12/03/2018
Don't Worry: You Didn't Gain 3 Pounds In One Weekend, You're Just Bloated
After a weekend of drinking, we get a lot of questions on what a surge in weight gain could mean. We're here to tell you...CHILL!
Let's do the math together. In order to gain three pounds in three days, you'd basically need to eat your standard amount of calories per day, and add on 3,500 additional calories. That's about 5,500 calories, three days in a row. Even if you indulged in too much wine, barbecue, chips, cheese, ice cream or whatever is making your stomach hurt today, you did not gain three pounds. Let's talk about why your scale might like to PRETEND you gained three pounds over a three-day weekend. The key here is water retention and bloat.
Here's what's actually happened:
1. Salt- If you're eating most of your food out of restaurants and airports or you're eating prepackaged snacks, there is usually more refined table salt in your food. This can lead to bloating.
2. Dehydration- If you are dehydrated, your body actually thinks it needs to hold on to more water to protect you and keep your organs functioning. So that, my friends, means you'll hold on to that water you have, and it may feel kind of p**fy in your face, tummy and arms.The key to get rid of this p**f and bloat is to drink more water, so your body knows it can release its supply and flush out your system. Drink up!
3. Constipation- Yes. A day or two (or three) of p**p can weigh between one and four pounds. Oh my gosh, I KNOW. Add in more fiber and water to help things slide right along.
4. Alcohol- It's highly inflammatory. When you have more inflammation in your body, you'll feel a bit bloated.
5. Carbs or Sugar- For every gram of a carb you eat, you hold on to more water weight within your cells. So if you've eaten more refined carbs in the last few days, you're holding on to more water. That's why a lot of people can "slim down in four days" and "lose six pounds" by severally restricting carbs. They're essentially just losing short-term water weight.
