Why does my weight fluctuate?

     Many of my patients are concerned and confused by day to day fluctuations in their weight. They wonder how they gained so much weight in one day. They wonder if their scale is broken. They wonder if this happens when they eat "badly." 

    Let's review some information. If you drink two cups of water, you will weight about one pound more. An average-sized meal weighs about one pound, so you will weight one pound more after the meal than you did before the meal. A bowel movement can weight one pound, so you will weight less after using the restroom. Many people lose one pound of sweat from a one hour run, so the pound of weight lost from that workout is from the sweat. In short, there are many normal bodily functions and activities that can account for day to day weight changes. 

    In general, daily weights can be exasperating for most people. Besides for some very specific medical reasons, it is not necessary for people to weight themselves daily. Many people would even benefit from rarely or never weighing themselves. Because our body uses many functions to maintain our health, our weight can shift from one day to the next. 

Disordered eating and guilt

    Guilt is a common emotion experienced by people with disordered eating. It can be triggered by a variety of factors, including eating foods that are considered "forbidden," overeating, or not eating enough. Guilt can lead to a number of negative consequences, including further disordered eating behaviors, low self-esteem, and depression. When people feel guilty about eating, they may try to restrict their food intake in an attempt to "make up" for what they've eaten. However, this often backfires, leading to binge eating. Additionally, people with eating disorders may avoid social situations where food is present, out of fear of eating too much or of being judged for their food choices. Guilt can also contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety, which can make it more difficult to cope with disordered eating.