What would be common weight fluctuation in a day/workout/week?

JasonMcS

So I am new to this. I have always been big but it has started weighing me down. I am trying to loose weight. I have been going to the gym for a couple years now but have been dieting with my workout for the past 60 days. I have lost 26 to 30 pounds. It really fluctuates that much.
I workout 5 times a week. Weight training some specific muscle group then getting on the tred mill for 500 calories. I never (one time in 60 days) eat over 2200 calories.
I didn't like what the scale said on a weight day so after I worked out I got back on the scale for curiosity. I had dropped 4 pounds in a workout. I assumed it was water loss from urinating and sweating. Again curious, I started checking before and after and every workout... My weight fluctuation can be 3 to 5 pounds from day to day or workout to workout. It may drop or it may gain with no outside factors changing that I know of. I have noticed that drinking a diet coke drives it up a little and I supposed it to be water gain from sodium but with the fluctuation I can not be sure.
Is this normal? I know I should weigh in the morning but have not gotten a good scale. I assume the gym scale is good but it don't seem to be. Could you help me with this?

maryannprt

Just for the heck of it, I got on my scale at various times throughout the day, and my weight had a nearly 5 # difference at different times. Weigh at the same time, in the same clothes on the same scale for your "official" weight and realize that # is just an indicator of how much you weigh right this minute. What matters is what your trend is, over time.

malibu927

Five pounds is normal, some even see more than that

brendanwhite84

For me, five pounds frequently, up to ten pounds on days where I've eaten heavily or had water weight fluctuation to go with it.

quiksylver296

Yes. Totally normal.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Yeah, 5 lbs is pretty normal.

<-I weigh in almost every morning and plot it in excel and then add a trendline.

upbeatbirdieRD

I have an education in fitness and nutrition and yes, it is normal. You SHOULD be weighing yourself before and after a workout. For every pound you lose during a workout, you should be drinking a pint (16oz.) of water to replace it. Your weight can fluctuate anyway from day to day, but if you consistently weigh yourself first thing in the morning after you urinate, without clothing you will see less fluctuations. If you are salt or sugar-sensitive you can become bloated from water retention which would also cause a small weight gain. If you see a 10 lb. fluctuation, then talk to your physician or a 5 lb fluctuation accompanied by pitting edema. Pitting edema is defined by swelling in the hands and legs, where if you press with a thumb or finger on your shin, it takes more than a second for the depression in the skin to return back to normal. These could be signs of something more serious. But, a fluctuation in weight while working out is perfectly normal, it means your body is cooling itself properly. And lucky you getting to eat 2200 kcal/ day. I have to eat 1200 kcal and exercise to lose weight.

JasonMcS

Thanks for the help. I need to get a scale for home but I just don't think about it.
@ upbeatbirdieRD I updated some of my profile yesterday and I get 1860 calories now. I assumed that the myfitnesspal would have done that automatically but it did not for some reason. I guess that is progress. I actually try to stay around 1800/1900 anyway but some days the extra come in handy. As far as any swelling, I don't.
Also, Could you give me some info on the supplement Creatine? I currently take meds for hypertension but with the weight I have lost I will probably be taken off of them when I go back to my doctor as it has gotten low. Some information says that Creatine may cause blood pressure to spike. But they also say a cup of coffee will do the same and I drink coffee. I am looking for a little more stamina as cutting my sugar has put a limit to my muscle training. Especially doing medium weight and high reps... 5 sets of 20... as my goal is fat reduction over weight reduction.

brendanwhite84

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about creatine. Leaving aside the hypertension angle for now, creatine has been tested extensively for healthy people and is safe for extended use. I take 5 grams per day of creatine monohydrate and have seen its positive effects. It is one of the few bodybuilding supplements worth taking. I wouldn't drink more than 1 coffee a day while using it though - you want to stay very well hydrated to get its benefits.

Don't bother with fancy varieties of creatine. Monohydrate powder in bulk is cheapest and just as good.

stanmann571

5 lbs or 2-3% fluctuations are entirely normal water weight deviations. Up to 5% can be seen with extreme salt(sodium/potassium) changes. I think I had one day this past summer where going to a BBQ bumped me 12 lbs between the menu and sun exposure.

LivingtheLeanDream

up to 5lbs sounds normal, I'm petite and I can see up to 3lbs in any one day.

labell0076

Feeling down seeing scale creep up without any reason. Thankful I’m not the only one dealing with this and it is normal.

kenyonhaff

Oh yeah, that can happen. Want to have some fun? Just weigh yourself and eat a good sized meal and weigh yourself again. It's a good reminder that body weight is generally not an absolute. It fluctuates quite a lot. Don't base your whole self worth on a fluctuating number.