Sep 21

Sep 21 6 Reasons Why the Scale is Fluctuating

Do you ever wake up feeling REAL good, hop on the scale expecting to see a loss, & BOOM…you’re 2 pounds heavier!! I know I have been there MANY times. It can definitely be a little discouraging when you feel like you are doing EVERYTHING right, truth is...weight fluctuations from day to to are VERY normal! 👌🏻🤓⚖️

Here are 6 reasons why your weight might fluctuate:

🧂 Excess sodium - Our bodies like a balance of sodium and fluids inside and outside of our cells. When you disrupt this ratio, your body might retain more water in an effort to balance things out again. As a result of this extra water, we may look bloated and see a higher number on the scale. As a coach I highly suggest that you stay consistent with with adding salt to your foods & staying hydrated to keep everything in a consistent balance BUT it is easy to get excess sodium from pre-packaged foods or when eating out at restaurants. They love to sneak in excess salt. So, if you had a date night out or maybe a bag of chips, do not be surprised of you see a jump on the scale!

🥗 Unbalanced meals - All foods (and drinks) have a weight, so it makes sense that when we eat or drink, we gain a few extra ounces. However, when we eat a balanced diet, foods are getting digested, absorbed, and expelled in an efficient manner. In contrast, diets low in fiber and high in refined carbohydrates, fats, and sodium take longer to process so the excess weight may stick around a little longer. Additionally, refined carbohydrates can lead to spikes in insulin. These high insulin levels can then increase reabsorption of fluid by the kidney, resulting in fluid retention and an increase on your scale. Another example would be if you have a really big meal before bed and that is something you do not typically do. It will take longer for your body to digest that food compared to usual, thus the scale may be a bit higher when you weigh yourself the next day.

🏋️ Exercise - You might notice a weight increase after a hard workout or starting a new program. When we lift weights, we’re causing tiny tears in the muscle. In order for our muscles to repair themselves and become stronger, they temporarily hold onto water in the muscle to help with the recovery process.

💩 Bowel Movements - This one is pretty simple. The timing between how long it’s been between eating, using the restroom, and weighing yourself can all affect that number on the scale.

🍷 Alcohol Intake - Processing alcohol has two main effects on the body that can result in temporary weight gain. The first is that alcohol is a diuretic. When we’re dehydrated, our kidneys try to reabsorb more water, resulting in fluid retention. Secondly, alcohol also slows down the digestion of other substances, which can lead to increased water weight as well as just having more bulk in our digestive tract. PLUS alcohol is also high in calories, and it’s easy for actual weight gain to slowly creep up.

⚖️ Not weighing yourself consistently - This one is a biggie and the most common cause of weight fluctuation that I come across with our clients. Time of day, the scale you’re using, and what you are wearing can all impact the number you see...especially on a day to day basis!

BONUS: Your Menstrual Cycle - For women, our weight can fluctuate during that time of the month as hormones shift about a week before our periods which can cause water retention. The good news is that your weight should go back down within a couple days into your menstrual cycle. I always tell my clients to not be alarmed if they see a 1.5 to even 5 pound fluctuation during this time.

So now that you know some basic causes of why a weight fluctuation may occur, here is when to know if it is not just a day to day fluctuation.

If your weight remains elevated for a week or more, or is consistently trending up, it may be a sign of actual weight gain. Weighing daily can help keep some people on track (I personally weight about every other day), BUT it’s more accurate to measure your success by looking at your weight trend over several months rather than day-to-day. As a coach for Team Flawless Physique I also LOVE progress photos for tracking success & change! That is why my clients not only send their weight but also pictures every week with check ins!

I hope this gave you some insight on why your scale may be moving up and down! No need to stress sis, just be aware & always keep your eye on those long term trends maybe not just the day to day. :)

If you have more health and wellness questions that you want answered comment below! :) If you are interested in taking your health journey to the next level CLICK HERE to contact me about one on one coaching. I would love to hear your goals & come up with an action plan to help you get there.

Chat with you in the next one!

xo,

Britni LaRue

PSSTTT: make sure you are subscribed to my newsletter so you never miss a new post!