be?

[Maddy1 55]

It is really true that most take-out food is very high in sodium, fat and carbs. My dietician states that even if you are eating good foods but you increase your salt intake it will show in weight gain. Everyone is right, take it as a learning experience about Snacks and take out food and just move on. You aren't the only person who probably learned this the hard way. Congratulations for getting right back up and on track.

[Allison0927 329]

I can tell you that i've had 5 pound swings (both plus and minus) within just a few days - maybe 2-3. It's a combination of stuff - but i know for me it's mainly about my period - ovulation, ramp up to period, during period, then a couple days after when i'm coming down - for example this past sunday (4 days ago) i weighed 183.4 today i weighed 178.2 - on the same very accurate scale - same time of day (i always weigh no clothes first thing in the morning after using restroom before drinking a drop of Water or doing anything else). I know that food/calories did not create that 5 pound swing - it was other factors - in this case timing of my period. Like everyone else said - chalk this one up to lesson learned on the food - and keep it in your thoughts next time you're tempted. BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF US ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!!!!

[Lynn42 8]

I have learned not to worry too much about those rapid type of gains. I have found that my weight fluctuates up and down, but if I look at a graph, it is a gradual decline overall. It is unlikely your 5 pounds was a real gain...it was probably a small gain with some Water retention. We are on a journey with a lot of turns and hills. We need to just keep looking forward and do not look back or you may go off your path. Slow and steady wins the race!

[Cocoabean 430]

In order to TRUELY gain 5 lbs you'd have to eat 17,500 calories OVER your maintenance calories. Did you? Very highly unlikely. So it was not a true gain. It was probably Water retention.

You stole my line!! I love pointing out the math of a true gain!

Being banded is a marathon, and there are speed bumps along the road. Overall, the trend will be downward.

[bev712 28]

Actually, that 3,500 calories (actually, kcal.) per pound was determined in the lab by oxidizing, or burning, food. It's unproven that the same equation works in the body. It's very possible that someone could gain five pounds without eating 5 x 3,500 calories. I know a lot of us who in our overeating days could gain more weight than our calorie intake would seem to permit, and it would just stay on as we continued to overeat. Metabolism is indeed quite complex, highly individual and not fully understood.

[#MagicWithinme 173]

my hubby brought me grilled fish talapia from Long John Silver's no breading and I ate the veggies that came with it, not rice. I had my post op appt next day and I weighed the same.

[Jachut 487]

It cant all be fat, youd have needed to eat over 15000 extra calories for that. People who low carb may very well be losing the most effective and fast way but it DOES leave you prone to xtremely fast gainswhen you do eat carbs because carbs bind to Water molecules in the body - dont eat carbs, shed a ton of water, eat them, gain it back. Somewhere in between those gratifying (or horrifying) weight changes is a more moderate fat loss or gain.

[Cazzy 725]

I think its highly possible to gain 5lbs from eating what u said you ate, u must also include the sweets and crackers of an evening that you ate during the week, time to get back to basics and allow your cheat weekend to be a learning experience and one not to be repeated

Forgive yourself .. good luck !