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Weight Fluctuations
What is causing my weight to fluctuate?
What is causing my weight to fluctuate?
Carbon Diet Coach avatar
Written by Carbon Diet Coach
Updated over a week ago

Many different things can play a role in why our weight fluctuates. This can include:

  • Specific Foods

  • Fiber

  • Sodium

  • Period

  • Working Out or Exercising

  • Constipation

  • Dehydration

Specific foods

It should come as no surprise, but some people's bodies respond differently to certain foods than others. For example, someone with IBS may eat onions and be extremely bloated right after, causing their weight to increase due to inflammation. Be mindful that your scale weight will likely increase if this is you. Don't freak out. Once your body normalizes, so will your scale weight.

Fiber

Having too much or too little fiber can cause your weight to fluctuate. Soluble fiber can slow down the rate at which foods are digested, causing your scale weight to increase. Insoluble fiber can help with regularity, causing your scale weight to decrease. Don't freak out. Think you are experiencing this? You can see your daily fiber intake by going to the diary tab and tapping the "i" in the bottom right-hand corner of the macro targets. If you notice you are consuming too much or little, adjust. We recommend 14g of fiber per 1000 calories consumed.

  • Soluble Fiber Food Sources: oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruit, carrots, barley, psyllium.

  • Insoluble Fiber Food Sources: whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans, cauliflower, green beans, potatoes.

Sodium

Sodium is both an electrolyte and a mineral. It helps keep water in and around our cells and helps us maintain our hydration and electrolyte balance. Since sodium influences the amount of water our bodies hold onto, it can affect your scale weight. You still see weight fluctuations when you aren't consistent with your sodium intake.

For example, if you decide to go out to dinner, end up having a high sodium meal, and your scale weight is up the next day. Don't freak out. Give it a couple days and you should see your scale weight normalize.

High Sodium Food Sources: smoked or cured meats/fish, highly processed foods, canned entrees, salted nuts, soups, pizza, broths and stocks, jerky and other dried meats, pickled foods, some cheeses.

Period

It is common to see an increase in weight due to bloating and inflammation during your period. The amount or severity of this can vary depending on the person, but having a 1-2 or even 5+ pound weight change due to having your period is very normal. Don't freak out. Carbon has a period feature to help with this. Read this article to learn how to use it.

Working Out or Exercising

Working out and exercising causes muscle damage, which causes local inflammation and swelling in the muscle. Because of this, you could see your scale weight increase in the short term. The more consistent you are, the less severe the weight fluctuations. Don't freak out. Give your body some time to adapt, and your weight will normalize.

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