Best time of day to weigh yourself for accurate weight?

jaysanchez4

I was just wondering what the best time of day to weigh yourself to get your most accurate weight reading?

I weighed myself this morning at 217, I come home after 10 hours and I'm at 221.

Thanks!

malibu927

First thing in the morning, after using the bathroom and before eating/drinking anything. When you weigh later, your weight will have fluctuated due to what you've consumed.

leanjogreen18

1st thing in the morning after you take care of your "morning business". Also try to weigh in the same clothes or naked if you can.

After 10 hr you have food & water in your body you didn't have in the morning.

Machka9

Pick one time of day and weigh at that time of day consistently.

Personally, I go with second thing in the morning.

Your weight will, of course, fluctuate throughout the day. Food and water have weight ... depending where food and water are in the digestive process your weight will appear higher or lower. The body also retains water for various reasons. If you've eaten salty food, or if it is been a particularly hot day, or if you've exercised a lot more than usual, you may have retained water and your weight might be slightly higher. On the other hand, if you have become dehydrated because you didn't drink enough on a hot day or during exercise, you may weigh lower ... and then the next day your body might retain water and you might be higher.

But if you pick a consistent time of day, and track that ... that's when you'll see your weight trend over the weeks to come.

born_of_fire74

I'd say the most important thing is to be consistent, always do it at the same time of the day. Morning is best for the reasons mentioned above but if you always do it at say 6pm, you can expect the water/food/waste weight you are carrying to be basically the same each day.

Keep in mind that it's perfectly normal to fluctuate as much as 5lbs over the course of the day so your first thing in the morning 217 jibes just fine with your 10 hours later 221.

courtneyfabulous

malibu927 wrote: »

First thing in the morning, after using the bathroom and before eating/drinking anything. When you weigh later, your weight will have fluctuated due to what you've consumed.

This.

Wetcoaster

courtneyfabulous wrote: »

malibu927 wrote: »

First thing in the morning, after using the bathroom and before eating/drinking anything. When you weigh later, your weight will have fluctuated due to what you've consumed.

This.

This +1 and keep in mind even this will never be accurate.

rosebarnalice

Conventional wisdom says in the morning after the "morning constitutional" and before breakfast; but I also like to weigh after I work out, which usually about 1 pm before lunch.

jaysanchez4

Thanks so much for your help! I have a huge goal to lose 20 lbs by Christmas! I've already lost 8 pounds, doing well so far.

I appreciate the feedback everyone!

lynn_glenmont

Unless your scales have some defect that prevents them from working properly at certain times of day, no weight is more "accurate" than any other -- that's what you weigh at that point in time.

LAWoman72

First thing in the morning, bra and undies.

kommodevaran

You don't have an accurate weight - it's a range, and some of the weight isn't even "you", but waste that will come out - but to get the most genuinely comparable readings, weigh yourself first thing in the morning, after toilet, naked, on the same scale, on the same place, a hard and even surface, and make sure it has fresh batteries.

I step on the scale twice and always get the same number, just to make sure, and I also drink two cups of water while I have my morning tinkle, but that's just because I'm thirsty and want to rehydrate as soon as possible after I get up.

paperpudding

I know first thing in morning is popular on here - but I dont think it matters what time of day - the important thing is consistency.

I have always weighed on Sunday evening, in my nightie so no clothes weight variation.

Sure, there would be variations from what I ate that day - but this is minimal and I dont expect my weight to be exactly same all the time anyway.

Pick a time convenient for you and stick with that.

trigden1991

Straight out of bed, go to the toilet, weigh yourself. This is the most consistent way to weigh yourself.

sgt1372

trigden1991 wrote: »

Straight out of bed, go to the toilet, weigh yourself. This is the most consistent way to weigh yourself.

^This!

. . . And do it naked. Otherwise your weight will vary by what clothes you wear and what you had to eat and drink, which may or may not have been urinated or excreted, during the day.

Verity1111

I think it depends on the person. I eat at like....2-3am sometimes (dinner for me lol) because my boyfriend leave work at 1am on a lot of nights. So if I wake up in the actual morning I might wait until early or mid afternoon to weigh myself because my eating patterns are abnormal. I weigh in a long t-shirt because I feel weird on a scale naked.

jaysanchez4

Thanks everyone, 2 weeks ago i weighed 224 and i'm currently at 217.8.

I appreciate all the advice!