SCALE UP (MYSTERIOUSLY) OVERNIGHT??

We’ve heard about water retention….

But how does that relate to why the scale jumped 1-3 pounds overnight.

First, let's be clear..

To gain 2 pounds of actual fat, you'd need to eat ~7,000 calories above maintenance (not exactly but let's keep things simple).

If you didn't do that, you didn't gain fat.

It's water. And it's temporary.

HARD TRAINING

Hard training causes inflammation and that's a good thing.

Your muscles retain water to repair and rebuild. This is part of the growth process.

The harder you train, the more water you hold. It's a sign your body is adapting.

YOUR CYCLE (gentleman, feel free to skip to the CARB TOPIC below)

Your cycle has a massive impact on water retention.

During the luteal phase (the week before your period), progesterone rises and causes your body to hold more water.

It's completely normal to see the scale jump 1-3kg. It generally will drop after your period starts.

EXTRA CARBS

Ate more carbs than usual? The scale will go up.

For every 1g of carbs you store as glycogen, your body holds 3-4g of water.

This isn't fat gain. It's fuel storage.

You’re retaining water, not fat.

DINE OUT?

High sodium meal? Expect the scale to spike.

Your body holds water to balance out the extra salt.

This can add 1- 2 ponds overnight.

The fix? Drink more water. It sounds backwards, but it helps your body flush the excess.

STRESS

Chronic stress raises cortisol, and cortisol causes water retention.

If you're under-sleeping, over-training, under-eating, or just stressed from life... your body holds onto water as a protective response.

The scale won't budge until the stress drops.

POOR SLEEP

Poor sleep = higher cortisol = more

water retention.

Even one bad night can cause the scale to jump.

String a few together and you'll see a noticeable increase.

Prioritise sleep.

Watch the scale drop.

TRENDS

Continue weighing daily with your body composition scale, watch trends WEEKLY in each category - and STOP panicking.

DRINK THAT WATER!

Most people are actually losing fat but give up because they see a fluctuation & think things aren't working.

Weigh yourself daily at the same time, under the same conditions, and track your weekly average.

That average tells the real story.

Now, if you aren’t sticking to your nutrition plan, START THERE!

Check out this article for a quick systems check