Don’t Panic.

Ever weighed yourself one morning and found that you have gained 3lbs overnight?
Don’t worry, it’s highly unlikely that the extra weight is fat! In order for that to happen you would have to eat around 15,000 calories in a day…

Remember, most of your body (up to 70%) is water and almost all fluctuations are just water coming and going -

➡️ It could be that you had a hard workout the day before and have some inflammation while your body is recovering.
➡️ It could be that you ate a bit more salt yesterday. Our cells soak up a lot of extra water to counteract the sodium intake.
➡️ It could be that you ate a lot of carbs the day before. For every gramme of carbohydrate you consume and your body keeps to use as energy, your body will hoard 3-4 grammes of water to help store the energy (glycogen).
➡️ It could be that you ate a lot of refined sugars (found in all canned and frozen foods, condiments and pretty much anything that is processed) and are feeling more bloated. Not only is sugar a carbohydrate in its own right, but when you eat too much sugar your insulin levels go up. High levels of insulin may cause your kidneys to retain water AND sodium, meaning you’re not only gaining water weight, but exacerbating the situation with sodium.
➡️ It could be that you didn’t drink ENOUGH water and have some retention as your body needs to maintain hydration (being just 0.3% dehydrated can result in up to 10% loss of muscle strength and speed).

Whatever the reason, it's important to realise that the increase is very short term. To see the real changes in fat and muscle you’ve got to look at the overall weekly trend. If you need to weigh yourself every day, record each result and then take the AVERAGE over the seven-day period for a more realistic view of your weight.

But honestly, the best way to check for progress is to find a pair of trousers, or a dress or top, that is too tight and then try the same one on every week. You may be pleasantly surprised that even if the scale hasn’t moved, the clothes feel a bit better!