Step on the scale the morning after a festive dinner and the reading may be several pounds higher.
According to reporting from Popular Science, part of that increase comes from how the body handles a high-salt, high-carbohydrate meal.
Dr. Jamie A. Cooper, who leads the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Georgia, explained that salty dishes encourage the body to retain extra water, while stored carbohydrates hold onto additional fluid.
The volume of food alone also increases what the digestive system is temporarily carrying.
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Because these processes unfold quickly, the scale may show a sizeable bump even though actual fat gain takes longer to accumulate.
When extra calories become lasting weight
Dr. Jamie A. Cooper emphasized in her interview with Popular Science that one oversized dinner rarely creates meaningful fat gain by itself.
To add a pound of fat, the body must store roughly 3,500 calories beyond what it burns, an unusually large excess for a single sitting.
However, a long weekend of grazing on leftovers, enjoying extra desserts, and drinking more alcohol can easily push intake into surplus territory.
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Research cited by Popular Science shows that many people gain about a pound during the holiday period, largely because celebratory eating stretches across several days rather than one event.
Some of that weight can linger for months if habits don’t return to normal.
Enjoying the season
Dr. Jamie A. Cooper told Popular Science that the goal isn’t to restrict joy during the holidays but to avoid slipping into a pattern of extended overeating.
Simple choices, like opting for a lighter dessert, having water instead of cocktails, or resuming normal routines the following day, can keep temporary shifts from becoming long-term changes.
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A single meal may cause a brief fluctuation on the scale, but the broader pattern of holiday behavior is what determines whether that bump fades or settles in.
Sources: Popular Science.
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