Weight Fluctuation
‘My nutrition was great, but the scales are up’. This is something I hear a lot from my clients.
But let’s take a step back and look at some of the reasons why our weight can fluctuate day to day!
Obviously, food weighs something. If you eat a particularly heavy weighing meal, especially in the evening, it can impact your morning weight.
🧂Salt intake can influence our weight, by causing water retention. If we do not have enough water following salt intake, our bodies will hold onto the water to maintain fluid balance.
🥖Carbohydrate content of meals can also influence water retention. Each gram (g) of glycogen comes with 3 g of water attached. This is why in weight cuts for weight category sports, you will often see low carb and low salt plans towards the end of the cut!
🥙 Fibre: You might notice a shift in BW if you dramatically increase your fibre intake. Soluble fibre can slow gut transit time and draw water into the intestinal space, adding bulk to your stool (increasing body weight until you go to the toilet)
🧬Hormones: The hormones progesterone and estrogen play a significant role in fluid retention. When estrogen levels are elevated, women tend to retain more water than usual. This is why bloating is common in the days leading up to a woman’s menstrual cycle – more estrogen means more water retention
💤 Similarly, you might experience some water retention after a poor night’s sleep. This is likely due to the increased cortisol levels experienced after poor sleep. In turn, this increases a hormone that controls water balance in the body, known as the antidiuretic hormone.
💪 Creatine: is a common supplement taken by athletes (check out @tea.to.triceps for more information on creatine). If you are new to taking Creatine, you might experience a shift on the scales. Creatine can cause rapid water weight because the supplement draws water into your muscles’ cells.
Note, there are clinical causes of fluid retention known as edema. This usually presents as persistent swelling of limbs. Consult your GP if you experience persistent swelling of the limbs.
FINALLY: Remember, your weight does not define your worth 💕