That water retention though

bendyourkneekatie

It's real! Which is why it's important to look at long term trends and not short term fluctuations.

On Sunday I ran 34km on a hot, dusty, hilly trail. Then my husband and I dropped the kids off at my mums and went for a drink, which became beer and burger and chips. Salty salty chips. Beery beery beer. Another couple drinks with dinner too....

Next morning I jump on scales first thing and I've put on 2KG (about 4-5 pounds). I drink electrolytes at the gym. I drink water after. I drink more electrolytes at school pick up.

This morning? Down 2.5kg.

None of that was fat. None of it was worth worrying about. It's a lot for someone my size, and it can be a bit freaky seeing that kind of gain so quickly, but my body was doing its thing and now I'm back to normal. (Thank god!)

lightenup2016

Yes! And it is so easy to get discouraged, thinking you've undone your hard work, or even done extra hard work for nothing. But the fluctuations are definitely real, and so often just water.

Our bodies are about 57-60% water, so for someone my size (149 lbs), that's 88lbs of water weight!! When you think of it that way, it's easy to imagine that with increased sodium, or extra water retention in muscles from exercise, etc, that the water weight can vary a few lbs in either direction on any given day, ranging from maybe 84-91 lbs for myself.

I find that any high sodium day, PMS, or ovulation cause me to gain water weight. It's like clockwork. I know it ahead of time and try to just keep doing what I'm doing. I can also tell when it's coming back off, because I have to pee so much on those days. Then I do look forward to weighing myself the next day!

Thanks for the reminder, as the scale went up today due to sodium intake yesterday, and ovulation time!

quiksylver296

Agreed. Alcohol gets me every time! I actually saved a list of water weight causes, to help me out. Just sharing for people who wander into this thread.

Water can be retained in the muscles for repair, if you've done new-to-you exercise.

In females, hormones cause lots of water weight issues. During ovulation and/or menstruation is typical.

Eating more carbs or sodium than your body is used to will cause water weight. (I can't remember the scientific reason behind it.)

Travel/flying can cause water weight. I gain like 8 pounds in one flight.

Excessive outdoor temperatures can cause water weight.

Sunburns and other inflammatory-type injuries can cause water weight.

Alcohol causes me to hold water for a couple of days.

VintageFeline

Carbs thing is because of glycogen replenishment.

I had a very salty, carby day on Sunday along with a very active lifting all the heavy things (not in a gym) weekend. Currently still up about 3lbs. Whatevs body, you do you.

quiksylver296

VintageFeline wrote: »

Carbs thing is because of glycogen replenishment.

I had a very salty, carby day on Sunday along with a very active lifting all the heavy things (not in a gym) weekend. Currently still up about 3lbs. Whatevs body, you do you.

Thanks. Couldn't think of it. Not enough coffee yet this morning.

Tacklewasher

And sodium is because your body wants to maintain a certain level in your body. Eat a lot of sodium and your body tries to retain water until the sodium is diluted to the level your body likes, and then you can pee both the water and sodium away. Aaron did a good post on this once.

HoneyBadger302

And it gets especially difficult if you're constantly changing up or upping the intensity of your workouts! Body never really gets into "balance out" mode, so there's constant water weight that makes it really hard to determine what is what.

Thankfully my most recent workout plan should last me for awhile, and after the first full rotation I think things will have started to adjust, so hopefully in another month or so I will have a more accurate picture of where I'm actually at.

CattOfTheGarage

Also being ill. I'm currently not weighing myself because I have the flu and I know I am probably retaining a lot of water.

Water retention just is. You have to be zen about it.

sabal20

Tell me about it! Had a weekend of watching sport, drinking beer and coffee and loads of junk food like pizza. Size of a house on Monday. All back to normal now.