Overeating for three days, gained 20 pounds. What's the situation

Overeating for three days and gaining 20 pounds is usually due to short-term water and food residue retention causing weight fluctuations, with limited actual fat growth. This situation may be related to factors such as high salt and high sugar diet, increased digestive system load, hormonal fluctuations, temporary metabolic disorders, and psychological stress.

1. High salt and high sugar diet

Taking a large amount of high salt food in a short time will lead to the increase of sodium ion concentration in the body, causing water retention. High sugar foods can increase muscle glycogen and liver glycogen reserves, with each gram of glycogen able to bind about 3 grams of water. This water sodium retention phenomenon can significantly increase body weight, but it is a reversible change.

2. Digestive System Load

Continuous overeating can lead to the accumulation of gastrointestinal contents and an increase in incompletely digested food residue. The weight of adult digestive tract contents can usually reach several kilograms. After consuming a large amount, intestinal peristalsis slows down and fecal retention time prolongs. This weight will be directly reflected on the weight scale.

3. Fluctuations in hormone levels

Overeating can stimulate the secretion of large amounts of insulin, promoting the enhancement of fat synthase activity. At the same time, elevated levels of stress hormones such as cortisol may cause temporary metabolic disorders. This hormonal change will put the body into energy storage mode, but three days is not enough time to form a large amount of fat accumulation.

4. Temporary metabolic disorder

Excessive calorie intake in a short period of time can lead to a decrease in adaptive basal metabolic rate and temporary inhibition of mitochondrial function. At this time, the body's efficiency in processing nutrients decreases, and more energy is retained in the body in the form of intermediate metabolites, resulting in an increase in body weight.

5. Psychological stress factors

Emotional eating often accompanies abnormal secretion of stress hormones, which affect water and salt metabolism through the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. Psychological stress can also alter the composition of gut microbiota, and the proliferation of certain microbiota may exacerbate symptoms of bloating and edema, further amplifying weight changes.

It is recommended to immediately stop binge eating behavior, maintain a light diet and increase water intake for the next three days, which can help eliminate excess sodium ions and metabolic waste. Moderate supplementation of potassium rich foods such as bananas and spinach can help balance electrolytes, while low-intensity exercise can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis. Record the fasting weight every morning, usually 5-7 days later the weight will gradually return to normal levels. If there is no improvement or accompanied by symptoms such as difficulty breathing and severe edema in the lower limbs for two weeks, it is necessary to seek medical attention promptly to check for endocrine or circulatory system diseases. Long term binge eaters should consider seeking joint intervention from professional nutritionists and psychologists.