5 Reasons the Scale is Up Overnight

Have you ever noticed the scale jump up over night?  1 pound, 2 pounds, maybe even 5 pounds?

News flash!

You didn't gain 5 pounds of fat overnight.  Scale fluctuations happen to everyone and are completely normal. There are several reasons why the scale can go up overnight. This is why I require my clients do two things,

1 - focus on non-scale victories

2 - have them check in with their weight multiple times per week to get an average weight It's important to remember that the scale weight is just data.

If you find that the scale is up, you can do some investigating to figure out what's going on.

Ask yourself: Did you drink alcohol the night before? Eat a higher sodium meal? Get less sleep than normal? Are you about to start your period?

These are just some of the questions you should be asking yourself when you notice the scale is up.

Five common reasons the scale increased overnight are:

You are dehydrated - dehydration leads to water retention because your body tries to adapt and hold on to water. 

You drank alcohol - alcohol leads to lower inhibitions which causes overeating.  Which in turn causes water retention.  It can also cause more stress on the body which also leads to water retention. 

You ate at a restaurant or ordered take-out - restaurant food is typically higher in sodium which causes water retention.  It's also more likely that you'll eat more carbs and fats dining out which can also cause water retention.  

You're about to start your period, on your period, or ovulating - hormones play a huge role in your scale weight.  You can fluctuate 3-7 pounds based on where you're at in your cycle.  Hormones also cause cravings for foods that might cause water retention or over eating.

You're stressed - stress increases cortisol which causes water retention.  It can also lead to overeating which can result in excess fat and carb storage.  Stress also disrupts sleep which can cause water retention and an increase on the scale. 

What you should NOT be doing when you notice the scale is up is getting frustrated, mad or give up. The chances that the increase is actually fat are very small. So instead investigate, focus on how you're feeling, and move on!

If you need help getting over the scale, feel free to reach!