Nothing is more frustrating than stepping onto the scale and seeing the numbers have changed again and not in the direction you’d like. You wonder how just this morning you were 5 lbs lighter and now you question your entire plan for weight loss.
Then, you find yourself obsessing over what you’re doing wrong to cause this escalation.
Well, here’s some good news. The scale can change throughout the day. Sometimes even by 5-10 lbs.
And although some weight fluctuation throughout the day is expected, if you do find yourself losing or gaining weight rapidly, please seek medical attention as sometimes there is something larger at play.
But before we get into why your scale fluctuates so much…
Let’s take a look at some of the things we should be doing before stepping onto a scale anyway. Even if your weight is fluctuating is normal, there are some ways to make sure the numbers you’re seeing are accurate and consistent.
- Make sure you are using the scale at the same time of day each time you step on the scale. Preferably in the morning before the day gets going but consistent timing is the most important.
- Make sure to pee before you get onto the scale if you are really looking for accuracy and want a good baseline of where your current weight is at. Especially in the morning, the extra fluid from overnight can make even a slight change in weight that isn’t exactly correct.
- Make sure your clothing (if any) is light and aim for the same outfit each time you use the scale. That way you don’t have to worry about anything adding to the scale that isn’t true body weight and you can focus on consistent results.
- Don’t weigh yourself every day. This may seem like common sense but it is easy to obsess over our goals or make it a part of our daily routine. However, our fluctuating weight can actually lead to more inquiries since a lot contributes to our overall weight. My suggestion is to pick a time that you can consistently weigh yourself and aim to do it every 4+ weeks. This will show true changes rather than the daily fluctuations that can occur.
- Make sure you’re in the right headspace. Having the mindset of acceptance is important before stepping onto the scale. Whether it goes up or down, toward your goal or away from your goal, you are wonderful and a scale doesn’t define your worth. Use this time to just meet your body where it’s at. When you receive the results, use that as an opportunity to adjust your goals slightly or plan around how you will get back to where you want to be. And then move on with your day!
Of course if your medical provider tells you to do something differently, please listen to them. This is just general advice.
Now that we know the appropriate way to use a scale, let’s dive into reasons why your scale fluctuates so much.
1. Water Retention / Fluid Balance
What we eat and drink greatly affects our body and how it functions. By eating highly processed foods and consuming excessive amounts of salt (which is easy to do!) can tell the body to hold onto water. This water retention can cause the scale to go up temporarily, according to this Henry Ford Healthy article. Additionally, your fluid balance and hydration/dehydration levels can impact how much water your body appropriately retains.
2. Exercise Type and/or Frequency
Oftentimes, when we first start to increase our activity levels, there will be a drop off of weight at the beginning which is usually water weight. If you see that weight loss occurs quickly up front and tapers off after a few weeks or months, this is considered normal and may indicate that you need to increase the intensity of the workout, or other factors such as (type, duration, etc.)
Always work with a trained professional if you have weight loss or muscle building goals as the scale is not always a good determinant on progress for certain goals.
3. Food/Fluid Intake
As mentioned above, if we eat and drink certain foods, they can contribute to water retention. However, weight loss and even weight gain can also be caused by over or undereating. We know that by burning more calories than we are eating it mostly results in weight loss (barring no other medical conditions), BUT chronic under-eating can hinder weight loss too when it affects your metabolism.
Make sure you know what your calorie intake should be at for your goals along with formulating a plan with a professional that can help you increase or decrease your calories appropriately. Drastic changes can be hard on the body and chronic states can impact your ability to move the scale in the direction you’d like.
4. Lifestyle Changes (specifically alcohol)
Lifestyle changes can impact why your scale fluctuates so much, specifically alcohol. Alcohol can tack on a lot of calories that you don’t realize you’re consuming, especially if you’ve had a couple pours. Additionally, it dehydrates your body which tells your kidneys to retain water in the tissues in an attempt to “preserve” itself and make up for the lack of water consumption.
Additionally, if you’ve changed how often you workout and are experiencing a lot of sweat loss, you’ll want to consider rehydrating yourself. You may want to even consider an electrolyte powder if you’re an athlete or participating in activities that involve a lot of sweating. This way your body can regain its fluid balance.
5. Hormones
Hormones can hinder weight loss but can also make the scale fluctuate, especially at different points in your menstrual cycle. This is considered normal and will change based on where you’re at in the cycle. If you’re concerned about hormones affecting your weight loss, you should contact a health provider who can help you determine how to test and fix it.
6. Medications
This one is pretty well known but worth mentioning. Some medications increase or decrease appetite, water retention, etc. If you suspect this is the case, make sure your health provider is aware of your concerns.
7. Stress
Last but certainly not least, stress can be the cause for why your scale fluctuates. Elevated or chronic stress levels can impact sleep, water retention, cortisol levels (which is an appropriate hormone when under certain circumstances and at certain levels) and can affect many other areas of your life.
Consider taking time out of your day to reset or engaging/disengaging in activities that can keep your heart, mind, blood pressure, breathing, and more in good harmony. This could be taking a walk, spending time in prayer, reading, quieting the mind with meditation, listening to music, performing breathing techniques, or even exercise.
Yes, even exercise can reduce your stress levels! There are plenty of studies that show exercise as a key factor for stress reduction by increasing the release of endorphins!
No matter which way the scale fluctuates, know that there are ways to combat inconsistent readings and reduce contributing factors as to why the numbers are moving. And it may be more than one!
Start with understanding your current lifestyle, assess your health, and work with trained professional and/or medical providers to help you reach your health and fitness goals.
And if you’re in the market for a smart scale, the one I have is very useful AND it connects to an app on your phone to track data!
Did any of these reasons why your scale fluctuates actually surprise you?
If you’re looking for a way to get started with weight loss or muscle building, check out my meal prep guide or full body workout plan on my Resources page!
