Too much sodium = weight gain?

ajacob90

Hello,

Yesterday I had chinese for dinner (decided I could have a cheat night after 4 weeks of being really good). I stayed under my calorie goal (exercised a lot) for the day but went over my sodium goal. Today I weighed myself this morning as I do every day and weighed 3 pounds more than I did yesterday. I ate well today, drank a lot of water, went on the elliptical for an hour and went in the sauna for 15 min (truing to sweat out the sodium/water weight). Now I weighed myself again and am up 4 pounds from yesterday.

How long will it take for this increased water retention to go away.

Im so frustrated. I have been doing so well and having steady weight loss for the last 4 weeks since I started and now the one day I eat a little unhealthy I gain 4 pounds back, so frustrating. Im never going to be able to cheat again.

JeffBrown3

When I have water weight, it only lasts a day or two... I wouldn't sweat it

KatissimusDorsi

Yes, sodium will make you gain water weight. You should NOT try to actively manipulate your water weight for little incidents like this. It does NOT reflect fat. Water weight doesn't matter at all.

Likely what happened is you ate a lot of sodium and probably ate a bit more carbs than usual, which may take a few days to wash out.

Don't stress about this. You did not gain fat if you stayed in your calorie ranges, and even if you did it would not be 4 pounds.

Chill, relax, breeeeeath.

ajacob90

Thanks for your responses! I weighed myself this morning and the extra water weight was gone. Lesson learned, dont freakout unless it lasts more than a day

katpudda

Don't freak out if it last more than 2 days! Daily weighting helps and hurts at the same time. It helps you keep in check, but everyone's weight goes up and down a bit daily. Keep at it, you are doing great!

uconnwinsnc

Hello,

Yesterday I had chinese for dinner (decided I could have a cheat night after 4 weeks of being really good). I stayed under my calorie goal (exercised a lot) for the day but went over my sodium goal. Today I weighed myself this morning as I do every day and weighed 3 pounds more than I did yesterday. I ate well today, drank a lot of water, went on the elliptical for an hour and went in the sauna for 15 min (truing to sweat out the sodium/water weight). Now I weighed myself again and am up 4 pounds from yesterday.

How long will it take for this increased water retention to go away.

Im so frustrated. I have been doing so well and having steady weight loss for the last 4 weeks since I started and now the one day I eat a little unhealthy I gain 4 pounds back, so frustrating. Im never going to be able to cheat again.

The goal is not to turn yourself into a raisin, it is to lose fat. Water weight really doesn't have to do with how much fat you have on your body.

Helloitsdan

Water weight gain post sodium is normal.
Balance it out with potassium.

runnerchick69

It will come off I promise My weight is up nearly 6 pounds from just a few days ago but I knew I was going over on the sodium this weekend so it was expected. In a few days it will drop back to my normal weight. Just keep pushing water today and flushing the sodium out. It is what I do and it works every single time!

graysmom2005

It's hard not to freak. The jump is usually so drastic and it has usually taken us weeks, maybe months to get rid of the few pounds it instantly adds. I'm glad it went back down again! I always get so upset when this happens...even though I know it's water. It's all mental. Chinese is usually worth it though. :-D

SephiraRose

Chinese food is definitely worth it.

SakuraRose13

Well at my lowest weight in a week I'm 116.5 but when I'm as not as diligent about my food I go up to 119 so yep it matters for me at least stupid sodium its in everything these days always checking labels and I never add salt to any of my food anymore .

Jess830409

My weight has been 122.2, 123.8, 126.7, 129.6 & then again 122.1, 123.4 and 124.6.....

This is in a span of 1 weeks time

Sodium will almost always make the scale go up but, if it is truly just sodium it will go back down again

Water is your friend :-)

MVY_

When I have water weight, it only lasts a day or two... I wouldn't sweat it

Yup. Mine lasts around that time too.

Advice to topic starter: Avoid weighing yourself...a cheat meal means no peeking at your weight for a few days. Lol.