Too much sodium = weight gain?

Options
ajacob90
ajacob90 Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
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.

Replies

  • JeffBrown3
    JeffBrown3 Posts: 161 Member
    Options
    When I have water weight, it only lasts a day or two... I wouldn't sweat it ;)
  • KatissimusDorsi
    KatissimusDorsi Posts: 79
    Options
    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
    ajacob90 Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    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
    katpudda Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    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
    uconnwinsnc Posts: 1,054 Member
    Options
    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
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Options
    Water weight gain post sodium is normal.
    Balance it out with potassium.
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    Options
    It will come off I promise :smile: 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
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    Options
    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
    SephiraRose Posts: 775 Member
    Options
    Chinese food is definitely worth it.
  • SakuraRose13
    SakuraRose13 Posts: 621 Member
    Options
    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
    Jess830409 Posts: 285 Member
    Options
    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_
    MVY_ Posts: 253 Member
    Options
    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.

Categories