How long does water weight stick around?

emilieradke
emilieradke Posts: 14 Member
edited December 3 in Health and Weight Loss
This Friday I had friends come over and messed up with my eating. I won't lie, I ate a lot. But I only did so on Friday. The rest of the week, I ate my MFP number and worked out when I usually do.

Sunday mornings, I weigh myself. The scale shows a 0.6lb gain. I know I ate a lot, maybe enough to gain 0.2-0.4lbs...but I find it hard to believe I gained over half a pound from one day.

I had pizza and other salty things, could this gain be partially water weight? Would water weight still show two days later?

Thanks!

Replies

  • kbsangel1986
    kbsangel1986 Posts: 153 Member
    With the increased sodium levels on friday, it is definitely possible to "gain" weight that sticks around for a few days. Yes, it is water weight and it will take a few days for it to be "lost" again. Drinking extra water will help flush it out of your system. I am experiencing this myself right now (though, not for the first time). After eating out yesterday at lunch for work (I was supposed to be off, and the emergency call wasn't supposed to have lasted as long as it did), I get home and hubby decided to take the family out to eat last night. While I stayed under my calorie goal, I did eat things knowing they were higher in sodium. I woke up 1.2lbs "heavier" this morning (my official weigh day is Monday). I know that it will come back off and that it is only water weight. Nothing to stress over :)

    Side note in case you didn't know: Your weight can actually fluctuate up to 6ish pounds during the day, depending on all kinds of things
  • kbsangel1986
    kbsangel1986 Posts: 153 Member
    ^yep
  • emilieradke
    emilieradke Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you both, this is really helpful info! I'm going to try and drink more water today as well. :)
  • ClareGxxx
    ClareGxxx Posts: 18 Member
    I totally agree with cwolfman13. Look at the long term. 1/2 is nothing
  • bdl0715
    bdl0715 Posts: 5 Member
    I weigh myself everyday because I have heart and kidney failure, so it's necessary. Generally though, it's probably not a good idea to weigh yourself everyday. I would suggest maybe once a week, at the same time, every week.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    emilieradke wrote: »
    This Friday I had friends come over and messed up with my eating. I won't lie, I ate a lot. But I only did so on Friday. The rest of the week, I ate my MFP number and worked out when I usually do.

    Sunday mornings, I weigh myself. The scale shows a 0.6lb gain. I know I ate a lot, maybe enough to gain 0.2-0.4lbs...but I find it hard to believe I gained over half a pound from one day.

    I had pizza and other salty things, could this gain be partially water weight? Would water weight still show two days later?

    Thanks!

    At least a couple of days up to a couple of weeks.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,188 Member
    bdl0715 wrote: »
    I weigh myself everyday because I have heart and kidney failure, so it's necessary. Generally though, it's probably not a good idea to weigh yourself everyday. I would suggest maybe once a week, at the same time, every week.

    There is nothing wrong with weighing everyday. Lots of people do. I weigh daily and track it on a trending website. That way when I see a .6 gain I know it is just regular fluctuations. Besides, the OP already said she weighs on Sunday.

    To the OP. As others have said it is just water weight and nothing to worry about it. You can't let the scale have so much power over you that a .6 gain will ruin your day.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    I am actually surprised its not a lot more if you ate as much as you said you did. I think you came out pretty good on this day of eating..

    It will balance back out in a day or two as long as you stay hydrated.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    Water weight lasts for as long as whatever caused you to retain the water lasts.

    If you gained water weight from high sodium, it lasts until your kidneys excrete the excess sodium. If you gained water weight after a strenuous workout, it lasts as long as your muscles are repairing. If you gained weight by increasing your body's glycogen stores, it lasts as long as those stores remain higher than they were before.

    There's no simple answer to that question, it really depends.
  • jopalis
    jopalis Posts: 238 Member
    drink extra water and add some fresh squeezed lemon.
  • Karihappy
    Karihappy Posts: 116 Member
    My water weight usually lasts at least five days. I hate this, as I retain water at the drop of a hat. Just looking at something salty seems to add pounds on me. :(
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  • Bearbo27
    Bearbo27 Posts: 339 Member
    Crap I would love for my most recent eating to mean only a half a pound gain. I ate bad yesterday and really didn't even go over my calories (burned a lot also due to exercise). My sodium and carb level was way over what I like and t caused a 2 lb gain in water today. I'm sure after a few days it will be gone, but I would love for only a half pound gain.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    @bearbo27 why let water weight get to you? You are trying to lose fat, not water. Let the water do its thing
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