Stupid Question...

OK, I realise this is probably really obvious, BUT, yesterday, I ate two pieces of toast with a LOT of peanut butter. I drank a lot of water afterwards to minimise the salt effect, but this morning I gained 2lbs. However, I woke up reeally hungry. 

Is it likely that the extra 2lbs are salt/water retention, or because I was hungry are they legitimate weight gain? I haven't weighed myself for a few days, yet I don't think Ive been overeating to that extent in the last week!

I've also been stuck between 160-162 for a couple of weeks now and was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to get things moving again? Or do I just need to wait it out?

Im 5'9, 160lbs, aiming for 140-145lbs, eat an average of 1400-1600 calories a day. I don't do too much 'exercise', but I work as a waitress so figure Im pretty active.

Thanks for any help!

The only way to really answer your question would be to know your calories in - calories out equation.   However, as I doubt you ate 7,000 calories over maintenance in one day, your 2 lb gain is most likely water weight.  That is completely normal for daily fluctuations.  I doubt that is related to having peanut butter on toast.  Most likely it is a combination of things - salty foods, hormonal & temperature changes, lack of water intake, etc.

Just give it a few days, drink plenty of water, and surely things will balance out again! 

2 pounds really has to be water weight.  As your previous responder said, 2 lbs = 7000 calories.  It's theoretically possible to eat 7000 calories *more than you burn* in a day, but it's a pretty big stretch for the most sedentary fat-addict, let alone anyone who's watching their weight.

Carbs will also make you retain water, at least according to my nutritionist.

If you're weighing every day, you really will have to ignore the little ups and downs.  They happen all the time even if you're being careful, and can be water weight but remember things like the weight of food in your GI tract can make a difference.  I weigh every day out of scientific interest in the fluxuations, but, for example, yesterday I weighed in at 234, and today I weighed in at 232.  Did I lose 2 pounds in a day?  Heck no!  My 'actual' weight is somewhere in between.  I go by the Calorie Count trend line to figure my 'real' weight.  Today it's 234.something.

Thanks for the responses! Im pretty sure then that it must only be temporary.

Hopefully it'll have levelled out by my next weigh-in! Thankyou for the reassurance, I knew by regularly reading these forums that I probably was being paranoid, its just that when you work so hard and you see these 'fluctuations' it is so disheartening. I just needed the reassurance/explaination to ensure I wouldn't spin off in the other direction!

lionpaw: I don't weigh every day, I weigh weekly, which is why I was so suprised by the change, especially as I was hoping to have lost! All I could pinpoint was the peanut butter I ate yesterday, but I guess I just shouldn't have read into it so much.

Don't forget ttom.  As you get closer to, you start to gain a little water weight.  Then it goes away. 

I'm a big fan of the CC Blogs.  Recently, this one appeared

When the Scale Won't Budge

It's filled with plateau busting tips.