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Why is my weight less in the morning than in the evening? Many people who monitor their physical performance notice this. At different times of the day, their body weight may not be the same. In the morning it has one meaning, and in the evening another - as if some kind of weight gain appears during the day. What are the reasons for this phenomenon and is it normal?
The weight of a person's body is not a constant value. It can fluctuate within one day depending on the time of day and food intake. According to one explanation, weight increases because a person eats food during the day and sleeps at night, which is why weight decreases. Therefore, it is better to measure it once a week, on a strictly defined day and time. It is recommended to wear light clothing at such moments, which will not significantly affect the scale readings.
There are other reasons that explain why weight is greater in the evening than in the morning. For example, metabolic rate. It differs from person to person, and for those whose metabolism is faster, the difference can reach somewhere around 400 grams. It also depends on other reasons: physical activity received during the day, the quality of food consumed, and in women, the phase of the cycle.
Let's look at some important prerequisites for changing mass.
What happens to the body during sleep
Sleep is a process given to us by nature for rest and restoration. At night, the body cleanses itself of all unnecessary substances. At the same time, if you eat protein foods in the evening, more energy will be spent on the restoration of existing cells and the appearance of new ones.
If you're dieting and don't want to lose muscle mass, this is especially important. And carbohydrates are better suited for a morning meal. If you leave them for dinner and have protein foods for breakfast, the calories will not be burned as they should and your body weight will increase.
Please also note that at night, not all body systems rest. The brain continues to function, but it takes some energy. This is not enough to significantly reduce weight; the result will be visible if you start training in the evening.
Dependence of metabolism on time of day
At different times of the day, our body has different needs, which imply unequal energy expenditure. In the morning, you need to get the number of calories necessary to function during the day and restore the energy spent during the night.
The metabolic rate increases until 12 o'clock in the afternoon, after an hour or two it becomes stable, and after 4 o'clock in the afternoon it decreases. It follows from this that in order to find out the correct body weight, you need to weigh yourself only in the morning and strictly on an empty stomach, until the body has absorbed excess fluid. Dietitians recommend doing this once a week, choosing a suitable day and time for this, for example, on Monday at 9.30 am.
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What you definitely shouldn’t do is step on the scale every few hours, as many people who are losing weight do. You can’t achieve an exact result this way – it will be different every time.
Metabolic rate varies from person to person. This is the answer to the question why someone eats as much as they want and does not gain weight, while for others even small excesses immediately affect their figure. Contrary to popular belief, this is individual and does not even depend on heredity.
It is not possible to measure metabolic rate using exact values, but it can be approximately determined using a simple test. Its essence is to weigh yourself twice a day - morning and evening - and compare the data obtained.
If the difference is 300 grams, you have an average metabolic rate, and you can easily monitor your figure by simply eating right (you can even indulge in excess from time to time). Metabolism is considered fast if the numbers in the morning and evening differ by 400 grams or more. In this case, you can even have a hearty meal at night (but it is still undesirable to eat 2 or less hours before bedtime).
If your weight in the evening and in the morning differs by 100 grams or less, your metabolism is slow and this problem must be solved as soon as possible, because for people with a slow metabolism, any overeating affects their figure and weight.
Why is a person’s weight different in the morning and evening?
People heroically trying to lose weight step on the scale every day to find out the result of their struggle with excess weight. And it often happens that morning weight is less than evening weight and vice versa. Why is this happening? This article will answer the question.
What processes occur in the body at night?
Nature falls asleep at night, and man, as a part of nature, is no exception to this rule. It is sleep that allows the body to restore the energy spent during the day. During sleep, the processes of regeneration and purification from toxins and waste occur faster. Damaged cells are restored and new ones appear. The body reboots, similar to the operation of a complex computer.
Why is morning weight less than evening weight?
The body spends a huge amount of energy on all night processes. In addition, internal organs do not stop working at night. For such crazy energy consumption, the body uses up its fat reserves. Although fat is very energy-intensive and does not decrease much overnight, electronic scales notice the difference. Sometimes the difference in weight in the evening and the next morning can be one and a half kilograms. But, alas, the bulk of this loss is water.
Evaporation of water from the body during sleep
Almost everyone's morning weight is less than their evening weight. Why does this happen? There are two processes going on continuously in the body: breathing and sweating. With each exhalation, the body leaves a small amount of moisture. You can see this in winter - steam comes out of everyone's mouth. When you sweat, water comes out along with sweat through the pores of the skin. At night, under the covers, the process is even more intense.
In the morning, people usually weigh themselves after going to the toilet, which makes their morning weight even less. You can also add that in the morning a person gets on the scale with practically no clothes. In the evening, I usually wear heavy jeans or a thick jumper. Such clothes add a couple of extra pounds.
Could the opposite happen?
It also happens that the morning weight suddenly becomes a little more than the evening weight or remains the same. This happens most often due to the fact that a person weighs himself incorrectly. For example, in the morning the scales were moved to another place, although in the evening they stood in their usual position. In order for an electronic weighing device to give accurate readings, it must be placed on a hard and level surface, and preferably in the same place. A mechanical device does not react so capriciously to changing the setting, but it can also show incorrect results if it is not on a hard floor, but, for example, on a soft carpet or rug.
Drinking water or snacking at night can also affect weight gain in the morning. Sometimes a person automatically, getting up to go to the toilet at night, takes something out of the refrigerator. In the morning he may not even remember about it. And if you ate too much salty food in the evening, then swelling appears in the morning, which does not help in any way to reduce your morning weight.
Conclusion
Thus, it is clear that there is nothing mysterious about changes in a person’s weight in the morning and evening hours. It's quite normal. A good night's sleep helps rid the body of all unnecessary things, which can affect your morning weight.
Other causes of mass fluctuation
If you are a woman, you should not be surprised that your weight fluctuates between 2 and 3 kilograms - this is the norm. It depends on the phase of the menstrual cycle and the hormonal changes that occur during this period. A few days before the onset of menstruation, the metabolic rate slows down and fluid begins to be retained in the body. But after it ends, the hormones return to normal, and at the same time the weight returns to its normal value.
People involved in strength sports also experience temporary weight gain due to fluid retention. After intense training, lactic acid and other metabolic products accumulate, muscles increase in volume, and weight increases. A couple of days later, everything returns to its previous state, if you spend this time without training.
Keep track of what foods you eat. Some foods cause slight weight gain. These are salty, sweet, smoked and pickled foods, rice and alcoholic drinks.
Why there is no point in weighing yourself every day
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Doctors do not recommend weighing yourself every day for two reasons:
• During the day, weight can change several times in any direction. • These intermediate parameters will confuse and spoil the mood.
The best option is to measure parameters once a week. But keep in mind that body weight is influenced by many factors.
Body weight changes throughout the day
The numbers on the weight scale depend on the day of the cycle and the time of day. Nutritionist Alexandra Caspero claims: a person is capable of gaining up to 800-900 grams per hour without any particular reason (1).
Weight changes due to fluid intake and swelling
According to US Environmental Research Institute scientist John Castellani, drinking and sweating change a person's weight by 0.5% of their total body weight each day (2).
The water-salt balance depends on the time of year. In spring and summer, more of the hormone aldosterone enters the blood, which retains fluid. Therefore, swelling and weight gain are a normal reaction of the body to warm weather.
If a person does not drink enough water, the body retains fluid to provide vital functions.
Body weight changes with bowel movements
Peristalsis is an important factor in weighing. The frequency of bowel movements is individual and depends on when and what a person eats, how much water he drinks, whether he does it during or after meals, and how thoroughly he chews food.
Stress affects body weight
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Research has confirmed this relationship. 5,000 Australians participated in the 5-year experiment. The results of the experiment revealed that people quickly gained weight after severe stress and negative emotions (3).
Many people eat stress. This is especially dangerous if you are overweight. A person finds himself in a vicious circle: he eats a lot out of stress and at the same time worries about what he has eaten.
Another negative point: anxiety increases cortisol production. And he accumulates fat deposits in the abdominal area.
Weight changes when flying
Air travel affects body weight not only due to interruptions in biological rhythms, but also due to disruption of bacteria in the intestinal microflora.
The scientific journal Cell published the results of studies on mice. The rodents were placed in conditions similar to flight. The bacteria in their digestive system changed, causing the mice to gain weight (4). Scientists have identified similar changes in people: two participants in the experiment flew from the United States to Israel.
Body weight fluctuates with sudden changes in diet type
If a person limits himself to sweets and fatty foods, but decides to eat delicacies on a holiday, this is normal. And it’s even useful, because it will avoid breakdowns. However, such sudden changes provoke weight fluctuations.
American fitness trainer B.J. Ward is sure: food that is not included in the normal nutrition system provokes stagnation of water in the body. After weighing, the person receives a negative message: all efforts were in vain! However, the numbers on the weight scale depend on the amount of carbohydrates consumed: today - more, tomorrow - less.
Nutritionist Andy Bellati says high-sodium meals eaten the day before can retain up to 1.5 liters of fluid.
Diets affect weight
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The desired number on the scale can be achieved with the help of mono-diets and diet pills. The question is how this will affect health.
Nutritionist Andy Bellati claims that you can lose weight with a low-calorie diet and strict restrictions. But, firstly, strict diets provoke breakdowns. And, secondly, for the body any diet is stress. And it will store fat at every opportunity, instead of breaking it down.
8. A weight scale won't tell you what really matters.
A small number on the scale is not at all an indicator of health. Do not forget that the muscles have an impressive mass. Therefore, muscular people can weigh much more than overweight people.
Of two people with the same weight, one will be strong and slender, and the second will be flabby and plump. We see this difference, but the scale will never show it.
Why doesn't the weight come off?
Another common problem is that your weight stays at the same value for a long time. Many people who go on diets and exercise notice that in the first month they manage to lose noticeable weight, in the next month the weight also goes away, but less, and in the third it doesn’t go away at all, it can even increase, despite proper nutrition and physical activity.
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What should you do in this case? Pay attention to when exactly you started playing sports. If recently, then there is nothing surprising in weight gain. If earlier fat mass simply disappeared (and therefore overall weight decreased), now muscle mass began to increase. In addition, at the beginning of training, it is not the fat itself that begins to disappear, but the excess fluid and toxins that had previously accumulated in the body. Loads stimulate blood circulation, and all excess is eliminated. Only after this does fat begin to be consumed. And its reserves are melting much more slowly.
If your workouts are active and you strictly follow your diet, but your weight nevertheless remains the same, this means that your body is used to it and no longer perceives exercise and calorie cuts as stress. You can increase the intensity of your workouts or use other exercises to force your body to adapt again and expend more energy. You shouldn’t give up your diet either, because it’s even more important than training when it comes to losing weight.
Remember if you have had any breakdowns when you see that training and diet have not yet brought the desired result, but you allow yourself sweet or fatty foods. This behavior can easily provoke an increase of a couple of kilograms.
Monitor the level of load during training: if you increase it (without any advice from a specialist), you risk getting a side effect in the form of weight gain. The body cannot adapt to a sharp increase in loads, muscles after training begin to ache and even swell, metabolic products accumulate in them, which increase weight. When faced with this phenomenon, you should rest for several days and not train.
Contrary to misconception, muscle weighs no more than fat. Weight will gain if you gain muscle mass and do not lose fat.
Why is my weight less in the morning than in the evening?
The processes listed above require a lot of energy. In addition, the heart continues to beat, the lungs do not stop breathing, and the brain continues to work. All this requires crazy energy costs. And willy-nilly, the body has to extract calories from its fat reserves, which it so carefully put aside “for a rainy day.” True, fat is extremely energy-intensive, so it decreases very little overnight. But scales, especially electronic ones, are still able to catch this.
You say: “Sometimes I weigh less in the morning than in the evening, almost one and a half kilograms, is it really that much fat that was consumed in 8-9 hours of sleep?” Unfortunately no! The majority of weight lost overnight is water.
How to weigh yourself correctly
There are rules in this matter that must be followed if you want to know your body weight accurately:
- Always do this at the same time, with or without the same clothes, on an empty stomach.
- Use only one accurate scale. It is desirable that the device be electronic.
- Pay more attention to your appearance and figure; burning fat is accompanied by losing weight in your waist. In addition to weighing, measure its volume in three places: a few centimeters above and below the navel line, as well as at this line itself. This way you can know for sure whether fat mass is disappearing if your weight has decreased (or increased).
- Understand the result correctly. It happens that weight gain is associated with the accumulation of excess fluid. Check for swelling; they also indicate excess fluid in the body. Watch the parts of your body that are most prone to swelling, and if they appear there, do not weigh yourself that day.
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When the weight returns to normal
The occurrence of daily weight fluctuations is due to many reasons. Most of them are related to changes in fluid levels and normal body function. Because of this, there is no “normal” weight. Small daily weight fluctuations should not be a cause for concern. In order to monitor the fluid content in the body, you can purchase special scales that measure its percentage.
What reasons should you be concerned about daily weight changes? If the scale needle continues to increase or remains high for 5-7 days, this may indicate a medical problem or weight gain. But it must be taken into account that both muscle and fat increase mass, so sometimes this can be beneficial.
Adviсe
Use electronic scales to control your body weight. They give a more accurate result (some models show weight accurate to the nearest gram). At the same time, always weigh yourself in the same place, because when taking measurements on different surfaces, the device may show different results. If the scales are mechanical, place them on a hard surface, not on a carpet.
Keep a diary to reflect changes. This is especially important after a diet, when you need to control your weight so that it does not return to its previous value. You can arrange your diary in the form of a table and weigh yourself every day in the morning and evening. The table columns in this case will be: morning weight, evening weight and the difference between them.
Pay attention to the difference between the indicators of the next and previous days. Strive to ensure that your body weight maintains the value acquired during the diet.
At the same time, monitor your diet, note which foods are most conducive to weight gain, and, if possible, minimize their consumption. For some, such a product turns out to be flour, for others, sweet, and so on. Keep an eye on the rate of weight gain after eating such food: it may happen that immediately after this the number on the scales does not change, this will happen the next day or every other day.
Eat less salty foods: salt retains a lot of liquid. Every 10 grams of it can retain 10 liters of water in the body. Limit your intake of carbohydrates and starchy foods.
Try not to eat 2 hours before bedtime or less; dinner should be light. Overeating at night can lead to weight gain the next morning.
How to properly control your weight?
Most seek to control weight for aesthetic reasons, not for health reasons. Therefore, the numbers on the scales often make people depressed.
Doctors and nutritionists advise not only weighing yourself, but also measuring your waist size. The fact is that the scale will not show which tissues make up the bulk of the body mass. If it is fat, it is a threat to the entire body: internal organs and immunity will suffer. At the same time, there may be a completely acceptable figure on the scales.
It is important to control not body weight, but the ratio of muscle and fat tissue. If the weight remains the same, but the waist increases, this is a reason to change your lifestyle and diet.
