Gained 7lbs in 3 days?!

So I've been trying to get my diet back on track for months, it seems. I really haven't lost any weight since august :(

I was really making some progress until my cousins came over and my dad bought a giant tin of like 40 pieces of baklava and made an apple crumble. Two of my favourites...yikes.

I pigged out. Badly. I estimated about a 2 pound gain in the three days the food was around. Obviously i felt awful, but it was liveable. But when i stepped on the scale in the morning a few days after this mega-binge, i saw that i had gained not 2 pounds, but SEVEN!

I'm freaking out here. How did i gain seven pounds in 3 days? Even if my calorie estimate was skewed, it wasnt 5 pounds off!

Can anyone explain this, or did i really gain back half of what i lost so far in three days? 

7 pounds would have to be water. Think about how much water you drank during that time. Did your water consumption drop way down? I can only offer anecdotal evidence, but when I drink too little water, I start to retain water very quickly. Easily up to 5 pounds worth.

Other things can have an effect on the amount of water stored in your cells - salt and other mineral intake, time of the month, etc.

Ever since weighing every day, I have been astonished at the fluctuations that are possible.

Oh, I should add: Don't worry! Make sure to get enough water over the next few days.

read this for further reassurance:

http://primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/w eight/scale.htm

 

Well, I don't usually drink any sunbstantial amount of water, but I drink LOADS of green tea, hot or cold. Like 6 glasses or mugs a day. I suppose I had gotten less those few days.

I have been drinking a regular amount for a few days now and the weight hasn't gone though, how long will it take to go away?