Artificially high/low weights- do you record?

Mapes84
Mapes84 Posts: 60 Member
edited November 15 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, be honest :wink: If you have serious reason to believe that your weight is either artificially high, or low, do you still record it if it's a weigh-in day? Case in point: I had a huge dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse last night. I bet it was the largest meal I have consumed in 2015. The scale was up roughly 2.5 lb this morning compared to yesterday morning. Monday is typically the day I update my weight in MFP- I just couldn't bring myself in input that ugly number, especially since I feel like it will be back to "normal" tomorrow. Similarly, if the number had been artificially low (i.e. if I'd slept in really late after having an early supper the night before), I would not be inclined to record that weight, either. How does everyone else handle this?
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Replies

  • dwarfiegodsmack
    dwarfiegodsmack Posts: 317 Member
    I weigh and enter daily regardless. I like to see the ups and downs
  • cbhubbybubble
    cbhubbybubble Posts: 465 Member
    I'd probably push my weigh in back a day after a huge meal and more sodium than I'd normally consume....but I'd totally log a loss in the other scenario :D
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    I usually don't, but I've never had an artificially low reading. On the other hand, I wasn't going to record my holiday gains but after waiting weeks and weeks for my "water weight" to go down, I finally owned up to the fact that I had legitimately gained and recorded it.

    It hurt. A lot.
  • Smallc10
    Smallc10 Posts: 615 Member
    This is why I weigh in Friday morning - it's my most consistent weight because I'm usually good all week and have the most likelihood for a sodium filled night Friday and Saturday. If it is going to be artificially high or low I'll log it in my phone tracker but I won't update it on mfp until the next day. I like to see the highs and lows but I don't need that on mfp
  • sgthaggard
    sgthaggard Posts: 581 Member
    I weigh daily and my weight is automatically entered.

    I'm wondering what an artificially low reading is.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I don't--I have kind of a weigh in period and take the average of the 3 days, but I also weigh every day. I've also stopped inputting fluctuations if I'm basically maintaining (as I have been)--no sense getting congratulated for losing and gaining the same lb over and over.
  • geotrice
    geotrice Posts: 274 Member
    Every day, good or bad. I log the weight so that I can see the trend over a 3 month or 6 month time period. It makes for a lot of ups and downs on the line but with more data points trend lines are easier to spot.
  • dawnna76
    dawnna76 Posts: 987 Member
    i never record gains. to many factors can cause gains that really arent gains. this week its probably going to be pms and water retention. so i just dont enter and wait till the next week. i only weigh once a week on fridays. as long as the trend for the month is downward im happy. i lose about 4-6 pounds a month at my current rate.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I log it in my spreadsheet every day no matter what. IMO my weight is my weight, whether it's due to water fluctuation, not going to the bathroom, etc.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I write it down too, but that doesn't mean I put it in MFP. I want a record of all the weird fluctuations so they don't weird me out, but I don't want all the posts about losing weight when it's not a real loss.
  • IAmTheGlue
    IAmTheGlue Posts: 701 Member
    I have the fitbit scale and I weigh every morning. The weight is automatically synced to MFP. I trust the process of CICO so I don't freak out over fluctuations. If I am actually gaining weight, I want to know so I can reevaluate what I'm doing and make sure that I'm still in a deficit.
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    I use other apps to log my weight. I would just log it and put a note about the meal.
  • WeddedBliss1992
    WeddedBliss1992 Posts: 414 Member
    I weigh and enter daily regardless. I like to see the ups and downs

    ^^ me ^^
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    sgthaggard wrote: »
    I weigh daily and my weight is automatically entered.

    I'm wondering what an artificially low reading is.

    Any day you're unusually dehydrated, or didn't eat the day before, I guess. Oh, or taking your weight after the morning bathroom trip if you usually take it before.

    Anywho, OP, when I record my weight everyday, then yes. It gets recorded regardless. I'm at goal now, though, so I'm just keeping an eye on general trends and not keeping daily records. In that case, I would disregard a single excessively high or low reading.
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
    Mapes84 wrote: »
    Ok, be honest :wink: If you have serious reason to believe that your weight is either artificially high, or low, do you still record it if it's a weigh-in day? Case in point: I had a huge dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse last night. I bet it was the largest meal I have consumed in 2015. The scale was up roughly 2.5 lb this morning compared to yesterday morning. Monday is typically the day I update my weight in MFP- I just couldn't bring myself in input that ugly number, especially since I feel like it will be back to "normal" tomorrow. Similarly, if the number had been artificially low (i.e. if I'd slept in really late after having an early supper the night before), I would not be inclined to record that weight, either. How does everyone else handle this?

    I update everyday because the more data the better. If it is higher or lower than I think it 'should' be I still record it because it gives me a better idea of my weight fluctuations.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    I'm very consistent in my, um, body habits, so I've never had an artificially low reading.

    I don't record the highs. I weigh every day, and if the scale is up, I usually know why it's up (sodium, DOMS, higher than usual carb intake the day prior). If it goes up randomly, I know a whoosh is usually on the way.
  • DianaLovesCoffee
    DianaLovesCoffee Posts: 398 Member
    Is it sad that I only log if its a loss from a previous low? If it goes up I don't log anything until I have a loss from the previous low. I weigh every day.

  • jenniferinfl
    jenniferinfl Posts: 456 Member
    Mapes84 wrote: »
    Ok, be honest :wink: If you have serious reason to believe that your weight is either artificially high, or low, do you still record it if it's a weigh-in day? Case in point: I had a huge dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse last night. I bet it was the largest meal I have consumed in 2015. The scale was up roughly 2.5 lb this morning compared to yesterday morning. Monday is typically the day I update my weight in MFP- I just couldn't bring myself in input that ugly number, especially since I feel like it will be back to "normal" tomorrow. Similarly, if the number had been artificially low (i.e. if I'd slept in really late after having an early supper the night before), I would not be inclined to record that weight, either. How does everyone else handle this?

    I only log lows. My weight bounced up 0.8 lbs on Sunday from a family dinner where I ate more than I usually eat. I didn't log that. Of course, logging an 'artificial' low means that there's a longer span of time before I have more weight loss, but, even so, I just log new low weights even if it will be a few days before I see it for real. :)
  • Mistizoom
    Mistizoom Posts: 578 Member
    Is it sad that I only log if its a loss from a previous low? If it goes up I don't log anything until I have a loss from the previous low. I weigh every day.

    I do the same thing.
  • liekewheeless
    liekewheeless Posts: 416 Member
    I only update significant gains and persistent ones. I will record a low unless I know it's not a real loss, like when I have a no carb week. I tend to "lose" 5 pounds in such a week,..but it's right back when eating carbs again.
  • BioQueen
    BioQueen Posts: 694 Member
    I never record gains if I am logging accurately and know that it isn't a real gain. I also don't have an official weigh in day, I record my weight when it goes down to the next whole pound.
  • Mapes84
    Mapes84 Posts: 60 Member
    Mistizoom wrote: »
    Is it sad that I only log if its a loss from a previous low? If it goes up I don't log anything until I have a loss from the previous low. I weigh every day.

    I do the same thing.

    Same.

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    sgthaggard wrote: »
    I weigh daily and my weight is automatically entered.

    Same. Since I have the Fitbit Aria my weight is automatically logged. I also watch trendweight to see how my overall trend looks.
  • Mapes84
    Mapes84 Posts: 60 Member

    Smallc10 wrote: »
    This is why I weigh in Friday morning - it's my most consistent weight because I'm usually good all week and have the most likelihood for a sodium filled night Friday and Saturday. If it is going to be artificially high or low I'll log it in my phone tracker but I won't update it on mfp until the next day. I like to see the highs and lows but I don't need that on mfp

    I really like this idea. I am definitely going to consider shifting my weigh in day from Monday to Friday. I think initially my thought on making it Monday was that it would keep me honest, but in reality I probably do end up with a lot of artificial Monday weights because the weekend is usually a little more "loose" than the other 5 days.
  • Mapes84
    Mapes84 Posts: 60 Member
    Wow, lots of daily recorders. I only record once a week right now, but y'all have me wondering if I should reconsider.
  • Mapes84
    Mapes84 Posts: 60 Member
    _dracarys_ wrote: »
    I usually don't, but I've never had an artificially low reading. On the other hand, I wasn't going to record my holiday gains but after waiting weeks and weeks for my "water weight" to go down, I finally owned up to the fact that I had legitimately gained and recorded it.

    It hurt. A lot.

    The feels. I've been there.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I record whatever my weight is on weigh in day no matter what.
  • Mapes84
    Mapes84 Posts: 60 Member
    sgthaggard wrote: »
    I weigh daily and my weight is automatically entered.

    I'm wondering what an artificially low reading is.

    Well, I can't speak for anybody else, but once I eat my first meal for the day, my weight instantly increases by at least 1.5 lb. if it's the weekend and I sleep in really late, say 10:30 or something like that, I'm going to get a much lower read on an empty stomach then I would at 5:30 AM. Probably some of that has to do with hydration, as well. Just a guess. I don't even science, bro.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I went through this today actually. In the past, I had not recorded those low low weights or the higher weight I was sure to be water weight. Right now though, I'm having struggles...I'm going to try to record more often so I can watch for trends. This morning was painful, but at least now I can look at my diary and all the data I have and know I what I need to do.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I know that my lowest weight every month is roughly one week after the end of my period, so I log that every month... even if it's a gain from the last month, because then I know that I've actually gained fat. It's just really the best way to track my fluctuations for me.

    Otherwise, I see no point in spamming my newsfeed with 'Francl27 has lost 0.5 lb since her last weigh in' when it was just water weight anyway, then I have to tell people who congratulate me that it was just water weight... bleh, it's a drag.
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