Up after one night eating out !

Why is it that I can undo all the good I did in a week after one night of eating out?? I'm 5'2 and 149 pds. I've regained 15 pds after losing 40. I struggle all week to lose 2.8 and in one night of the movies and fast food I can gain it all back! I wasn't even too bad. I usually eat 1155 calories, yesterday I was probably about 300 calories over because I was hungry! What is going on??

If you went to the movies and ate fast food and so forth you probably haven't put on any actual weight at all but instead you're just retaining water after a larger than normal salt intake. Just drink lots of water and relax. It takes 3500 calories to create a pound of fat!

Bodies hold onto water, it`s normal. And eating at maintenance level or higher, once a week is actually beneficial for your body. As mentioned, this is NOT fat!

Additionally, 1155 is FAR too few for you. What`s your BMR? You should at least be eating that much. I'm about the same weight as you, and the same height, and I eat (minimally) 1900 calories a day, and two days a week eat 2400 (exercise every day but one of them). I'm definitely getting smaller and losing at a regular rate.

Do you mean my BMI? I'm not sure what BMR is. If you mean my BMI it's 28. Thanks for your reply. I know its a little low what I'm eating , and I am hungry, but I want to lose it quick.

Thanks!!

You should eat more for sure. Restricting that much will be counter productive in the long run. I would say you could easily lose a lot of weight at 1500cal. If you restrict too much you body will try to hold onto the weight because it thinks you're in a famine and then when you lose the weight and try to maintain it it will be very difficult because you'll put back on a lot of weight. I'm afraid for weight loss it's slow and steady that wins the race.

I'll try that. Thank you!

BMR is the basal metabolic rate. It is the number of calories your body burns at rest to maintain normal body functions. It is the amount of calories per day your body burns, regardless of exercise.

Here's a calculator for you to fill out. http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

So you should never eat below it, because your body will not benefit from it. Your body will take energy from elsewhere (once serious calorie restriction occurs your body takes its energy from organs and the like). Just to reiterate, losing weight wuickly, normally means putting it back on quickly.

I "gain" four pounds every time I eat mexican food. I guess its the salty chips. But sure enough I give it four days of eating right and rinking water  (yes, it is upsetting it takes this long) and my weight will be back to pre-mexican, sometimes lower.
My guess if your body is doing the same. You havent really gained weight, you're just bloating or what not and it will go back down soon.

Original Post by jlizzol8871:

Why is it that I can undo all the good I did in a week after one night of eating out?? I'm 5'2 and 149 pds. I've regained 15 pds after losing 40. I struggle all week to lose 2.8 and in one night of the movies and fast food I can gain it all back! I wasn't even too bad. I usually eat 1155 calories, yesterday I was probably about 300 calories over because I was hungry! What is going on??

If I eat whatever I want for a weekend, I'll gain 10-12 pounds.

They're not 'real' pounds..it's bloating. It always goes away within a few days.

I suspect you're in the same boat right now.

Just don't weigh yourself the day after you've splurged. All it will do is drive you insane.