Let’s use my numbers to demonstrate that point: I am a 28-year-old male who is 6-foot-3 and weights 261 pounds. My activity level is somewhere between moderately active and very active (hey, exercising five days a week is pretty damn active in my book). According to the calorie per day calculator, I burn 4,171 calories per day without exercising.
It takes 3,500 unburned calories to gain a pound, and 3,500 burned calories to lose a pound. Now, if I take in an average of 1,350 calories per day (which is about right for my plan right now), I will lose .806 pounds per day without exercising. Over a solid six days of eating well, I lose 3.2 pounds.
Now, to gain .806 pounds in a day, I would have to eat just about 7,000 calories. Here are several ways I could do that at McDonalds:
- 16 Double Cheeseburgers (440 calories each)
- 14 Quarter Pounders with Cheese (510)
- 14 McRibs (500)
- 13 Big Macs (540)
- 12 large orders of Fries. (570)
- 11 Premium Crispy Chicken Clubs (660)
- 9 Double Quarter Pounders with Cheese (740)
Now, I should note that I probably jacked that math up beyond belief, and those numbers don’t really make a lick of sense. Also, I should say that there are a TON of things I don’t know about the human body and weight gain. Nor am I advocating ordering one of all of those from McDonalds and eating it all in one sitting (but I bet I could do it), or ordering 16 double cheeseburgers and eating them in one sitting (I know I can’t do that).
But my point is that it takes a long time to really gain meaningful weight, just as it takes a long time to lose meaningful weight.
By the way, by my numbers, which we already know are probably wrong, if you are a 40-year-old, 5-foot-7 inch, 250 pound lightly active woman, you burn 2,402 calories per day. If you are on a 1,350 calorie per day diet, you will lose .3 pounds per day, and 1.8 per six days. In order to gain .3 pounds in a day, you have to eat 3,454 calories, or nearly eight double cheeseburgers.
So my point today is that fucking up isn’t the end of the world.
I know, I said that earlier, sorry I wasted your time with all this math.
Article comments
1 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Actually,(you're right) They say having one "cheat" day a week will keep you faithful to your diet...
2 - Alexandria Jackson
Glad you're gaining your confidence back.
As a side note, regarding your mental health journey, I will consider it a victory when your bio at the end of your blog isn't self-deprecating.
(not that I'm analysing you ar anything....)
3 - Jacob
Dr. Neid. I am glad you find it so easy to lose weight with having as many cheat days as you do, but you might want to avoid giving weight loss advice to masses. I've said this before but it might be time for another reality check. These constant cheat days with you still losing weight are because you are already so big and your body burns so many calories by being the size it is. Your example of 5'7" female weighing 250 pounds is someone who is severly obese and her body will burn many calories by being the size it is. For the slightly overweight person trying to lose those 10 pounds it is a constant struggle because their margin for error is so much smaller. I think you are being quite naive when you discuss how off days don't mess up you and could possibly be good for you.