It is important to remember that we all fluctuate with our body weight. For many of us these fluctuations could be up to 2kg from one day to another.
There are many reasons why we fluctuate to such varying degrees:
- We consume heavy meals.
- Our portion sizes increase.
- For women, they retain fluid around their menstrual cycle.
- You retain fluid after resistance training.
- Your body holds fluid after endurance events.
- If you are stressed you will store fluid.
- Not getting enough sleep… you guessed it… will cause you to store fluid.
What should we do:
- Only weigh yourself once a week.
- Make sure that the day you choose to weigh yourself is the same each week and at approximately the same time.
- Do not rely on scales; take photos often as these can show the real changes.
- Take measurements of your body on a weekly basis.
- Remove the need and thought of weight and go by how you feel. If your clothes feel good and you feel good does it really matter that you weigh 500g more?
- Get 6-8 hours of sleep a night.
- Try relaxation techniques to reduce your stress.
- Keep your portion sizes in check: palm size of protein, 2 fists of cruciferous carbs and 2 tablespoons of good fats.
At the end of the day common sense must prevail. Weighing yourself on a daily basis achieves nothing. For most it simply builds anxiety. Stop looking at yourself as though you’re on a diet and live life. Do the important things like eating healthy and exercising, while having the bad stuff in moderation, and things will be ok.