Ever wonder what that uptick is when you step on the scale?
Is it because you ate too much or is it something else?
Let’s unpack this.
If we work with “very” loose math, a pound of fat is approximately 3500 calories.
If you step on the scale and you’re up four pounds, there’s a question to ask: Did I consume (knowingly or unknowingly) 14,000 calories ABOVE my body’s maintenance calories?
If the answer is “No”, chances are, that four pound increase has less to do with eating in a surplus and more to do with normal fluctuations in water weight that could also be influencing what the scale is telling you.
And there are a host of factors that can affect that water weight increase that you’re seeing:
-Fluctuations in sodium intake
-Fluctuations in carbohydrate intake
-Lack of waste removal
-Stress
-Poor sleep
-Hormonal fluctuations (including but not limited to the menstrual cycle)
-Intense training
-Creatine supplementation
-Certain medications including some antidepressants, hormone therapies, NSAIDS, and corticosteroids (to name a few.)
A story I’ve shared before that I’ll also use to highlight increases in scale weight not related to calories:
Several years ago, I was experimenting with different scenarios that would affect my own body weight.
I personally/professionally prefer that people weigh themselves first thing in the morning, after they pee, before coffee or water, and in their birthday suit.
So, one day I did exactly that and made a note of my weight.
I put my clothes back on, had a cup of coffee (roughly 10-12 ounces without anything added to it) and then got back on the scale when I was finished (sans PJs.)
My weight was up exactly one pound.
Black coffee has roughly 5 calories.
So, before you let the scale dictate your self-worth, the value of your size/shape or how your mood is affected throughout the span of a day, remember that calories in/calories out isn’t the entire picture of what happens on the scale.
You’re looking for changes to happen over time and, while fat loss is rarely linear, if you’re finding the ways to be consistently, (not perfectly) in an energy deficit, the numbers will come down.
Just don’t let it mess with your head if the drops don’t happen day after day (even if you’re doing all the right things!)
And on that note, I wanted to make the official announcement that Fat Loss Simplified is returning in December 2026.
I’ve revamped the entire program, I will be re-recording and re-writing the original eight modules and adding an additional four modules into the program.
Stay tuned as I continue to unveil more details over the next few weeks.
If you’d like to be waitlisted for the re-release, comment FLS below.
(Photo courtesy of Samuel Ramos)
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