Help me get some perspective on this cheat day weight gain? :(

[PatMustardsHairyBaby]

4lbs in 2 days. Am fucking gutted 😟.

Context: had lost 13lbs in 5 weeks doing my version of low carb (not strict keto but no bread/pasta/potatoes/rice/pastry etc). Busy and active last few days. First day I was within my 1200 calorie limit but didn't drink anywhere near my usual 2-3 litres of water. Yesterday I had 1 slice of avocado toast for brekkie (no other breakfast option) and then ONE cheat meal (my first of the entire 5 weeks), a pretty epic one admittedly (regular sized fish and chips/bread + butter/curry sauce) and this morning I'm 4 pounds heavier than I was two days ago 😨. Am so gutted, it feels like I have literally zero leeway at all. If I don't eat

[UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername]

It was the carbs, I've done it too. It was just one meal, forget it and move on. It's not worth worrying about. Just don't do it again today!

[LemonysSnicket]

It is most likely water retention due to the huge amount of salt in your cheat meal. Don't be defeated (you're probably a bit bunged up too due to the lack of drinking water ).
Get back on track and it will go away soon enough, no one puts on 4lb from one meal. 1-2lb fluctuation is very normal and the extra weight is probably just retention like I said.

[PatMustardsHairyBaby]

Thanks both.

There's NO WAY I ate 4lbs worth of calories (1lb fat = roughly 3500 cals) so it has to be water/salt/carbs. Just so bloody disheartening. And it's DS's birthday today so we're off for lunch and house is full of party food. Gah. Feel absolutely determined to shift it asap though. Fish and chips is just not worth feeling this bad for!

[FATEdestiny]

Fish and chips is just not worth feeling this bad for!

That's precisely the mentality that keeps me loosing. I have to ask myself if it's worth it.

If it is worth it (for example the Snickerbocker Glory my local Greenking pub serves is definitely worth it) then I have it and damn well savour every frigging calorie.

If it isn't worth it (I never think bread is worth the calories, for example) then it gives me good reason to simply not have it.

[PatMustardsHairyBaby]

Update: was down 3 of the 4 lbs this morning. Ate 500 cals yesterday and 200 so far today, have drunk 4-5 litres of water over the last 48 hours and I still feel bloated 🙄.

Never want to look at a 'beige' carb again so long as I live!!!

[crocsaretoocoolforschool]

You only ate 500cals yesterday?

Did you just eat dust??

[fromtheshires]

Thats far too few calories Pat!

I know you are dissapointed in the fluctuation in weight but you need to keep eating sensible calorie amounts per day.

[PatMustardsHairyBaby]

I know it's low but it's just a one-off way of counterbalancing the excess iyswim.

Will go back to my normal 1100-1200 calories tomorrow.