'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
You're probably familiar with the feeling of stepping on the scale, only to find that your weight has changed by a few pounds.
While some fluctuations are normal, they may also indicate a larger issue. Here are some reasons why your weight fluctuates, and what you can do about it.
Why Your Weight Fluctuates
Here're are five reasons:
#1 Water
Water is essential for weight loss, so drinking plenty of it is one of the most important things you can do to lose weight. It keeps the digestive system working properly and also helps flush toxins out of the body, which makes it easier for you to lose weight.
Trending
The amount of water needed varies from person to person and depends on factors such as age and activity level. As a general rule, try to drink at least 2-3 liters a day.
Water can help you feel more or less full. Moreover, water retention in the body can cause you to appear and feel heavier than you actually are. Fear not: this water weight disappears rather quickly when you exercise consistently.
#2 Stress
Stress can cause several different types of eating habits. It can result in you eating more food, making poor food choices (e.g., processed foods), and/or lack of sleep. That's because stress causes the body to release cortisol, a hormone that reduces the level of leptin and increase ghrelin level in the body — both are hormones that control hunger and satiety (feeling full).
Stress also seems to be linked with alcohol consumption. In addition to increasing cortisol level, it also increases adrenaline production — which directly leads to higher heart rate and blood pressure when consumed regularly over long periods.
#3 Sleep
You may have heard that you need to get at least eight hours of sleep every night, but how much sleep is enough, and why? Sleep is when the body recovers from the day's activity, restores energy stores, and prepares for the next day. When you're not getting enough sleep, the process can't happen as efficiently.
Sleep deprivation can lead to changes in hormones that impact metabolism, appetite control, and stress level. These changes make it difficult for the body to regulate its weight properly. Improper sleep can also affect mood, energy level, muscle recovery, etc., which are all direct factors in controlling weight.
#4 Sodium
Sodium is the major component of table salt, and it's also found in many processed foods. It's easy to consume too much sodium without realizing it, as restaurants often add salt to their meals.
To help put that into perspective: if you have a typical American diet that includes processed foods, restaurant meals, and other sodium-heavy products (like deli meats or soups), you're likely consuming far too much sodium per day. That's even more, if you're eating out frequently or ordering takeout regularly. It can be difficult to avoid all the hidden sources of salt.
If the body contains too much sodium — it retains water as well so there's less fluid available to dilute the bloodstream (which is why we feel bloated when we consume something salty).
That extra water retention causes swelling in the body and makes us feel puffy overall. If that happens over time due to an unhealthy diet rich in processed foods and restaurant meals, your weight may fluctuate dramatically depending on how much sodium is present in each meal or snack throughout the week.
#5 Alcohol
Alcohol can cause you to retain water, which can lead to weight gain. When the body retains water, it also holds on to food and fat as well.
Calories consumed from alcohol may not be burned off like other calories, causing a caloric surplus and weight gain. In addition, if you drink alcohol in addition to eating, the body's metabolism won't work as efficiently, as it would have more energy-producing tasks on its plate at once.
It's not just calories in alcohol that can cause you to gain weight. Alcohol also causes you to retain water, which may cause temporary bloating and weight gain (especially if you drink beer or other carbonated beverages).
Takeaway
The bottom line is that all the aforementioned factors go hand-in-hand and play into each other.
For example, a person under massive amount of stress is already subject to health risks that come with it but is also vulnerable to alcohol use and a poor sleep schedule.
No matter why your weight fluctuates, the important thing is to not get discouraged. Weight loss is a long journey and not a sprint. You’re not doing it perfectly, nor should you expect to. What matters most is that you keep up with your goals and stay positive along the way.
