The 5-week weight prognosis

Moby_Dick

If every day were like today... You'd weigh 278.2 lbs in 5 weeks

That's what it said today when I finished my food diary. Every day it shows a different number. I know it's just a computer program, but still.

Should I write the weight predictions down on a calendar and compare them with the actual weight in 5 weeks? Does anybody do that? (I can't possibly be the only nerd).

I assume it's just a motivational tool to keep us on track?

I wasn't sure where to post that.

kimny72

It's a gimmick. And it literally means "If every day were like today", meaning if you ate the exact same things in the exact same amounts and logged the exact same exercise for the exact same time. Please don't keep track of it. There are so many better ways to express your inner nerd :drinker:

mysticlizard

It is just there for motivation. To hit that target you would have to eat the same thing and exercise or whatever exactly the same. Then to there is water retention from sodium and if you are a woman what time of the month it is for you. It is just there to motivate.

PAV8888

Please ignore. Please start using a trending weight application to track your progress.

Moby_Dick

PAV8888 wrote: »

Please ignore. Please start using a trending weight application to track your progress.

I thought MFP was a trending weight application?

PAV8888

www.trendweight.com www.weightgrapher.com libra:android happy scale:iphone.

Fitbit shows weekly average of weight which is similar to a trending weight app if you only look at those weekly averages... but not quite.

Trending weight app takes your weight ins and plots a trend line through them giving variable relative weight to your weight-in each day depending on the algorithm it uses and how far back it goes.

This tends to reveal your overall weight level over time instead of having you react to water weight events that may be related to sodium, exercise, time of the month, and in general things other than your overall fat level which is presumably what you want to control.

<technically even the trending weight app can't tell you what is happening with your body composition, but one does what one can!>

Haven't looked as to how mfp plots weigh-ins in ages... maybe they've changed things?

Christine_72

I've written the number down in a calendar before, a few times. And it has never been correct, because i can not possibly mimic that one day perfectly every day for 5 straight weeks.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

Moby_Dick wrote: »

PAV8888 wrote: »

Please ignore. Please start using a trending weight application to track your progress.

I thought MFP was a trending weight application?

mfp is a calorie counting app.

cwolfman13

It's a gimmicky projection made using a simplistic algorithm that assumes that every day is going to be exactly like the next...which it obviously won't ever happen. It also assumes that weight loss is a linear function, which it is not.

Moby_Dick

Christine_72 wrote: »

I've written the number down in a calendar before, a few times. And it has never been correct, because i can not possibly mimic that one day perfectly every day for 5 straight weeks.

Tadah I knew I wasn't the only one. I am happy now. :-)

everher

I never thought to write it down, OP, but I do like seeing it after I complete my diary. If nothing else, if the number is lower it lets me know that for that day I ate how I should to lose weight.

No, weight loss isn't linear, but it's nice to know you're on track even if you know you're on track (if that makes sense).

I've started using Happy Scale (an iPhone app) recently to track my fluctuations in weight. So far, I'm happy with it and would recommend it if you're interested in tracking your weight fluctuations.

pebble4321

I don't see it as an actual predication of my weight, rather as feedback on where my calories have landed for the day:
- If it says I will be the same weight or heavier, then I know I've eaten more today and probably should dial it back a bit for the next few days. It's a good reminder that I can't eat this way everyday.
- If it's a bit lower, that's good, I'm on track.
- If it's dramatically lower, then I haven't eaten much, and that is usually becuase I've been sick or something unusual has happened.

suzievv

It's just to give you an idea of what things might be like if you ate every day the way you ate today. It's to help you put things into perspective. It's not assuming that you are going to eat the same way everyday! On Christmas I will probably eat way over my usual calorie intake. If every day were like that, I'd gain a whole lot real fast. So I'm not going to eat like that every day!

I actually find the prediction to be helpful.

eileensofianmushinfine

I use it as a motivational tool only.

Moby_Dick

Thank you all for answering. I am so glad. I like the number at the end of the day. It's a motivation to stay on track and if I can, let me proof your wrong. I can do better.

ShammersPink

I started noting it down with the thought of making yet another graph, but really couldn't be arsed with it after a few days.

trigden1991

Ignore it.

Dalceridae

pebble4321 wrote: »

I don't see it as an actual predication of my weight, rather as feedback on where my calories have landed for the day:
- If it says I will be the same weight or heavier, then I know I've eaten more today and probably should dial it back a bit for the next few days. It's a good reminder that I can't eat this way everyday.
- If it's a bit lower, that's good, I'm on track.
- If it's dramatically lower, then I haven't eaten much, and that is usually becuase I've been sick or something unusual has happened.

This is a good perspective, thanks. I have been wondering how to think about that number since I started.

red99ryder

It always bums me out .I don't close my log so it won't show .

Good luck