Weight Fluctuations

DMadelineP
DMadelineP Posts: 50 Member
edited November 19 in Health and Weight Loss
How can I accurately lose weight if my weight fluctuates so rapidly?

Does anyone else experience crazy weight fluctuations?

I'm 5'3.5" and yesterday I was 137.5 lbs, but today I'm 140…I started at 141.1 a week ago exactly.

I want an accurate way to measure weight loss, but the scale is really not helping me…

Any tips/advice/similar experiences?

Replies

  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
    Everyone fluctuates like that, it's completely normal. You have to follow the overall trend over several weeks. You can either weigh less often, or weigh everyday and accept that fluctuations happen. I weigh everyday and track it in a spreadsheet to follow the trend. Personally I think weighing everyday means fluctuations mean less. If you weighed less often, for example, you may have weighed today and seen 140 and though you'd only lost 1.1lbs, without knowing you weighed 137.5 yesterday and had, in fact, lost 3.6lbs. But you have to find what works for you, many people prefer to weigh weekly or monthly.
  • DMadelineP
    DMadelineP Posts: 50 Member
    (When can I tell what my true weight is?)
  • DMadelineP
    DMadelineP Posts: 50 Member
    DemoraFairy wrote: »
    Everyone fluctuates like that, it's completely normal. You have to follow the overall trend over several weeks. You can either weigh less often, or weigh everyday and accept that fluctuations happen. I weigh everyday and track it in a spreadsheet to follow the trend. Personally I think weighing everyday means fluctuations mean less. If you weighed less often, for example, you may have weighed today and seen 140 and though you'd only lost 1.1lbs, without knowing you weighed 137.5 yesterday and had, in fact, lost 3.6lbs. But you have to find what works for you, many people prefer to weigh weekly or monthly.

    ok that makes sense! Thanks:))
  • markiend
    markiend Posts: 461 Member
    trendweight.com nuff said :)
  • WyldWytch
    WyldWytch Posts: 5 Member
    Make sure you're weighing yourself at the same time (morning when you wake up), in the same way (no shoes, no clothes for eg.)... and keep in mind, when you have a big meal, water retention, muscle gain, etc. that's going to influence the scale.
  • cathie2903
    cathie2903 Posts: 85 Member
    I found an app called Happy Scale on my iphone- you weigh each day and log into the app - it then calculates your average loss (or gain) over a period of weeks/months and puts it on a little chart. It works for me as now i dont get too hung up on what the scales says. I now also see just how big those fluctuations can be! I used to weigh weekly and it was demotivating if the scale had gone up or not changed so this average thing is working for me motivation wise at the moment. Also take body measurements each month - thats a more accurate way to track your body changes. I also have a pair of jeans which, when I am where I want to be, fit lovely but if they get a bit snug I know its time to concentrate!!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    DMadelineP wrote: »
    (When can I tell what my true weight is?)

    You don't have one - nobody does

    we have a 'true weight range' which is generally between 3- 5lbs
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    markiend wrote: »
    trendweight.com nuff said :)

    trendweight is great but only works with fitbit / withings scales

    Happy Scale or Libra have been mentioned before
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    I prefer to track my weight on MFP . . . trendweight.com, as @rabbitjb said, only works with apps, and others are very inflexible with their reporting. So is MFP, but it's better than the ones I've found.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited June 2015
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    markiend wrote: »
    trendweight.com nuff said :)

    trendweight is great but only works with fitbit / withings scales

    Happy Scale or Libra have been mentioned before
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    I prefer to track my weight on MFP . . . trendweight.com, as @rabbitjb said, only works with apps, and others are very inflexible with their reporting. So is MFP, but it's better than the ones I've found.

    That's not precisely correct, you can manually enter weight into Fitbit and make Fitbit synch with Trendweight. I do that. Weight also synchs with MFP. And I only use web version on PC, no apps here.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited June 2015
    Delete
  • ejbronte
    ejbronte Posts: 867 Member
    I have a Withings and registered with TrendWeight. Oh, the info's definitely reassuring! Thanks!

    (You are losing 0.3 lbs/week of total weight. You are burning 166 cal/day more than you eat. You have been tracking your weight for 2 weeks.)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    trend analysis. nobody weighs exactly XXX Lbs...it's all about the trend and averages. I maintain anywhere from 186 to 190 lbs with a 4 month average of about 188 which is what I consider to be my "true" weight.

    Don't get so hung up on some arbitrary number.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Your true weight is whatever you weigh right now. Five minutes from now it will be different. Usually, the most consistent time to weigh is in the morning after you empty your bladder and before you do anything else.
  • jodienjayden
    jodienjayden Posts: 32 Member
    DMadelineP wrote: »
    How can I accurately lose weight if my weight fluctuates so rapidly?

    Does anyone else experience crazy weight fluctuations?

    I'm 5'3.5" and yesterday I was 137.5 lbs, but today I'm 140…I started at 141.1 a week ago exactly.

    I want an accurate way to measure weight loss, but the scale is really not helping me…

    Any tips/advice/similar experiences?
    DMadelineP wrote: »
    How can I accurately lose weight if my weight fluctuates so rapidly?

    Does anyone else experience crazy weight fluctuations?

    I'm 5'3.5" and yesterday I was 137.5 lbs, but today I'm 140…I started at 141.1 a week ago exactly.

    I want an accurate way to measure weight loss, but the scale is really not helping me…

    Any tips/advice/similar experiences?
    I am 5'4 and 137.4! I experience the same thing! Please add me
  • futuremanda
    futuremanda Posts: 816 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    DMadelineP wrote: »
    (When can I tell what my true weight is?)

    You don't have one - nobody does

    we have a 'true weight range' which is generally between 3- 5lbs

    This. Keep in mind that your weight is partly fat, water, other body tissues, clothing (if you're weighing in it), food you're digesting, and so on. Weight isn't a static number. Just watch as the range alters over time.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    It's normal. Figure out the best days to weigh yourself and stick with it. Every day may drive you nuts with the fluctuations.
  • benzieboxx
    benzieboxx Posts: 253 Member
    This is why I also take my measurements. Sometimes the scale isn't moving but I'm still dropping inches. When I first started Weight Watchers I did a combo of cardio and lifting. There would be weeks where the scale wouldn't move and I would get tons of glares from the ladies at the meetings. As if I wasn't doing something right. The tape measure doesn't lie, though and my clothes were fitting differently so I knew I was doing something right.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    markiend wrote: »
    trendweight.com nuff said :)

    trendweight is great but only works with fitbit / withings scales

    Happy Scale or Libra have been mentioned before
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    I prefer to track my weight on MFP . . . trendweight.com, as @rabbitjb said, only works with apps, and others are very inflexible with their reporting. So is MFP, but it's better than the ones I've found.

    That's not precisely correct, you can manually enter weight into Fitbit and make Fitbit synch with Trendweight. I do that. Weight also synchs with MFP. And I only use web version on PC, no apps here.

    That's what I said ...you have to have a fitbit (I do and I only enter weight on MFP) or withings scale ...can't manually enter weights direct on trendweight
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