Weighing IN - how often and when?

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kimber603
kimber603 Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started in October, was wondering how often everyone weighs in and what day is best? Because I've just started, I'm anxious and have already weighed in the next day (down 2.6). The weight seems to go down pretty well at the beginning, but am I setting myself up for frustration further down the line? Suggestions?
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Replies

  • DisneyDude85
    DisneyDude85 Posts: 428 Member
    edited October 2016
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    I weigh myself first thing in the morning after using the bathroom. I weigh myself everyday and use a weight tracking app called Libra to watch for the trend. That turns the number on the scale into a simple data point as opposed to a measurement of success. :)

    ETA: I update MFP on Mondays.
  • JessicaB523
    JessicaB523 Posts: 70 Member
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    It really is whatever works best for you. I weigh every day that I am at home and use trendweight to track. I don't get frustrated with the daily/weekly fluctuations because I know there are sooo many factors that affect weight. The daily data is fascinating. But the trend is a better visual of what is actually going on. I have found measurements/progress pictures to be even better for motivation than weight, so I definitely recommend doing those.
  • Habiteer
    Habiteer Posts: 190 Member
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    Every morning, but I'll only record Sunday morning's weight on my calendar. It helps me know how I'm doing.
  • kimirayray
    kimirayray Posts: 29 Member
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    in the morning every other day works for me. others say to weigh less often, but I've tried that and I start to lose momentum in my weight loss efforts. everyone is different, but this seems good for me. good luck!
  • Hmeek22
    Hmeek22 Posts: 15 Member
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    Everyday so I can evaluate what causes spikes and drops. For example Sunday morning after having drinks Saturday night usually is a large spike that takes a day or so to drop. Little reminders when heading out for drinks the next time maybe 1 less drink, more water, and maybe even add a workout before leaving. I don't dwell on it just monitor it for trends.
  • Zarka_91
    Zarka_91 Posts: 99 Member
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    I weigh once a week usually monday mornings first thing in the morning after a bowel movement. i wouldnt recommend weighing everyday as our weight fluctates depending on what weve consumed, had to drink etc and if youve gained a couple of lbs mid week that might demotivate you to continue with your journey and you just end up stressing and all sorts. i would also take measurements as inches is what counts.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited October 2016
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    malibu927 wrote: »
    When-first thing in the morning is the best time, after using the bathroom and before eating/drinking
    How often-personal preference. Some weigh every day, some once a week, others even less often or not at all.

    This. It really depends on your personality.

    I weigh every day, first thing in the morning without clothes on. It doesn't bother me to weigh every day because I understand that water weight causes daily fluctuations and I don't freak out when the scale goes up and down. I also weigh before and after my runs so I can see how much water I need to replace.

    If you are the type of person that would bother then weigh weekly instead. You could pick a day of the week where you know your weight will be the lightest. For example, if you normally eat more or have more sodium on the weekends then weigh Friday morning because Monday morning will probably be higher. You'll then have all week to lose the water you would have retained that weekend before your next weigh in.

    Unless you have serious issues with the number on the scale I'd caution against weighing less often. Weekly and daily weigh ins allow you to spot negative trends and make corrections sooner, if needed.
  • tracymayo1
    tracymayo1 Posts: 445 Member
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    I weigh in everyday but only log the losses on MFP.
    I track my weight each day on Weightgrapher to keep note of the trend.
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
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    I am a believer in weighing every day, in the AM, after bathroom but before anything else. I weigh every day, but I keep my eye on the trends by looking at 3 / 5 / 7 day averages.

    As I began tracking every single day, I got used to the normal fluctuations (up and down 5 lbs sometimes) and the individual data points of a daily scale weight lost any ability to extract a significant emotional reaction. I also earned some insight into routine occurrences and what they mean (or don't mean) -- which is to say I always expect my Monday weigh-ins to be higher than what I consider a trended weight. I often eat out on weekends, and the increased sodium (generally speaking) usually adds some water weight.

    However, I also recognize that for others, a daily weigh-in may not best serve their needs, particularly around motivation and adherence to calorie goals. If you do go with daily weigh-ins, hopefully you'll soon become a little sheltered from any reactions to blips up or down that are surely going to happen. If you don't, hopefully you'll also become a bit more distant to what really is just a snapshot of an instant, and understand that that snapshot is influenced by a wide range of factors, not just your eating / exercising efforts.
  • red99ryder
    red99ryder Posts: 399 Member
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    Weight in morning everyday .. log numerous on sat morning .. yea it bounces ..
  • wanzik
    wanzik Posts: 326 Member
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    I have a decent Omron body composition scale. I use it every Saturday morning first thing and record my results. That's my official weekly weigh-in. That's the best time for me because I can be consistent - if I try to do it on a work day a lot of times I'll forget. I usually check the scale at the gym every day but I don't really let that influence me either way. Just habit and curiosity I guess.
  • Chadxx
    Chadxx Posts: 1,199 Member
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    malibu927 wrote: »
    When-first thing in the morning is the best time, after using the bathroom and before eating/drinking
    How often-personal preference. Some weigh every day, some once a week, others even less often or not at all.

    This right here. I have done daily in the past and even throughout the day. It fluctuates a lot. Now, I just weigh myself once a week on the weekend. Whatever you choose, just don't panic if it is higher than you expect or get to excited if it is lower. Just watch the trend over time.
  • Lynzdee18
    Lynzdee18 Posts: 500 Member
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    I weigh everyday, after I use the toilet.

    It's just me, but I need the daily info.

    I've been on MFP since July 2015 and, in that time, I lost over 60 pounds and have maintained that loss since the spring.

    Daily weighing helps me understand my body. I can tell my weight now, within 3 or 4 pounds, by gauging how I'm feeling in the morning... I know if I use too much sodium or have a restless sleep I'll be up in weight. It doesn't freak me as much now, but it's still a wake up call.
  • gkingbr
    gkingbr Posts: 292 Member
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    I weigh myself almost every day but only record it on Mondays.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    I weigh each morning and record the value. I use my impedance measuring scale to check its opinion of my body fat every few months. I keep track of my net calories in a speadsheet, and use that as a check on my expectations. I expect to weigh 192.2, I actually weigh 194. That's a 0.89% discrepancy. That discrepancy value rises and falls. It goes up with Tuesday's weight because Monday records a work day with stress hormones causing water retention. Being able to see the relationship between my fluctuations of weight and my work schedule keeps me from making drastic diet decisions. I'll get a 2-day weekend some day and a whoosh with it.
  • genpopadopolous
    genpopadopolous Posts: 411 Member
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    DisneyDude85 wrote: »
    I weigh myself first thing in the morning after using the bathroom. I weigh myself everyday and use a weight tracking app called Libra to watch for the trend. That turns the number on the scale into a simple data point as opposed to a measurement of success. :)

    ETA: I update MFP on Mondays.

    This is exactly what I do, except I update MFP on the first of the month when i measure and take pictures.
  • pedermj2002
    pedermj2002 Posts: 180 Member
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    Personally, I weigh every day to keep myself aware of what's happening day to day. This helped me catch a problem I was making for myself this week where I was eating too few calories because of an inability to really log this past weekend. End result was about 1 pound per day since Sat morning. Today, I've forced myself to both log and eat enough calories (which was surprisingly difficult after a month of not eating big at one sitting). So, my daily weigh in is for me to monitor a little bit of what my body's doing.

    Twice a month, on the first and sixteenth, I weigh in and record it. That's my actual progress meter. Those are the measurements that count, in my mind. Every other one really doesn't count at all.
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
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    I weigh in on the first of the month, first thing in the morning. I tried weighing daily and weekly and I noticed I was developing some unhealthy habits and becoming a bit too obsessive. I have found that (for me) weighing monthly is a good way to see significant changes and not be too concerned about water gain/losses that can happen from day to day. I also measure on the same day, so that even when the weight may not have changed significantly, I can track other victories along the way.

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