You wake up Monday morning after a weekend filled with fun, family, and friends; only to see that you have gained 5 pounds when you get on the scale. Completely discouraged with the number you just witnessed on the scale, you tell yourself: “dieting just doesn’t work for me. I am destined to be this way!” ultimately, throwing you off of your routine and sending you back to aimlessly wandering through multiple, different weight loss plans only to never complete a single one.
What if I were to tell you weight fluctuations are completely normal and an essential part of the weight loss process?
Our bodies are constantly adjusting and adapting to our environment. Weight fluctuations are your body adapting to food intake, water intake, salt intake, exercise, hormones, etc…
You would have to consume 3500 calories in addition to your maintanence calories to gain just one pound of body fat. You gained 3 pounds since yesterday? Did you over consume 10,500 calories? No? Well, then you didn’t gain 3 pounds of fat. You are simply retaining more water than yesterday.
A few tips to avoid drastic weight fluctuations.:
Drink plenty of water daily – 90 oz for females and 120 oz for males. Water helps to regulate fluid levels in the body, drinking too little actually causes you to retain water. Drink plently of water daily to keep your body flushed out.
Try to have a consistent diet – we recommend our clients eat healthy at least 6 days a week (Mon-Sat) and weigh first thing in the morning on the 7th day before consuming any food or drink. That way you have a consistent reading every week and you can monitor whether or not you are making progress.
Reduce your salt intake – consuming too much salt is a great way to gain water weight. Try to avoid processed foods and consume a diet high in fresh fruits, veggies, unuprocessed grains, and fresh lean meats.
Let me know your weight loss questions?
Have a great night,
Jamie
