too much fiber = water retention weight gain??

hey guys... so being in college, eating schedules aren't always fun. and with a history of not getting the right amount of calories, i really try to make an effort to eat a lot during the day. but sometimes, it just doesn't work out. yesterday was one of those days. was up at 4:30 to work, ate breakfast, worked out, showered, quick snack, dentist lunch and worked on homework, dinner and before i knew it, it was time to go to night lab and i had only had 1300 calories. so after night lab i came home and ended up well, not binging... but eating two of the la tortilla factory low carb whole wheat tortillas and about 4 table spoons of peanut butter and about half a cup of black beans, some cream of wheat, and an apple. well all in all, i wasn't upset going to bed but when i woke up this morning i felt really bloated.... i looked at my fiber intake for yesterday and it was 71 grams!!!! i usually get a lot (about 45) but never over 55 grams...

my point i woke up and gained 3 lbs over night. im freaking out. i feel gross and disgusting and now i just don't want to eat. my calories were still about 2200 which is what i should be eating to maintain, i work out 6 days a week an hour to 75 minutes of cardio and strength training 3 times a week. so whats going on. is it just water retention and cause i ate so late at night that my food isn't digested??

I'd call it food weight, and I've done over 5 lbs in a day.  Part of it could be water retention if there was a lot of sodium, but most of it is just filling up your GI tract. 

No way you gain more than half a pound real weight even on a pig out day.

I had the same thing happen to me earlier this week, dont let it get you down!

I think my problem was my sodium intake. I got up and weighed myself and I had gained 2lbs overnight! The next morning I was back down 2lbs. It might just be a 24hr weight gain. lol

Seriously though dont let it get you down it will go away tomorrow. Maybe you need to make a trip to the bathroom and read a magazine.

bump. anyone else??

Hey!

First trust me its so hard not to freak out over food weight gain and bloat.  I get that crazy bloat too and it feels so gross, and your stomach just feels like its going to explode and then ill check the scales and sometimes I swear its been up 7lbs!

Here is what made me realize its not true weight gain just water retention, food weight etc.

One day I ate high calorie (lots of cheese cubes, some dark chocolate candy, some falafel w/ tahina) but it was low bulk/fiber that my scale #was the same and my tummy looked the same
Another day I had 2 cups of Fiber One cereal, a HUGE salad for lunch w/ almost a head of lettuce, and other veggies, plus sushi for dinner with soy sauce

I bet you can guess what the # on the scale read that night!  Anyway I guess the point of the story was to ease your freak out, and you can see what sodium and bulk does to your GI system.

It took me a LONG time to stop stressing over this!

Hope I helped some

I get a lot of fiber in a day, but I rarely have a problem with the bloated feeling.  I think the key is to make sure you are getting plenty of water.

i go through about 4 liters of water a day because i know when you have a high fiber diet you need to drink a lot of it. but thanks for you stories guys!! keep em coming, hahaha i wanna look back on this when i have another day like this for reassurance so i don't start to restrict.

Wow - great job on the water consumption!

Then I agree with thhq - probably food weight from eating late, and sodium causing water retention.

Also, I naturally bloat twice a month - pre-period and when ovulating.

when fiber is digested it soaks up water from your GI tract, therefore it is always recommended that you increase your water intake when you increase your fiber intake.  Also since you made such a big jump in g of fiber from your usual day it can cause gas and bloating (which is why it is usually recommended to increase your fiber slowly) but you should feel better in a day or two when it's all out of your system ;)

I forgot to mention in my earlier post that I take plant enzymes to help with the GI tract stuff. It is like taking beano, but it covers more than just beans and veggies. I love eating spinach and lettuce, but the spinach REALLY messes me up, when I take the plant enzymes I have absolutely no problems with it.