My yo-yo weight

[Riverman]

I'm currently trying to lose weight through cycling. I started off at 15 stone and over the last three weeks my weight has shot down to just over 14 stone.

However on wednsday I decided to have a night out. I weighed myself an hour before and I was 14 stone. I started the night drinking a pint of guinness, then a 330ml bottle of lager. From then on I drank spirits mixed with coca cola.

24 hours later I weighed myself again and I'm just under 15 stone.

Since wednesday my weight has gone a little below 15 stone.

Although I understand my night out will not have done my weight loss hopes any good, I didn't expect to gain a stone in one night!

edit to add that I didn't eat anything during my drinking binge, although I had a low fat subway before I started.

 

[Ben M]

I take it that you are weighing yourself at the same time of day, and after you have visited the small room and emptied yourself?

 

[fossyant]

I go up and down by a couple of KG's, but not a whole stone - as above weigh at the same time each day if you do - e.g. in the morning.

 

[Jim_Noir]

Water retention? Lowfat subway, they do these? I thought the bread was full of saturated fats? Also booze slows down fat burning, so your body will go to the booze before it goes to fat of fuel.

Intrestingly enough, a Cardiovascular Specialist told me that having two drinks per day is better for your heart. I am not sure how this can be... but sounds good

 

[ASC1951]

having two drinks per day is better for your heart. I am not sure how this can be... but sounds good

Muscle relaxant, which slightly expands the arterial system and therefore reduces pumping pressure. IIRC the effect is small and only beneficial if the alcohol intake is very modest.

 

[Big John]

How tall are you?

 

[Riverman]

I'm 5 foot 8.

Anyway I'm back down to just over 14 stone. WTF!

But just gone out for a minor booze up so I expect my weight to go back up again.

 

[colinr]

According to maths, a 5'8" 30 year old male (don't know how old you are sorry!) at 200 lbs has a BMR of 1972. Assuming a moderately active lifestyle, including regular exercise that's about 3,000 calories to break even.

To gain/lose 1lb you need a surplus/deficit of around 3,500 calories. An average strength pint is about 200 cals, 300ml bottle is about 160 and double spirits with coke are about 250. Even if you ate a lot during the day followed by an extremely heavy night rounded off with kebab and chips, I don't think you're going to put near a stone on!

Dodgy scales? I know I can shed a few lbs by moving mine to an uneven surface. Are you wearing clothes when you weigh in? And, like others have said, have you 'emptied'? Full with clothes can easily put 5-6 lbs on compared to empty and naked.

 

[bonj2]

i thought this was going to be willy waving about your new carbon fibre yoyo

 

[Jim_Noir]

According to maths, a 5'8" 30 year old male (don't know how old you are sorry!) at 200 lbs has a BMR of 1972. Assuming a moderately active lifestyle, including regular exercise that's about 3,000 calories to break even.

To gain/lose 1lb you need a surplus/deficit of around 3,500 calories. An average strength pint is about 200 cals, 300ml bottle is about 160 and double spirits with coke are about 250. Even if you ate a lot during the day followed by an extremely heavy night rounded off with kebab and chips, I don't think you're going to put near a stone on!

Dodgy scales? I know I can shed a few lbs by moving mine to an uneven surface. Are you wearing clothes when you weigh in? And, like others have said, have you 'emptied'? Full with clothes can easily put 5-6 lbs on compared to empty and naked.

Where did you get the info from? I'm 35, 5 foot 8 and weigh 60kg. I would say I have a high fittnes activity but only take about 2000 cals per day and stay at the same weight, would be intresting to know what I should be taking.

 

[colinr]

The BMR stuff is here: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
It all applies to the "average" person, YMMV.

The calculation for calorie usage is pretty vague, I try to base my diet on "lightly active" to be on the safe side. Though alcohol and the associated munchies that derails me, every time.

 

[Fiona N]

Two possibilities - neither to do with fat but with water:
Alcohol can cause some bloating - water retention - and if you were abstaining while loosing weight, the night out could have caused this to some extent. It's the reason people often lose 2-3kg very quickly when they give up alcohol. Of course, the opposite takes place and the water goes back on when the alcohol goes in. This is rather counter-intuitive as most of the time we're told alcohol causes dehydration, but ASC1951 probably has the answer.

If you suddenly upped your salt intake (low fat foods are often loaded with salt to make up the taste 'deficiency' of low fat) this will also cause water retention until the excess salt is lost.

So two behaviours causing temporary water retention - now you know what not to do

 

[Riverman]

My weight m*st be goi*g dow* as I'm weighi*g at a co*ple of kilos **der 14 sto*e *ow b*t I'm act*ally cycli*g a lot less. lol

My weight must be going down as I'm weiging in at a couple of kilos under 14 stone, but I'm actually cycling a lot less now lol.

 

[tyred]

I read somewhere that due to fluid retention and other factors, your weight can vary by as much as 10LB from day to day.

 

[Bodhbh]

Sounds like a scale malfunction. If anything you're more likely tol loose a couple of kg the mornign after a night on the tiles with dehydration, the amout of fat you'll put on with the calorie excess is a drop in the ocean compared to this.