Debate regarding Weight gain vs Weight of food

[live2ride]

A co-worker and I were having a debate about weight gain. Is it possible to gain more weight than the weight of the food you are ingesting? Such as a piece of cheesecake, a high calorie protein shake? Chime in and lets see what kind of conclusions are drawn. Also if you have any links to articles or anything providing evedince that would be appreciated. Thanks

[packfish]

If only the food you intake was the only factor then no.

[Sombeech]

Say that all 3 meals consisted of 2lbs of food for the day. This includes all substances taken in, liquids, snacks, and biting your fingernails. We don't think of this as weight gain because of the multiple ways (besides bowel movements) that we get rid of this material. But imagine gaining 10 lbs in 5 days - that's impossible, unless you are eating more than that.

The only substance that our body is made of comes from food (after birth). Even if you retained water, or had a huge basketball sized tumor, these things cannot generate weight without taking from another part of the body.

So, even tumors, fat, muscle, blood.... they all get it from the food we eat.

My answer is no, you cannot gain more weight than what you ingest. I would also argue that it is impossible to even retain 100% of that weight in a time frame, such as a week. Even if you don't have a bowel movement, there are involuntary ways that excrete this digested material.

[Jaxx]

I would have to argue that it isn't the weight of the food but the calories, protein, sugars in the food. I saw some 2000 calorie bars at recreation outlet. they didn't weigh very much but if you ate a few of those a day and sat at your computer for exercise I think you could gain quite a bit. calories stored as fat. Or if you only ate plain sugar all day.

[LJ]

Say that all 3 meals consisted of 2lbs of food for the day. This includes all substances taken in, liquids, snacks, and biting your fingernails. We don't think of this as weight gain because of the multiple ways (besides bowel movements) that we get rid of this material. But imagine gaining 10 lbs in 5 days - that's impossible, unless you are eating more than that.

The only substance that our body is made of comes from food (after birth). Even if you retained water, or had a huge basketball sized tumor, these things cannot generate weight without taking from another part of the body.

So, even tumors, fat, muscle, blood.... they all get it from the food we eat.

My answer is no, you cannot gain more weight than what you ingest. I would also argue that it is impossible to even retain 100% of that weight in a time frame, such as a week. Even if you don't have a bowel movement, there are involuntary ways that excrete this digested material.


:haha: Excellent - sitting here eating a box of those light as a feather Krispy Kremes!! :nod:

[greyhair biker]

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: ya gotta expend at least as much energy as your taking in & then some...that being said, I gotta stop stopping at Maverick each morning(all week) on the way to work.....but those Krispy Kreams are SO tasty! :lol8: