By When you eat something, given it is healthy or some form of junk food, the initial scale reading does not reflect the changes in body fat. It merely reflects the fluctuations of water or waste byproducts. A single piece of chocolate cake a burger or salad does not make a difference at this initial point in time (after consumption).
The truth is, when you constantly overindulge (that is, on a daily basis) the excess calories will be stored as fat. Over time, this will accumulate into a measurable weight increase. It is also a lot more likely to happen if you are overindulging in highly processed, refined and sugary type foods. These are empty calories, affecting your metabolism and appetite along the way, promoting even more weight gain. I also want to bring to your attention all the hidden health pitfalls that show up along the way.
In reality, you will have to overeat for a few weeks to gain a significant amount of body fat. It is virtually the same concept if you would like to lose body fat. It takes time and conscious effort of creating a deficit in order to burn excess fat stores.
When you eat well every day, a single indulgence is not going to do you much harm long term. Maybe it can cause some fluctuations in your fluid, but that will depend on what you have chosen to eat. High salt foods can have that effect, more so than others. This should not cause you any alarm. It will not undo the hard work you have done during the week, so enjoy it and don’t worry too much.
That said, my overall philosophy is to eat well most of the time, and allow for some indulgence during the week. This will keep your metabolism elevated, help you eliminate bingeing, cravings and any self sabotage. You must allow yourself some form of treat so that you can balance your cravings and also to keep you motivated to train, build a great physique and optimal health.
Keeping it real guys.