Tag: Overnight weight gain

According to the USGS, water makes up roughly 60% of an adult's body weight, and studies suggest total body water can fluctuate by as much as 5% daily [1]. This means that a sudden 5-pound jump on the scale is almost always attributed to water retention, not actual fat gain [2]. Understanding the underlying reasons for these fluctuations can prevent unnecessary worry and provide clarity on what your body is experiencing.

To gain a single pound of body fat, a caloric surplus of approximately 3,500 calories is required, making it virtually impossible to gain 2 lbs of pure fat overnight. This means if you found yourself asking, "why did I gain 2 lbs overnight on keto?", the cause is almost certainly water retention and other non-fat-related factors.

Weight can fluctuate by as much as five to six pounds in a single day due to various factors, and noticing a higher number on the scale can be discouraging. However, the reality of **how much weight can I gain in a night?** is far less alarming than it might seem, as this is almost always temporary water weight, not true fat.