Weight gained after a vacation doesn't mean you've put on fat. It's probably just water retention, experts say.

• Vacations can be a chance to take a break from, not just work, but typical food routines, too.
• That can lead to weight gain, but it's probably water weight, not fat, a dietitian said.
• Weight gained after a vacation is nothing to stress about and is completely normal.

Sometimes the scale can creep up by a few pounds after a trip full of good food and drinks, but it likely won't have a long-term effect on your weight.

Weight gained after a vacation or indulgent weekend is likely caused by water retention, not fat, Kara Mockler, a registered dietitian and training consultant, told Business Insider in 2022.

This can be worrying if you're trying to lose weight, but it's normal after eating more and isn't anything to stress about, Mockler said.

The extra weight usually falls away after you return to your normal diet. In fact, taking a break from your diet while on vacation can even be beneficial in the long run.

Vacation weight gain is often largely water

After a holiday weekend or a vacation, it's normal to see some weight fluctuation. Celebrations and vacations can involve eating foods higher in carbs and salt than your normal diet, and both of these lead to water retention, Mockler said.

"We store carbs as glycogen in our body, and for each gram of glycogen we retain several grams of water right along with it," Mockler said. "Same with salt."

This is why some people feel more bloated after a salty meal.

"So the uptick on the scale after a short period of higher calorie intake is mostly water," Mockler said.

In 2022, actor Rebel Wilson said she gained nearly 7 pounds after a week at an all-inclusive resort.

Personal trainer and fat-loss coach Jordan Syatt estimated that not even a pound of Wilson's holiday weight gain was actually fat.

"When you go on vacation for a weekend, a week, or even two weeks, it's physiologically impossible to gain that much fat," he told BI in 2022. In addition to water weight, the food inside the stomach can actually cause the scale to go up, he added.

A diet break can be beneficial

Eating more food for a short period can give your metabolism a temporary boost due to the energy required to digest it, which is known as the thermic effect of food.

Taking a diet break can also relieve the mental and physical fatigue that can come with prolonged periods in a calorie deficit and lead to greater weight loss.

The key is to get back on track after your vacation ends, Mockler said.

"There's no need to restrict your food or over-exercise, just get back to normal and drink some extra water," she said. "The excess fluid will come off over the next few days, and you'll be right back on track."