11 Reasons You're Really Heavier In the Morning

If you’ve had the same obsessive period of weighing yourself as I did, you’ve probably noticed that you weigh more in the evening than in the morning

Contents hide

1 If you have trouble sleeping, you can try some of these tips:

2 How Much Does Weight Fluctuate Throughout the Day?

3 There are several ways different medications can affect your weight:

4 Share this post:

You actually weigh more in the evening than in the morning

#1: Drinking Water During the Day Makes You Weight

Every two glasses of water you drink throughout the day equals one pound of body weight

It is recommended that adults drink at least half a gallon of water daily

At the end of the day, your body may not have time to excrete all of that water, and that may reflect on your scale

That doesn’t mean you have to reduce the amount of water you drink each day

Dehydration can send your body into shock, and it will try to retain as much fluid as possible

This will negatively affect your health and contribute to an increase in the number on the scales

The weight gain from drinking water is only temporary, and you will lose weight as soon as you urinate

The benefits of staying hydrated and healthy far outweigh the negligible short-term weight loss you may experience from not drinking enough water

Note: This post may contain affiliate links that will take you to online retailers that sell products and services

#2: Your Salt Intake Fluctuates Your Weight

Salt intake during the day is a significant contributor to fluctuations in your weight

You will often notice an increase in your scale on the same day you eat a lot of salty foods

Salt causes your body to retain fluids which means weight gain

At night, your body will not have time to completely cleanse the system of the salt you have consumed

If you’re consuming more salt than usual during the day and want to limit its effect on your weight as quickly as possible, there are several things you can do

It may sound counterproductive to consume more water because it weighs a lot and immediately increases the reading on the scale

However, water flows through your system very quickly and will collect all the toxins and extra salts it can carry

Drinking more water after you indulge in extra fries at lunch will minimize the fluid retention effects caused by the salt

Eat foods rich in potassium

If you know you’re consuming too much salt, you can counteract some of the effects by eating potassium-rich snacks, such as bananas, strawberries, or a handful of plain nuts

Potassium helps your kidneys excrete extra salt, which helps your body quickly return to its normal weight

Try to move around as much as possible during the day

Even if you’re not physically going to break your salt in the gym, getting moving will increase your metabolic rate and keep things moving in the right direction – which in the case of your scale, is DOWN

So if you’re mainly desk-bound during the day, take the time to take the occasional walk and get that heart rate up

#3: Food Takes Time to Digest

If you’ve just been enjoying an extra-large pizza with your friends, this might not be the best time to weigh yourself in a hurry

The food you eat takes time to be processed by the body

The weight of the food you eat will be directly added to your overall weight; However, it decreases as soon as digestion begins

Every calorie you consume needs to be used, stored, or eliminated by your body

#4: Carbs Add Water Weight to Your Body

While carbs aren’t necessarily bad, eating them causes your body to retain extra water to store this fuel

For every gram of carbohydrates you eat, you will retain about three grams of water

Eating carbohydrates encourages the body to retain more water

Note that the increase you observe on the scales the night you weigh yourself may not only be a direct result of the carbohydrates you eat, but also because of the water needed to process those foods

Also, keep in mind that carbohydrate foods are often high in salt, which retains water in the body

So it could also be the cause of your slight weight gain

Although you won’t lose much weight after having a bowel movement, the average stool only weighs about 025 pounds

If your intestines are blocked, the weight you should be losing every day, but other than that, it can be very uncomfortable

The discomfort of constipation will affect your mood, and because of this you may be less active than usual

This lack of activity will in turn affect your metabolism and decrease the ability of the intestines to move as they should

In the short term, the excess weight gain from constipation is minor, but regular or long term constipation should always be avoided, especially if you are trying to lose weight

Drink more water

Eat foods that are high in fiber

Use the bathroom as soon as you feel the need

Have a bathroom routine and try to stick to it

Alcohol is a diuretic which means it robs your body of fluids

That may sound like a good thing if you’re trying to lose weight

You may have noticed that immediately after consuming alcoholic beverages, you need to urinate

This increased urge to urinate is in line with the possibility of an imbalance of fluids in the body

To overcome the fluid imbalance caused by consuming alcohol, the body begins to retain fluids from all the food or other drinks consumed

If you’ve ever spent time at a bar, you’ll know that there are usually snacks available that are high in salt

Drinkers often eat salty snacks and enjoy carbohydrate-laden foods with their drinks

This causes fluid retention and an increase in overall body weight

#7: You Lose Weight While You Sleep!

Your body will continue to metabolize and use stored energy at night while you sleep, so you will continue to breathe and sweat

If you sleep, you don’t eat or drink, so no additional fuel is added to the body’s supply

In this way, the reserves are constantly being used, which causes you to lose weight

Your lowest weight for the day will usually be right after you pee each morning

Therefore, consistently getting a good night’s sleep can be one of the most effective weight loss tools

Establishing a consistent bedtime routine will support your efforts to get enough sleep

If you have trouble sleeping, you can try some of these tips:

Stick to a bedtime schedule – If your body gets used to the same routine, you’ll start to relax more quickly and fall asleep more quickly

Our modern lifestyles often keep us on high alert, and our brains have a hard time finding the peace to fall asleep

Turn off the lights – Melatonin is a chemical produced by your brain that induces sleep

It’s so hard to fall asleep with the lights on

To lose weight effectively while you sleep, you need to enjoy prolonged, deep sleep

Stay cool – You’ll fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer if your body stays at a comfortable temperature

Weighing yourself fully clothed means the scales will weigh more!

While this is completely normal and one would expect it to be heavier at night than in the morning, one of the most obvious causes of a drastic increase may just be your clothes

Each of your shoes might add a pound of extra weight, so be sure to take them off before you step on the scales and don’t freak yourself out unnecessarily

How Much Does Weight Fluctuate Throughout the Day?

Any drastic or sudden unexplained change in your weight should be investigated, but keep in mind that, on average, a person’s weight fluctuates by about five pounds a day

If you are confused about why you are gaining weight at night, keep in mind that it takes time for your body to process the food and drinks consumed during the day

Rather than weighing yourself repeatedly throughout the day, you should stick to one regular time

Log your weight at the same time every day and use that data to track your weight goal

Keep in mind that fluctuations in your weight may not only be related to what you eat, but can also be caused by changes in hormones or medications

Another Reason Your Weight Can Fluctuate

Besides time of day, there are other reasons why your weight may fluctuate

Medication Can Affect Your Weight

If you are taking any medication and notice that you are gaining weight, it may be a side effect of the pills you are taking

There are several ways different medications can affect your weight:

Increases water retention

Menstruation Can Affect Your Weight

Most women experience fluid retention and bloating before their menstrual period

Fluid retention seems to peak on the first day of your period, so don’t be discouraged by a slight upscaling

Stay hydrated and push through this time

The hormonal changes you experience before your period can cause you to overeat or crave things you normally wouldn’t eat

It’s probably not the fluid retention associated with your period that’s causing you to gain weight