One morning you are 150 lbs, later that day you are 154 lbs, and the next morning you are 149 lbs… what gives?

#1 Glycogen

Going on and off low-carb diets can cause changes in glycogen levels.

Each gram of glycogen holds as much as four times its weight in water. So, reducing carbs (and glycogen), will cause a fast drop in weight.

This is why you hear some people say they lost 8 pounds in just a few days on a low carb diet. It is mostly water weight though and it will come back if that exact diet and exercise regime is not sustained.

#2 Salt

Let’s say you went out to your favorite Mexican restaurant last night and enjoyed a few margaritas and enchiladas. When you step on the scale the next day, you have gained 5 pounds!

Your digestive system hasn’t had time to process all the salt you had the night before and all that excess sodium causes your body to hold onto excess water in order to keep your electrolytes in balance.

Thank you human body for being so efficient!

Your body will sort it all out over time…which leads to point number three.

#3 It takes a few days for body weight to stabilize after any major shift in diet or exercise.

If you have JUST begun a new diet – especially one drastically lower carbs – you must wait until your morning scale weight has stabilized(no longer losing a pound or two of water a day), before assessing your true weight loss.

Weight should then be monitored for about another two weeks to make sure there are no drastic changes to glycogen or fluid levels. The goal is to have the weight loss be all from fat!