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Why the Scale Goes UP When You’re Sick episode artwork

May 11, 2026 12 min

Why the Scale Goes UP When You’re Sick

from The Elevated Health Podcast Hosted by elevatedhealthtexas

When you’re sick, you probably expect the scale to go down. After all, you’re eating less, moving less, maybe even sweating or dehydrated. So why does the number sometimes go up? In this mini episode of The Elevated Health Podcast, Amanda Jones, nurse practitioner, breaks down the real physiology behind illness-related weight gain — including inflammation, fluid retention, stress hormones, slowed digestion, glycogen storage, medications, and immune system activation. You’ll learn: why inflammation can make you feel swollen or “puffy” how cortisol and stress hormones affect fluid balance why eating less doesn’t always equal immediate weight loss the role of hydration, sodium, glycogen, and digestion why the scale is measuring far more than body fat If you’ve ever stepped on the scale during a cold, allergy flare, pregnancy, autoimmune flare, or stressful week and thought “this makes no sense,” this episode is for you. Because sometimes your body is trying to heal — not trying to lose weight. #weightloss #inflammation #wellness #nutrition #podcast #healthpodcast #hormones #immunesystem #metabolism #fluidretention #womenshealth #longevity

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Why the Scale Goes UP When You’re Sick

0:00 12:36

Chapters

  1. 0:12 Weight Gain During Illness
  2. 0:46 Understanding the Scale
  3. 2:30 The Role of Inflammation
  4. 4:11 Activity Level Changes
  5. 5:36 Glycogen and Water Retention
  6. 7:06 Medications and Weight Fluctuations
  7. 7:57 What to Do When Sick
  8. 10:16 Recovery Over Weight Loss

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This episode is 12 minutes long.

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This episode was published on May 11, 2026.

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