Posted on January 08, 2016 by Kate Halsall
“Why is it that yesterday I weighed blah blah and today I weigh 2lbs more, why does my weight fluctuate so much? ” As Personal Trainers we hear this, a lot.
Firstly I have to ask why are you weighing yourself every day and STOP THAT! Everyone’s weight can fluctuate between 1-7lb DAILY which is exactly why you shouldn’t weigh yourself every day. And one thing’s for sure, that extra weight that you’re seeing on the scale does not come from an increase in body fat! If you are seeing an increase in your weight on a weekly basis there is a chance this could be fat mass or lean mass, however here is why your weight can fluctuate so much on a daily basis.
- Bowels. There’s no nice/polite why to put this – if you have or haven’t been to the toilet before you weigh yourself, this will affect what you see on those scales.
- Digestive System. The foods you eat will affect how quickly everything is processed by your body (salty food is digested slower for example). Your body also finds protein a little harder to digest too.
- Water and Fluid Retention. If you are dehydrated, or regularly travel long distances (or train for endurance events) you retain water which will affect the weight you see on the scales. Weight training can lead to fluid retention, likewise so can a high carbohydrate diet.
- Monthly Hormonal “Challenges”. Girls – you know what we’re talking about here.
The simple fact is you are not going to gain fat or muscle in 1 day. Don’t weigh yourself every day if you’re really trying to keep track of result driven weight. Pick the same time, same day each week and do it that way to get a better idea of the progress you are making.