Can I lose 3 lbs overnight? (2023)

Is it possible to lose 3lb overnight?

You don't have to stress too much about the occasional overnight weight loss. It's normal for people who've lost water or glycogen to experience it—it's not a sign that you're losing fat rapidly.

The human body is capable of losing more than three pounds in one day. However, that kind of weight loss is reserved for people who are severely over-weight. Rapid weight loss is often due to water loss and is regained once food or beverages are consumed.

Keith Ayoob of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York said it was possible to lose two pounds overnight, but added: "It won't be fat. It'll be mostly water. Because there's no how, no way you're going to lose two pounds of body fat overnight."

On average, you sweat about 25ml per hour of sleep under temperate conditions (around 85 degrees Fahrenheit). ² If you sleep for an average of eight hours, that's around 200ml of sweat per night. This would equate to a drop in weight of approximately 200g overnight.

The Role of Glycogen

You may end up weighing more in the morning simply because your muscles are storing more glycogen. The same phenomenon happens in the opposite direction when eating low-carb. You can drive your muscle glycogen fairly low by eating a low-carb diet.

Most of your overnight weight loss can be attributed to the water you lose through sweating and breathing.

Why did I lose 5 pounds overnight?

Rapid weight loss is often due to water loss and is regained once food or beverages are consumed. In addition, physical activity, diet and illness can cause your body weight to fluctuate.

Not only is it impossible to lose 5 pounds within 24 hours, but also very dangerous to your health. Instead of looking for such methods, try to aim at losing 5 pounds gradually and healthily. All it takes is focusing on a calorie deficit, exercising regularly, eating healthy, and perhaps, trying a fast.

By cutting your caloric intake by 500 to 1,000 calories per day and exercising for about 60 minutes per day, you can safely lose up to 3 lbs. per week.

Your height and weight plays a significant role here. However, on average, you would need to lose something in the range of 14 to 19 pounds to notice a difference in your weight. Think about it in percentages. You will start noticing the difference, as soon as you lose a minimum of 2% to 5% of your body weight.

To lose two pounds a day means that you have to lose 7000 calories in one day (14). On average we humans need about 2000 to 3000 calories a day (3000 calories is even on the higher side). Being very realistic, it is impossible to lose that many calories in a given day.

Overeating one day will not have much impact on your weight, but it will surely leave you feeling bloated. You can have an extra slice of your favorite cheesecake occasionally, but do not make this your habit. The next day, return to your fitness routine and everything will be fine.

Your body can fluctuate in weight every single day, many pounds. ⁣ It's not pure fat as you can't gain multiple pounds of fat overnight.

The Verdict: Water weight isn't as "real" as weight from muscles and fat, but it does exist -- and there are health choices you can make to keep it at bay. Look, there's no way you're going to suddenly gain three pounds of fat overnight.

Is it normal to fluctuate 2 3 pounds in a day?

Daily weight fluctuation is normal. The average adult's weight fluctuates up to 5 or 6 pounds per day. It all comes down to what and when you eat, drink, exercise, and even sleep.

The Best Time to Weigh Yourself

Most researchers agree that it's best to weigh yourself first thing in the morning. That way, you're more likely to make it a habit and be consistent with it. Weighing yourself in the morning helps especially with age-related gains, which can be more difficult to control.

If you were to weigh yourself before and after pooping, the weight change on the scale would reflect the weight of the stool, which also contains protein, undigested fat, bacteria, and undigested food residues. Of course (and unfortunately), this doesn't mean you've lost weight.

Water makes up 60% of your body weight, and it's one of the first things you lose. Weight decreases as a change in muscle, fat and water. Fat mass doesn't change quickly, but you can lose as much as five pounds of water in a day. The average 24-hour urine loss is about 1.8-4.4 pounds because water is heavy.

Fluid Restriction

Your body is constantly losing fluid by breathing, sweating and urination. Every minute and hour that this goes by without replacing the fluid, you will lose weight. This process takes no extra energy from a fighter to complete, and you can lose up to 5-6 pounds in 24 hours without drinking.