Why Does Your Weight Fluctuate From Day to Day?

A British survey recently claimed that a woman's fluctuating weight gain or loss was due to the happiness (or lack of it) in a relationship. The report said that in the early days of a courtship, women are often dieting, but that after they get comfortable with their significant other, they get complacent and the weight starts to pile back on. But no matter if you are dating or not, there are reasons for your weight numbers to go up and down.

Significance

• If you are watching your diet but think you may have overindulged last night at the restaurant, you might step on the scale with some sort of trepidation next morning in order to get the news. As you run your meal intake through your mind, you realize that the second helpings you took at the buffet probably did not help your numbers, but could that have affected the scales to the tune of 5 lbs.?

Effects

• According to expert dietitians, in order to experience just a 1-lb. gain of fat, a person would have to consume 3,500 more calories than they are able to burn. That means to gain 5 lbs. of fat in one night, a person would have to devour 17,500 calories. Gorging like that is not unheard of, but is highly unlikely.

Types

• Sudden weight change is most likely the result of several different factors:
  Eating and drinking: The steak and potatoes you eat for dinner have their own weight. You wouldn't want to step on a scale holding your dinner place; so weigh yourself in the morning.
  Water: Our bodies hold a lot of fluid. And water is heavy, so drinking a few glasses can register a small, immediate gain. But on the flip side, not drinking enough makes our bodies hold on to water. It's best to hydrate yourself and drink often to keep things flowing internally.
  Glycogen: Glycogen is like a storage tank of carbohydrates waiting to service your body. This energy reserve actually weighs about a pound, but the water associated with its storage can amount to 3 to 4 lbs. The shifts in the supply can vary and can register on the scale dramatically--but has nothing to do with fat loss or gain.
  Salt: Salt retains water in the body. Processed foods have high amounts of salt. Basically, eating 1,000 to 3,000 mg of sodium is a normal range. A single teaspoon of salt, however, contains over 2,000 mg of sodium.
  Exercise: Physical activity can result in an immediate, though temporary weight loss.

Time Frame

• In order to get a more accurate reading, experts stress the importance of weighing oneself at the same time of day, wearing similar clothing and using the same scale.

Expert Insight

• Experts advise not to let your feelings fluctuate along with your weight. For example, try not to get too hyped up about that 1-lb. loss or too down in the dumps about that 2-lb. gain. Burning fat is a very slow process, and alternately celebrating or beating yourself up for the yo-yo effect is not helpful.

Warning

• Weight fluctuations are completely normal and happen to everyone all the time. Women may gain several pounds with each cycle of menstruation (triggered by hormones). Drink water, exercise and keep salt to a minimum, and this will disappear as swiftly as it arrived.