Amanda Simmers

Let me just say it: your weight can change by several pounds in a single day—and it doesn’t mean anything went “wrong.”

I used to spiral every time I saw the number on the scale go up. Even just one pound heavier and suddenly I was questioning everything I ate, thinking I overdid it in a workout, or stressing that I was “doing it wrong.” But here’s what I’ve learned (and what I want to share with you): the scale isn’t a report card on your health or your effort.

Let’s break it down.

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1. Carbs Hold Water—Literally

If you eat more carbs than usual (hello, delicious pizza night!), your body stores them as glycogen. For every gram of glycogen, your body holds onto about 3-4 grams of water. So that “extra weight”? It’s just water doing its thing. And it’ll flush out naturally in a day or two.

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2. More Food = More Weight

Even if you ate something super nutritious, if it was more volume than usual, your body is literally just carrying more food. That doesn’t mean you gained fat—it means you’re digesting. Your body isn’t magic; it doesn’t instantly convert a meal into fat the moment you eat it. Trust the process.

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3. Workouts Make You Sweat (and Swell)

Crushed a workout and weighed more? That’s not a mistake. Intense workouts cause micro-tears in your muscles, and your body responds with inflammation and water retention as it starts to repair. Plus, sweat can mess with hydration levels, which also shows up on the scale.

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4. Stress Is Sneaky

When you’re stressed, your body produces more cortisol, which can cause your body to hold onto water. Add in emotional eating or disrupted sleep, and it’s easy to see a shift on the scale that has nothing to do with fat gain.

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5. Sleep Deprivation = Fluid Retention

A rough night of sleep can mess with your hormones (especially ghrelin and leptin, which impact hunger), and lead to inflammation and water retention. So if you’re dragging yourself out of bed and see the scale jump, it’s not your fault—you’re just tired.

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6. Bathroom Business Matters

Yup, we’re going there. If you’re not pooping regularly (which can happen due to stress, travel, lack of fiber, or even changes in routine), the scale might reflect what hasn’t left your body yet. That’s not fat—it’s just, well, backlog.

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7. Hormones Do Their Own Thing

If you menstruate, your cycle can cause big fluctuations in weight. Hormonal shifts around ovulation or your period can lead to bloating, cravings, water retention, and slower digestion. Again—completely normal.

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So… What Can You Do Instead?

• Zoom out: Look at trends over time, not day to day.
• Focus on how you feel: Energy, sleep, mood, strength, digestion—all better indicators than a number.
• Be kind to yourself: Your body is doing a lot behind the scenes to keep you alive and well. One weigh-in doesn’t define your worth or progress.

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If you take anything from this, let it be this: the scale doesn’t know how strong you’ve gotten, how much better you’re sleeping, or how proud you are for sticking to your goals. So when the number changes (because it will), remember—it’s just data. It doesn’t get to tell the whole story. You do.

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