The scale lies? I think?
kassiebby1124
Posts: 927 Member
I weighed myself for the first time in like a month and I gained 5lbs. I'm at 199.4
I highly doubt it's fat because I lift weights and eat a deficit...I dunno. Opinions?
I highly doubt it's fat because I lift weights and eat a deficit...I dunno. Opinions?
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Replies
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The scale is bull****. I got to a point of weighing myself 6 times a day. It will drive you mad if you let it. It can only tell you that one meaningless number. Body fat %, inches, and other numbers are better things to watch to gauge success
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The scale is bull****. I got to a point of weighing myself 6 times a day. It will drive you mad if you let it. It can only tell you that one meaningless number. Body fat %, inches, and other numbers are better things to watch to gauge success
This. I feel happier when I loose .5 and inch than 3 pounds )0 -
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If you're 5lbs heavier after a month, eating at a deficit and weight lifting... your scale either is a huge liar or you're inconsistent in your weighing or you're wrong about a deficit or you're prepping for a visit from your aunt flo.
Scales 101:
1) Always weigh yourself at the same time of the day, same day of the week (if weekly) or day of the month (if monthly.)
2) Always weigh yourself in the same clothing (or lack).
3) Always check the scale feet/bottom for anything that might keep it from being flat.
4) Always use a scale on a hard floor. Carpet gives highly inaccurate and variable weigh-ins.
5) Always use the same scale.
If you do all of that, you should get (reasonably) accurate weigh-ins... baring shark week or alternately super high sodium intake on the day before or similar.
Failure to do any specific one of those items can result in a 3-10 lb difference in weight. My weight morning to night is 9 lbs different... day to day up to 2-3 lbs different... and I've had my scale lie by up to 5lbs because it had a fuzzy on the bottom of its foot. I've never used my scale on carpet because I already knew that one... and my mother's scale and my scale weigh me ~5 lbs different.
All that said, over a month... it should be fairly accurate if all of that is accounted for. Unless you're weighing your food are you sure you're at a deficit? Are you sure you're not eating back to many calories (generally estimates on sites like this are off by up to 50%), etc...
Edit: I do agree with the previous poster who said "BF% and Size are a better measure" than scale weight... that said scale weight is useful for a trend without spending much time.0 -
The scale doesn't lie....only you know if its a true story of your weight or not...
1. Did you weigh early in the morning
2. What have you habits been for the past month, have you been consistent with logging your food?
3. How has your eating been?
The scale cant lie we can only lie to ourselves or tell the truth If everything is on the up and up then nothing to worry about.0 -
My scale might be off...
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I weighed myself for the first time in like a month and I gained 5lbs. I'm at 199.4
I highly doubt it's fat because I lift weights and eat a deficit...I dunno. Opinions?
The problem with weighing that irregularly is that it could just be a matter of it being a "heavy" day. At maintenance I can fluctuate 3-5 Lbs day to day depending on a number of factors. For example, on Friday morning I was 179.3...this morning I'm 185.7 because I had a major sodium day yesterday, as well as I didn't drink as much water as I should have, as well as I had a killer lifting session on Saturday as well as a good 1/2 mile swim and then another 1/2 mile swim on Sunday. All contributing to substantial water weight. It'll be gone by Wednesday for me.0 -
i don't mean to do this. i don't have a response to this thread but i have a question along the same lines. my scale at home and the scale at the gym have a 10 pound difference. which one do i use? the weight loss is parallel but i am 10 pounds heavier at the gym than at home.0
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i don't mean to do this. i don't have a response to this thread but i have a question along the same lines. my scale at home and the scale at the gym have a 10 pound difference. which one do i use? the weight loss is parallel but i am 10 pounds heavier at the gym than at home.
Find something with a static, known weight, then put it on your scale at home.0 -
How do you know you eat at a deficit when you only randomly log food? Or I hope that's the case because eating in the 500 to 700 calorie range is dangerous.0
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My scale might be off...
Eh, off isn't an issue as long as its off the same all the time. What's more of an issue is inconsistency... if you do that a half dozen times and come up with different weights, that's really an issue.0 -
i don't mean to do this. i don't have a response to this thread but i have a question along the same lines. my scale at home and the scale at the gym have a 10 pound difference. which one do i use? the weight loss is parallel but i am 10 pounds heavier at the gym than at home.
It doesn't make a big difference really. Generally, my opinion is "take the worst of the two numbers". Scales aren't really for determining weight, they're for determining variation in weight and as long as they're consistent for that task... good to go. Generally speaking upright scales are more accurate than floor models in my experience... but like I said, not really a big deal either way.0 -
Find something with a static, known weight, then put it on your scale at home.
Actually, most home scales aren't rated for weights that low accurately. You're better off to weigh yourself, write down your weight, pick up a known weight item and weigh yourself again. Check the difference.
(Per my vet for determining cat weights, said never just put something <40lbs on a home scale, it'll usually be wrong.)
(Edit: As reminded by my s.o.)0 -
If your diary is accurate the scale is the least of your concerns.
If your diary is not accurate you've got no way of knowing whether you're eating at a deficit.0 -
I don't randomly log food -.- I'm sorry but that irked me. If you look through the past week, only like 2 days have been at 700. I log consistently but I've not eaten much this past week. sue me. Again, I'm sorry, but that really got me upset.How do you know you eat at a deficit when you only randomly log food? Or I hope that's the case because eating in the 500 to 700 calorie range is dangerous.
To everyone else: I don't always weigh myself. Hell, I try not to. But I usually do it whenever I'm at the gym because I don't own a scale. I don't remember what the time of day (or what time in general) it was the last time I weighed myself.0 -
I don't randomly log food -.- I'm sorry but that irked me. If you look through the past week, only like 2 days have been at 700. I log consistently but I've not eaten much this past week. sue me. Again, I'm sorry, but that really got me upset.How do you know you eat at a deficit when you only randomly log food? Or I hope that's the case because eating in the 500 to 700 calorie range is dangerous.
To everyone else: I don't always weigh myself. Hell, I try not to. But I usually do it whenever I'm at the gym because I don't own a scale. I don't remember what the time of day (or what time in general) it was the last time I weighed myself.
You've got 14 days logged since the beginning of July with less than 1000 calories (one as low as 250) and 3 days with no logging at all. If those are your actual totals please eat more food. In that case I'd guess that water retention is your issue since it's next to impossible to gain weight eating so little.
If they aren't your actual totals then I suspect inaccurate logging as the source of your troubles with the scale.
Another possibility if you eating at a deficit is fluid retention from lifting. How long has it been since you started?0 -
Ah well. sometimes I guess I forget to log? I dunno. But I've been lifting consistently for around 6 weeks now I suppose.
I don't randomly log food -.- I'm sorry but that irked me. If you look through the past week, only like 2 days have been at 700. I log consistently but I've not eaten much this past week. sue me. Again, I'm sorry, but that really got me upset.How do you know you eat at a deficit when you only randomly log food? Or I hope that's the case because eating in the 500 to 700 calorie range is dangerous.
To everyone else: I don't always weigh myself. Hell, I try not to. But I usually do it whenever I'm at the gym because I don't own a scale. I don't remember what the time of day (or what time in general) it was the last time I weighed myself.
You've got 14 days logged since the beginning of July with less than 1000 calories (one as low as 250) and 3 days with no logging at all. If those are your actual totals please eat more food. In that case I'd guess that water retention is your issue since it's next to impossible to gain weight eating so little.
If they aren't your actual totals then I suspect inaccurate logging as the source of your troubles with the scale.
Another possibility if you eating at a deficit is fluid retention from lifting. How long has it been since you started?0 -
Ah well. sometimes I guess I forget to log? I dunno. But I've been lifting consistently for around 6 weeks now I suppose.
I don't randomly log food -.- I'm sorry but that irked me. If you look through the past week, only like 2 days have been at 700. I log consistently but I've not eaten much this past week. sue me. Again, I'm sorry, but that really got me upset.How do you know you eat at a deficit when you only randomly log food? Or I hope that's the case because eating in the 500 to 700 calorie range is dangerous.
To everyone else: I don't always weigh myself. Hell, I try not to. But I usually do it whenever I'm at the gym because I don't own a scale. I don't remember what the time of day (or what time in general) it was the last time I weighed myself.
You've got 14 days logged since the beginning of July with less than 1000 calories (one as low as 250) and 3 days with no logging at all. If those are your actual totals please eat more food. In that case I'd guess that water retention is your issue since it's next to impossible to gain weight eating so little.
If they aren't your actual totals then I suspect inaccurate logging as the source of your troubles with the scale.
Another possibility if you eating at a deficit is fluid retention from lifting. How long has it been since you started?
It's probably that then. Inaccurate logging can really come back to bite you. The initial water retention from lifting should be gone by now, unless you've stopped and restarted or something like that.
I'd weigh again in a few days just to double check your result.0 -
I stopped lifting for a bit but started back up. I hadn't eaten much this weekend due to the death of a friend but I think what I did eat may have been high in sodium.
Ah well. sometimes I guess I forget to log? I dunno. But I've been lifting consistently for around 6 weeks now I suppose.
I don't randomly log food -.- I'm sorry but that irked me. If you look through the past week, only like 2 days have been at 700. I log consistently but I've not eaten much this past week. sue me. Again, I'm sorry, but that really got me upset.How do you know you eat at a deficit when you only randomly log food? Or I hope that's the case because eating in the 500 to 700 calorie range is dangerous.
To everyone else: I don't always weigh myself. Hell, I try not to. But I usually do it whenever I'm at the gym because I don't own a scale. I don't remember what the time of day (or what time in general) it was the last time I weighed myself.
You've got 14 days logged since the beginning of July with less than 1000 calories (one as low as 250) and 3 days with no logging at all. If those are your actual totals please eat more food. In that case I'd guess that water retention is your issue since it's next to impossible to gain weight eating so little.
If they aren't your actual totals then I suspect inaccurate logging as the source of your troubles with the scale.
Another possibility if you eating at a deficit is fluid retention from lifting. How long has it been since you started?
It's probably that then. Inaccurate logging can really come back to bite you. The initial water retention from lifting should be gone by now, unless you've stopped and restarted or something like that.
I'd weigh again in a few days just to double check your result.
I mean honestly, I look better than ever. I just didn't understand the gain. My clothes fit a lot better than before0 -
I stopped lifting for a bit but started back up. I hadn't eaten much this weekend due to the death of a friend but I think what I did eat may have been high in sodium.
Ah well. sometimes I guess I forget to log? I dunno. But I've been lifting consistently for around 6 weeks now I suppose.
I don't randomly log food -.- I'm sorry but that irked me. If you look through the past week, only like 2 days have been at 700. I log consistently but I've not eaten much this past week. sue me. Again, I'm sorry, but that really got me upset.How do you know you eat at a deficit when you only randomly log food? Or I hope that's the case because eating in the 500 to 700 calorie range is dangerous.
To everyone else: I don't always weigh myself. Hell, I try not to. But I usually do it whenever I'm at the gym because I don't own a scale. I don't remember what the time of day (or what time in general) it was the last time I weighed myself.
You've got 14 days logged since the beginning of July with less than 1000 calories (one as low as 250) and 3 days with no logging at all. If those are your actual totals please eat more food. In that case I'd guess that water retention is your issue since it's next to impossible to gain weight eating so little.
If they aren't your actual totals then I suspect inaccurate logging as the source of your troubles with the scale.
Another possibility if you eating at a deficit is fluid retention from lifting. How long has it been since you started?
It's probably that then. Inaccurate logging can really come back to bite you. The initial water retention from lifting should be gone by now, unless you've stopped and restarted or something like that.
I'd weigh again in a few days just to double check your result.
I mean honestly, I look better than ever. I just didn't understand the gain. My clothes fit a lot better than before
Then it's most likely fluid retention. In that case get back on track, log everything, and check back in a couple of weeks.0 -
Log everything and consistently. Wait a month and see where you are at. To note, also eat back your exercise cals. MFP is designated for their users to do that. The formula can be found on the goals page.
Edited to fix some typos.0 -
Thanks to both of you. I generally do eat my exercise cals back0
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It's probably that then. Inaccurate logging can really come back to bite you. The initial water retention from lifting should be gone by now, unless you've stopped and restarted or something like that.
I'd weigh again in a few days just to double check your result.
80% of the people who come here and go "why am i <gaining/failing to lose> weight?!" amounts to failure to log or failure to measure what they log correctly (eg: That looks like 4oz... when its 9oz and they didn't check).. the other 19% are double eating exercise calories.
If you eat exercise calories back, are you set as sedentary in your goal settings? If not then you're double dipping on your exercise calories... and further, mfp (and all formula driven sites) don't accurate estimate exercise calories... drop the total number of calories burned they show you by 30-50% before eating them back.0 -
I eat at -20% TDEE. Well, less than that, actually. I eat a little above my BMR. I measure everything I eatIt's probably that then. Inaccurate logging can really come back to bite you. The initial water retention from lifting should be gone by now, unless you've stopped and restarted or something like that.
I'd weigh again in a few days just to double check your result.
80% of the people who come here and go "why am i <gaining/failing to lose> weight?!" amounts to failure to log or failure to measure what they log correctly (eg: That looks like 4oz... when its 9oz and they didn't check).. the other 19% are double eating exercise calories.
If you eat exercise calories back, are you set as sedentary in your goal settings? If not then you're double dipping on your exercise calories... and further, mfp (and all formula driven sites) don't accurate estimate exercise calories... drop the total number of calories burned they show you by 30-50% before eating them back.0 -
It's probably that then. Inaccurate logging can really come back to bite you. The initial water retention from lifting should be gone by now, unless you've stopped and restarted or something like that.
I'd weigh again in a few days just to double check your result.
80% of the people who come here and go "why am i <gaining/failing to lose> weight?!" amounts to failure to log or failure to measure what they log correctly (eg: That looks like 4oz... when its 9oz and they didn't check).. the other 19% are double eating exercise calories.
If you eat exercise calories back, are you set as sedentary in your goal settings? If not then you're double dipping on your exercise calories... and further, mfp (and all formula driven sites) don't accurate estimate exercise calories... drop the total number of calories burned they show you by 30-50% before eating them back.
I agree in theory, which is why I switched to TDEE method. But I also found that if I set my activity level to lightly active and ate back my exercise calories I got the best results. Took me a long time to figure that out though, I started out with my activity level on sedentary.0 -
I eat at -20% TDEE. Well, less than that, actually. I eat a little above my BMR. I measure everything I eatIt's probably that then. Inaccurate logging can really come back to bite you. The initial water retention from lifting should be gone by now, unless you've stopped and restarted or something like that.
I'd weigh again in a few days just to double check your result.
80% of the people who come here and go "why am i <gaining/failing to lose> weight?!" amounts to failure to log or failure to measure what they log correctly (eg: That looks like 4oz... when its 9oz and they didn't check).. the other 19% are double eating exercise calories.
If you eat exercise calories back, are you set as sedentary in your goal settings? If not then you're double dipping on your exercise calories... and further, mfp (and all formula driven sites) don't accurate estimate exercise calories... drop the total number of calories burned they show you by 30-50% before eating them back.
If you're doing TDEE-20% you shouldn't also be eating back your exercise calories.
But, at least recently, you can't really say for sure what you've been doing, which is kind of the point.0 -
Thanks to both of you. I'll start logging consistently from now on and check back in. Thanks again (:0
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The scale doesn't lie. People keep expecting it to measure things it is not capable of measuring.0
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