There will be a day when you suddenly wake up and see the weighing scale spike. This can be extremely scary and an emotional situation as you are working hard everyday to reach your fitness goals.
So, what did you do wrong? How did the weight suddenly go up on the weighing scale?
Let’s look at the main reasons why you see a spike in your weight, but it doesn’t mean you have gained fat.
You ate more salt than usual
If you eat more salt than you usually consume, your body is going to show a spike in weight. This is because excess salt in the body leads to water retention. So, basically the salt will make the body hold onto water, which will make the weight go up. This excess weight will come back to normal once the salt content in the body gets back to its regular level.
You ate more carbs than usual
When in a calorie deficit, you invariably tend to have lower carbs. So, the day you end up eating more carbs than usual, they get stored in the form of glycogen in the liver. The glycogen also tends to hold onto water, leading to a spike in your weight. So, the additional weight is not from fats and has not ruined your workout progress. This is a very common phenomenon seen on cheat days and refeed days.
You can get in a 20 minute workout to utilize the excess carbs from the comfort of your home using the best under desk treadmill for heavy people or the best magnetic resistance spin bike.
You ate later than usual
If you ate a late night snack and weigh yourself at the usual time the next morning, odds are you will see a spike in your weight. This is because the food from last night is still in your stomach. Again, this does not mean that you have put on fat but instead, it is just the food you ate.
You weighed yourself earlier than usual
Similar to the previous point, if you weigh yourself earlier than your usual time, you will see a spike in the weight. As explained, this is because the food from the previous day has not had enough time to leave your body. Again, you haven’t gained fat!
You have an upset stomach
If you have an upset stomach and haven’t taken your daily dump, the chances are you will see a spike in your weight. This is because your body hasn’t had the time to clear the waste products.
You are stressed out
The human body tends to hold onto water and get bloated when stressed. This is especially common with women, and is seen often during the time they are on the period. Hormones also have a role to play in this.
You lifted heavy weights the previous day
When you have a tough workout at the gym lifting heavy weights, the muscles tend to soak up water. This is their way of maximizing the nutrients it can get and ensure fast recovery. The muscle acts like a sponge, and as we all know a wet sponge weighs a lot more than a dry one.
Try getting in a good cardio session on your rest days on a folding elliptical to maximize the calories burned.
Conclusion
With these points, it is important to remember that every time you see a spike on the weighing scale it does not always equal to fat. There are numerous reasons why your weight might go up. The best thing you can do is be consistent with your diet and workout routine to see maximum results.
Author Info: By healthyandkhush.com
Summary:
Healthy and Khush is a blog dedicated to sharing science-based tips and hacks that will help you lose weight and keep it off.
