Daily Aha!

Daily Aha! On any given day, your weight can fluctuate by 2 to 5 pounds—of water.

Fluid moves constantly from inside your arteries and veins to the spaces between tissue cells and back again. How hydrated you are, what you’ve eaten, your activity level and where you are in your menstrual cycle (along with a host of medical issues) can all affect this fluid flow. Your body hangs on to what it needs to maintain its balance, and gets rid of the rest. Around your period, or when you’ve eaten lots of salt, you may retain extra water in your tissues, which can cause bloating. So if you suddenly gain or drop 5 pounds, that's what they mean by "it's just water weight."