Weight fluctuation- why does it happen and what’s the deal with it?

When you are new to any fitness plan, may it be weight loss or weight gain, you will be tempted to step on that weighing scale at least twice a day to see your progress. Usually, in this case, you won’t see the same numbers or any constant graph of weight loss or weight gain. This is because of weight fluctuation that your body goes through on a daily basis.

Is weight fluctuation normal?

Health experts say that weight fluctuation is normal and in fact, an average adult’s weight fluctuates up to 2.5 Kilograms per day. While most of the fluctuation is due to the change in the water composition in your body, it comes down to eating, drinking, and elimination process you do each day. So, seeing the scales go in the opposite direction doesn’t necessarily mean that you are doing poorly on your weight loss program or weight gain program over the long term.

Read more:5 important things to know about weight loss

Why does my weight fluctuate?

To be specific, there are a number of reasons why your weight fluctuates. Here are some major reasons why your weight fluctuates.

1. The physical weight of your daily meal

Diet is the most important part of any weight loss or gain program. The food and drinks you consume daily supplies the nutrients that your body requires to maintain your health, and you have to remember that this food and drink you consume not only has calories but also has an actual mass that may show you a different number when you step on the scale. So, it is best if you weigh yourself in the morning on an empty stomach to get a proper number on the scale.

Read more:5 signs that say you have an unhealthy relationship with food

2. Carbs and sodium

One of the major causes of sudden weight fluctuation is fluid retention in your body. Our body requires sodium and carbohydrates to function properly, and if we are prepping up for a workout, we usually load carbs to provide the muscles and liver with glycogen to burn. Each gram of these carbohydrates requires 2-3 grams of water to make it do its job. Also, we use sodium as salt in our meals daily and sodium is a very good water retainer (It stores more water in your body). This is how carbs and sodium cause weight fluctuation.

Read more: Why are you gaining weight while working out?

3. Sweat

Water loss as sweat is another important factor that causes quick weight fluctuation. When you work out intensely for long hours, you sweat a lot. These lost fluids account for a sudden decrease in your weight you see right after your workout. So, always replenish yourself after your workouts and step on the scale to get more accurate results.

Read more:5 cool gadgets to keep you hydrated

4. Hormone changes

Apart from food and water, hormones can also cause weight fluctuation. Cortisol or the stress hormone that is elevated in times of high physical or mental stress increases inflammation in the body that affects your fluid retention, digestion, and metabolism. This causes weight fluctuation. Also, some female hormones in women make them more prone to weight fluctuations. This is why women seem to have gained more weight on the first day of their menstrual cycle.

Read more:5 effective tips to reduce stress

5. Day of the week.

Surprisingly, your weight fluctuation also depends on the day of the week. This is because our eating habits change throughout the week. We usually start our week on Mondays with a healthy diet and slowly lower the healthy meter over the week to binge eat junk foods on weekends! This eating cycle may also contribute to your weight fluctuations.

Read more:How to stop eating junk foods?

It is not feasible to eat, drink, and exercise the same way daily to have a relatively stable weight. Weight fluctuation is inevitable and everyone experiences it. You just need to cope with this weight fluctuation and be sure that it is not affecting your fitness journey.

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