The Weight of your body will fluctuate every single day - sometimes quite wildly!🤯
Check out my 6 Minute Video here where I measured my weight 18 Times throughout a whole day!👇🏻
Daily weight fluctuation is completely normal - your body cannot stay the same weight for very long due to the myriad of complex functions going on inside. Your body weight could fluctuate by as much as 4.5kg (10+lb) or potentially even more on any individual day!
Reasons for weight changes:
- Fluid Intake
- Food Intake - including specific balance between:
- Overall Volume of Food eaten!
- Carbohydrates (Fibre)
- Proteins
- Fats
- Salt Intake
- Urination
- Bowel Movements
- Menstrual Cycle
- Medication
- Hormone Levels
- Hydration Status (including Electrolytes)
- Exercise or Activity Levels
- Alcohol usage
- Stress Levels
- Sleep Quality
- Illness (short term and long term)
- …and possibly more!
It’s a long list and these individual aspects can have knock effects to each other, causing even more dramatic movements in body weight.
Some of these situations will cause your weight to move hours afterwards, or maybe even roll over into subsequent days!
Why Bother Weighing at all?
It is a good indicator that you have control of your Energy Balance and Nutritional Intake, and it can help to show over time that your attempts to lose excess body fat (or maintain) are working.
It’s a good indicator of progress. But, It’s not reliable… 💥
It is just a snapshot of your total weight right now. Useless moments later!
If you do want to use this to monitor your progress, then try measuring daily for a week or two to find the best day of the week or your average. Then just stick to that day of the week. Measure at the same time of day, using the same scale and clothing - every single time!
For most, first thing in the morning on their chosen day, bladder emptied, naked or in underwear is the best way to go.
If one week the weight is up - don’t panic and give up on your plan! If you’re eating in a calorie deficit, firstly it can take time to take effect, and secondly some of those factors above may be at play!
(If your weight consistently goes up, then you’re probably not in a calorie deficit and you may need to redress how you’re going about things!)
Other ways to measure Progress
Whilst the scale weight is a good indicator of progress, there are plenty others which don’t tend to fluctuate so wildly!
- Comments from others!
- Tape Measurements
- Skin Condition
- How you FEEL
- Clothing Fit
- Mobility
- Callipers
- Photos
This is especially important if you’ve ever had issues with the scale before or suffer with any form of anxiety or triggers around scale weight or use of scales.🙏🏻
If you need help with any of this, you can book a call with me to chat about how I might be able to help.