Weight Loss or Fluid Loss: That is the Question

You stepped on the scales, and the arrow shows that you are two or three kilograms less than the last time. No doubt your joy is great, as it shows that you are probably doing something right with your diet and exercise.

But before rewarding yourself with a chocolate bar, it’s worth asking yourself if you’ve really lost weight or are just dehydrated. How can you know? Just answer the following questions.

1. When was the last time you weighed yourself?
Weight loss doesn’t happen overnight – at least if you stick to a regular diet and don’t overeat. Generally you can not lose more than 100-120 grams of fat per daybut during the day Fluid loss or retention can result in weight loss up to 2.5 kg. So if you weighed yourself in the evening, and immediately after the next morning, the scales showed a noticeable drop, it is likely that the difference is entirely related to the fluids. But if after a week you see a difference of 2.5 kg, then it really can be fat loss.

2. Is the weight loss stable?
Real and correct weight loss is slow and steady, while the sufficiency of fluid in the body varies greatly. Every time you step on the scale and think about how much weight you’ve lost in one week or one month, and if you notice a significant weight loss that wasn’t there before, then the difference in weight is probably due to dehydration. To get a clearer picture of your weight, it is helpful to keep weighing schedule, ideally only weigh yourself in the morning and before eating or drinking anything, even a glass of water.

3. What have you eaten in the last 24 hours?
Salt and carbohydrates are of the greatest importance for providing the body with fluid. On the one hand, if you eat a slightly saltier, higher carbohydrate food, you may gain weight due to fluid retention. On the other side, a sharp reduction in salt and carbohydrate intake leads to a large loss of fluid (that is, to dehydration) and, consequently, to weight loss.

So if for one day you almost did not consume either salt or carbohydrates, then weight loss is not real, but only due to fluid loss.

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