Lose 5 pounds in 1 day!

cashidy
cashidy Posts: 152 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How do you accurately track your weight when it can fluctuate 2 to 5 pounds in one day? I know this is probably water weight, bloating, hormones, a bad scale, exc, but it makes it hard cause of course when I look like I have lost a lot of weight I feel ecstatic, and then when I look like I gained a lot in one day I feel like I am doing something wrong. I know I am not, but does anyone have any advice?

Replies

  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    All of that is perfectly normal. All you have to do it keep track of your weight (there are apps for this) and look for an overall downward trend. If you see that occurring overall then you're fine.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Track over time. Compare you weight today to what you weighed 1 month, 2 months ago...
  • kd_mazur
    kd_mazur Posts: 569 Member
    edited January 2017
    I would chose one day per week to be the "official" day. On that day, log whatever is on the scale and track over a course of weeks.
  • cashidy
    cashidy Posts: 152 Member
    Thank you all
  • samhennings
    samhennings Posts: 441 Member
    cashidy wrote: »
    How do you accurately track your weight when it can fluctuate 2 to 5 pounds in one day? I know this is probably water weight, bloating, hormones, a bad scale, exc, but it makes it hard cause of course when I look like I have lost a lot of weight I feel ecstatic, and then when I look like I gained a lot in one day I feel like I am doing something wrong. I know I am not, but does anyone have any advice?

    If you think about it, you add things into your body, and remove things from your body through the course of the day.

    Forgive me for being crude, but if you have just eaten a big meal you will have more weight from the food in your stomach, just as if you have a poop you will be removing waste from your body.

    Drinking as well, I consume a lot of water - Im sure that adds up at times.

    So, essentially, its a moving target.

    The best bet is to weigh at regular intervals (week/fortnight/month/whatever your preference) and look at the trend over time.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    Think marathon not sprint. Record your weight periodically not daily and watch the overall trend, not the fluctuations from one entry to the next. Set goals that aren't weight- related (meeting your fruit/veggie servings, balancing your macros, activity, etc.)
  • thielke2015
    thielke2015 Posts: 212 Member
    I weigh on a Sunday morning always as soon as I wake up with exactly the same sleepwear on
  • paupeter
    paupeter Posts: 9 Member
    Like thielke2015 said, weigh youself same time/day every week. Only once a week. I have found that my water weight will flucuate during the day and especially on workout days. Avoid the temptation to weigh daily or even more than once per week unless measuring for hydration levels or something more specific.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    It really is just a matter of how it affects you mentally. I personally like to see the trends in my weight fluctuation. I ate this and my weight did that..... But 3-5 pound swings of the scale don't affect me. This whole thing, weight loss, is a process that has to work for you. How you eat, how you exercise, and how you measure your progress is a very personal thing. Do what works for you, both in terms of weight loss, and mentally.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Have patience and look at the trend instead.

Categories