Water weight. why oh why?

[Skandalus]

Why do we gain water weight and what are some tips to stop it/prevent it?


I got this new scale that also measures body fat percentage (you enter your age, height and gender into it and it sends a really low level electric pulse through your body and somehow through that, it can tell your body fat percentage).

I recently got down to my goal (pre-quitting smoking) weight of about 123 with a body fat % of around 20-21% (it fluctuates daily by about 1 or 2). However, one day I woke up and all of the sudden I weighed 126lbs. I knew it was not possible to put on 3 lbs in one day, plus my body fat % was still the same. So I could only assume this is water weight....

I know us women are supposed to put on water weight right before that time of the month, but mine was about 2 weeks away and I thought it was just supposed to be the week before that this happened. Over the following week my weight has not really gone down much but had fluctuated on a couple days, and my BF% stayed the same, and even dropped to 19% on one day.

Does anyone know alot about water weight and why we put it on? Someone recently said that if I decrease my salt intake that would help. Anyone have any other advice, or knowledge?

I was so excited about getting my correct weight back and this damn water weight is completely raining on my parade.

[Funshine]

Other than keeping sodium levels low? Yeah, I have no idea.

[Methodus]

Keep sodium levels low, and stay very hydrated (drink a gallon and a half of water per day), that will keep the water weight to a minimum.

[Methodus]

And yes, weight can fluctuate by 5-10lbs per day, but it's typically stress induced / water weight.

[BuzzCat]

Water weight is not a bad thing. I mean, we don't like the way it looks on a scale, but you can't go by if that means your fit or not.

[sxulcmnky]

And yes, weight can fluctuate by 5-10lbs per day, but it's typically stress induced / water weight.
Ya this is true... i can weigh 8-10lbs more in the morning than at night or vice versa.

[Big McLargeHuge]

Water weight is not a bad thing. I mean, we don't like the way it looks on a scale, but you can't go by if that means your fit or not.

very true, which is why i dont weigh myself daily anymore, got frustrating. i can fluctuate between 5 and 8 pounds a day depending on hydration levels.

[| Bass Drop |]

best to weigh at the same time all the time.

I do as soon as I wake up in the am after going to the bathroom.

[oh no its nick]

Yeah, exactly what methodus said. Kind of sounds funny but the more water you drink, the more water weight you'll shed, since water is the best natural diuretic. Salt levels can help but have a much smaller effect, I wouldn't worry about those that much.

[Neptune]

tanita makes some body fat scales that can correct for water weight. but those seem to be more expensive


i love my body fat scale, but like what was said, it can fluctuate depending on what you ate the day before, if you weigh yourself before or after you use the bathroom, or before or after eating a meal.

in any case, 3 pounds in ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to worry about...

you know, 1 liter of water weighs 2 pounds....