Why The Scale Fluctuates
I think we can all agree when I say that most of us have a “love – hate” relationship with the scale.
When it doesn’t move in a particular direction, we think we’ve failed and then let that number dictate our mood and how the rest of our day (and week) will pan out. It’s a constant rollercoaster of emotions that I hope I can ease for you today.
What I need you to understand is that scales are a measure of how heavier or lighter you are in that very moment. I repeat again, “in that moment”. They are not a measurement of how much body fat you have or what kind of personality you have.
The scale is going to fluctuate on a daily basis for a variety of reasons. One of the main causes will be from water retention. This happens because of:
Carbohydrates - consuming a meal (or several) high in carbohydrates can lead to a temporary increase on the scale. This is because the body stores 2-3 grams of water with every one gram of carbohydrates stored as glycogen. You might not notice much weight fluctuation if you consume a steady amount of carbs on a regular basis, but a sudden increase on the scale after a high-carb meal is possible.
Sodium content - sodium causes cells to hold extra fluid, and you can expect to see that extra fluid on the scale. Drinking water helps flush out the extra sodium, allowing your body return to its normal state
Stress - stress increases the body's production of cortisol, which directly influences fluid retention and water weight. Stress, and in turn cortisol can release a hormone in the body known as ADH (antidiuretic hormone) that controls water balance. This means your body may retain more water, making that number on the scale higher than usual
Sleep - just like stress, sleep will increase the body’s production of cortisol. One or two nights of poor sleep may cause temporary water retention but chronic sleep deprivation can result in problems on the scales.
Your workout - during challenging exercise, microtears occur in muscle fibers, and the body has to repair those tears to rebuild muscle and make you stronger. As part of the rebuilding process, the body produces an inflammatory response that sends fluid to areas under repair. This fluid obviously weighs something, and that's what may be reflected on the scale.
Other reasons that may cause this to go up, down or stand still include:
(1) Food volume - how much are you or aren’t you eating? Did you have a really big meal the night before with alcohol?
(2) Your poop – when was the last time you had a bowel movement?
(3) Your menstrual cycle – elevated estrogen levels 5-7 days prior to the start
(4) Your everyday lifestyle choices – everything we do and choose has a ripple effect on our bodies.
Pardon the pun, but please please please don't put the weight of your journey on what the scales say. There are other tools you can use to track you journey. Progress photos, how you clothing feels, training performance, daily energy levels all play a role in how you get from point A to point B