Why the Scales say you've gained weight.
We are already 3 weeks into January. I have been busy preparing for my next 8-week challenge. This time around I have decided I will have a 2 week prep period before the challenge starts. I feel you need all the information before you start a challenge to give yourself the best chance. Knowledge is power. The more you learn about nutrition, exercise, mindset the better your results will be.
This Challenge again will not solely focus on weight loss. It will include 4 mindset workshops and 4 exercise sessions. You will learn how to put your own meal plans together, learn about Macros, how much you need, what’s the best to eat. We will only have 3 weigh-in sessions, one in the beginning, middle and end. I don’t want to weigh people every week as I don’t want them becoming obsessed with those numbers. Daily weigh-ins can create unnecessary stress, fixation, pressure and even obsession which is not healthy for anyone.For some, when they become fixated on the scale number, it becomes a marker of their self-worth. If the scale shows a ‘good’ (lower) number, they feel better about themselves. However, if the scale shows a ‘bad’ (higher) number, they may feel like they have failed.
Their entire mood becomes dependent on a number and an entire day can result in complete negativity and despair if they are not happy with what they see on the scales.
Fixating on weight can be detrimental to your emotional well being as you cause yourself unnecessary stress, obsessing about any slight fluctuation that may not be related to how much you are eating and exercising at all.
Scales can create an artificial sense of confidence for some, and they can also crush it, especially if you have set specific weight loss goals, People may start judging food or fitness choices against a number on the scale, which is extremely unhealthy.
6 Reasons Why the scales say you’ve gained weight.
1. You have gained muscle – A kilogram is a kilogram — both a kilogram of muscle and a kilogram of fat weigh the same. However, one takes up significantly less space. Muscle is denser and more fibrous in nature, as it serves to help support and move your entire body. Since dense muscle tissue takes up less space than fat, it’s possible you may weigh the same (or even more) yet appear slimmer than another person with the same weight, a similar height and frame because of the difference in your body composition.
2. You are a menstruating woman – ovulation and periods, often causing fluid retention and therefore weight gain, and this constant rise and fall on the scales is not indicative of true weight.
3. You have drunk fluid or eaten food – The scales may simply fluctuate based on how much fluid you have drunk that day or even how much you have eaten.
4. Your wearing heavy clothes – wearing clothing will cause fluctuations.
5. Your diet is high in sodium – If your diet is full of salty foods, this can cause water retention and thus increase the number on those scales
6. You’ve just had a sweaty workout session – On the other end of the scale, people who weigh themselves after a big gym session may see that they have lost weight. This loss, however, is more likely to be fluid loss through sweat rather than a direct fat loss.