Weight fluctuations?

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PinkRosesX
PinkRosesX Posts: 6
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
How much fluctuation would you consider the max for maintaining? 1lb, 2lbs, 5lbs?

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  • missyjane824
    missyjane824 Posts: 1,199 Member
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    My weight swings wildly in all directions. For me it's well over 5 pounds.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Really depends on the individual. I never used to fluctuate more than a Ib or two from day to day, weighing at the same sort of time, but some people are more sensitive to sodium etc and can fluctuate as much as 5Ibs +
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
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    Graelwyn75 wrote: »
    Really depends on the individual. I never used to fluctuate more than a Ib or two from day to day, weighing at the same sort of time, but some people are more sensitive to sodium etc and can fluctuate as much as 5Ibs +

    +1

    The human body is about 60% water so if a person consumes a lot of salt then they may tend to 'hold on' to more water weight.

    The best thing in maintaining to set a 'caution' weight so that the normal body weight flux doesn't set off alarms.

    :)
  • maddyk91
    maddyk91 Posts: 193 Member
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    For me, i think about 7-10lbs. In a day, i fluctuate about five pounds. So if i started seeing higher numbers, i would know something was up. I think it would depend more on my measurements than scale, though.
  • 5stringjeff
    5stringjeff Posts: 790 Member
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    If you're weighing yourself at the same time of day each time (as you should), your weight can easily fluctuate 3 or 4 pounds in either direction, depending on water retention, bowel movements, yesterday's meals, etc. Most people set a goal range to stay within. Mine is 178-183.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    When I was young I was within 5 pounds. Now I'm really within 2 every day so stably that if I went outside a 3 pound range within reason I'd go back to a deficit.
  • PinkRosesX
    PinkRosesX Posts: 6
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    5stringjeff wrote: »
    If you're weighing yourself at the same time of day each time (as you should), your weight can easily fluctuate 3 or 4 pounds in either direction, depending on water retention, bowel movements, yesterday's meals, etc. Most people set a goal range to stay within. Mine is 178-183.

    What about if you weigh yourself weekly? Or bi monthly? I can't weigh myself everyday because I struggle with anorexia and weighing too frequently. But I really like the idea of setting a goal range. Thanks

  • 5stringjeff
    5stringjeff Posts: 790 Member
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    I weigh twice a week. Even so, I always weigh at the same time (namely, first thing in the morning after using the bathroom). I'm not really qualified to give you an answer as it relates to EDs. Hopefully the goal range helps. :smile:
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    When I was on maitenance this summer I allowed for a 5lb swing either way...but it's a total personal choice...I know people who only allow for 5lb in total...
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    3 to 5, depending on stuff like how tall you are, what your cycles are like if female, etc.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    Why not go by measurements? Slightly more accurate than weighing, given that water weight/food/not going to the bathroom before weighing/timing of weighing/ect can all factor in. Though, you should still weigh, measurements may be more helpful in gauging if you are maintaining correctly.
  • Anonycatgirl
    Anonycatgirl Posts: 502 Member
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    I'm using a combination of a five-pound range and how my (non-stretchy) jeans fit. So far, so good, but I haven't been at it long.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
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    Anonycatgirl wrote: »
    I'm using a combination of a five-pound range and how my (non-stretchy) jeans fit. So far, so good, but I haven't been at it long.

    I do this as well.
    I don't own a scale and very seldom weigh myself (maybe once every 4-6 weeks). The scale is to give me an idea of the number so that I realize how much of a weight range is average for me. A 5 lb range seems to be a good one for me.
    But the real test is whether my clothes are feeling tighter. If they are, I become a bit more diligent in my food choices for a few weeks and make sure I get my exercise in (maybe add a little bit) until my clothes feel good again.


  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    I plan to use an exponentially smoothed moving average of my weight, as John Walker explains in The Hacker's Diet. See the chapters on "The Rubber Bag," "Signal and Noise," and "Perfect Weight Forever."

    The advantage of using an exponentially smoothed moving average is that it minimizes daily fluctuations. The average only goes up when most of your daily weights are above it, so it provides an early warning if you're actually gaining weight.

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