Weight is something that concerns many people. Do you weigh yourself every Monday, every day, every week? While seeing the numbers on a scale can tell us whether we’re creating a calorie deficit or gaining muscle mass, often the number we see on the scale may not reflect our daily efforts…and this can be very frustrating.
The reality is that one of the main reasons we care about our weight is the constant social pressure we face on this issue. It’s important to note that body weight can never be measured with absolute precision. One day you might weigh 235 lbs, and the next 233.2. So it’s important to understand why our weight fluctuates.
Some factors that can cause our weight to fluctuate:
- Changes in the hormonal cycle and the menstrual period can cause fluid retention.
- Constipation.
- Fluid retention.
- Weightlifting.
- Increase in muscle mass.
- Salt intake: Salt causes fluid retention in our bodies and makes us weigh more.
- Alcohol consumption: Excessive alcohol consumption leads to an increase in body fat and water retention.
So, should we weigh ourselves every day? My recommendation would be not to; I suggest that we focus our energy and efforts on small daily achievements such as:
- Drink the recommended amount of water each day. Try to drink half your weight in ounces of water.
- Sleep 7 hours or more.
- Engage in at least 30 to 35 minutes of physical activity.
- Eat two fruits and three vegetables.
- Reduce your consumption of ultra-processed foods.
By focusing on these key changes, we will also achieve other goals, such as reducing body fat, having more energy, and maintaining a healthy metabolism.
The author is Alana Marrero González, Lcda., MHSN, LND, a certified nutritionist/dietitian and diabetes educator (alanamarrero@gmail.com)
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