Gained a Couple Pounds Overnight? This Photo Shows Why You Shouldn't Worry

When you're trying to lose weight, seeing the number on the scale go up can feel like a major setback. Especially if you weigh yourself every day and notice a two or three pound difference the next day, you may think you've totally ruined your progress and gained fat overnight.

Turns out, it's probably just water weight. As fat loss coach Carter Good (@cartergood on Instagram) showed on an Instagram post, gaining two or three pounds overnight is not a big deal. It's usually mostly water weight, some of the food you ate the night before, and maybe a little bit fat.

"Most people see their weight day to day (or even week to week) and think the number flashing up at them is all that matters," he wrote in his caption. "But your weight doesn't tell the whole story — especially not in the short-term."

He urges people not to freak out if they see the number on the scale go up overnight and instead get back on track. "Give yourself a day or two of following your normal plan, and that weight will flush right out!" he wrote.

Next time you see a jump in the scale overnight, give yourself a break — no need to beat yourself up, spend hours in the gym, or give up altogether.