Hey, I've gained weight!

Why have I suddenly gained weight?

When you jump on the scales every day, it does not consider the following reasons why there might be a slight gain of weight, such as muscle mass, growth, fluid retention, hormones and period cycles for a female. In addition, the result of the scales could cause anxiety, bad moods, a sense of giving up, depression and low self-esteem which is an obsession that is not healthy for anyone.

I have been a person since my early teens (12 years of age) weighing myself early each morning before I did anything else. And depending on what number flashed up on that screen could set my mood for the rest of the day. Ridiculous I know! This has been on-going all up until recently when I woke up happy and knew if I jumped on the scales and it didn’t give me that magic number could change my mood in an instant.  

I eat well 9 & ½ out of 10 times. The ½ I don’t eat well allows me to have a little freedom and enjoy discretionary choices on occasion, such as an ice-cream or an indulgent dessert. I do not deprive myself and I choose to eat healthily most of the time. I crave healthy foods unlike my younger self who couldn’t get enough sugar and had a very sweet tooth. But recently I have put on weight. Almost 2 kilos to be exact and you could imagine my surprise as I had not changed my diet in any way or form.

Weight training

At the beginning of this year I started weight training and even though I know from education that muscle mass can put on weight, when the scales started going up it left me questioning myself along the lines of “What the hell is going on?” I still look the same and in some respects better as I have muscle definition. And in fact my clothes feel a little looser. But what does this mean? Have I put on muscle mass? 

So back to the text books I go, to find a kilogram of muscle weighs the same as a kilogram of fat, except a kilogram of muscle mass takes up significantly less space. Muscle is denser and serves to support and move your body whereas fat mass takes up more space and volume. Therefore, while you may be losing fat mass by doing cardio, you may be balancing out and or even putting on more weight if weight training, which also fires up your metabolism. However, when you get on the scales it doesn’t give you that overall picture.

Menstruation and weight.

Another factor to consider is the monthly cycle. Being a women at certain times of the month can leave you feeling bloated, heavy and round. No, it is not in your imagination! But don’t despair, a women’s weight does fluctuate during the monthly cycle and this includes fluid retention which would also lead to an increase on the scale numbers. However, this constant rise and fall in numbers is not a true indication of weight gain.

Weighing yourself at different times of the day can also affect the numbers on the scale. You may be drinking a lot of water that day or just eaten a meal and so all this does add up. And if you haven’t gone to the toilet either, be sure you may be a kilo heavier on those scales too. Likewise, if you are wearing shoes and heavy clothing the scales will appear heavier, so if you are going to weigh yourself make sure you always wear similar clothing or nothing at all, with no shoes and at the exact time each week. Therefore, keeping it consistent and something to really compare to.

So, how often should we weight ourselves?

The Department of Health (n.d). recommends weighing yourself no more than once a week, with no shoes, in similar clothing, on the same scale and to make sure your scale first reads zero.

And if your goal is to lose weight or gain muscle, it is important that you take body measurements or have a DEXRA Scan which provides you with a more accurate assessment of your body changes.

In addition, if you are trying to lose weight a healthy, safe and sustainable weight loss of 0.5kg a week is recommended. But the ability to achieve this also determines many other factors, such as hormones, medications, stress levels, environment and knowledge on what healthy foods are and how much to eat. You may also like to read my blog on MACROS.

To conclude, I know I am not alone when I mention my past obsession of the numbers on the scale. But now is your chance to stand beside me and take a stance. Weighing yourself daily is an unhealthy habit that offered me no beneficial meaning.

So, I am not going to let the numbers on the scale control or define me anymore. Self-worth is not determined by a number. And health and well-being should be represented by other influences such as sleep, clear skin, healthy hair and nails, improved energy, healthy bowel movements, and feeling happy.

Want more information?  Want to ask a question?  Or want extra ideas in keeping on track? I can help! 

You can contact me on email or on Facebook messenger or you can have a look at my consults or workshops on my webpage.

I can give you lots of ideas with recipes, create meal plans, cook meals and help you with nutritional advice. Just ask me how!