AIM NUTRITION COACHING

View Original

Is water retention affecting my progress?

What the heck! You've crushed your macros all week, followed your plan to a "T" and the scale isn't moving. What seems like a stall may just be water retention that is masking your results.

Water retention can be caused by high sodium intake, hot weather, excessive exercise, and for women - their monthly cycle.

If this is you, take a moment to ask yourself:

Am I in control of how my food is prepared?

When we are not in control of how our meals are prepared, we are trusting others to prepare our food when they might not understand the importance of measuring. That's a lot to expect of a restaurant or a friend that is not on your same journey!

Am I stressed?

When cortisol goes up, our bodies may hold onto more water, which means we feel “fluffier” than we actually are.

What trends am I seeing on average?

Instead of looking at your daily weight fluctuations, try to look for trends over time. Compare your average weight one week to your average weight the next week, if you see a downward trend, embrace that affirmation - you are on the right track!