The scale

bentleytino2010
bentleytino2010 Posts: 35 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
When's the best time to weigh yourself to get the most accurate weight? And how often should we weigh ourselves when dieting?

Replies

  • rdix333
    rdix333 Posts: 111 Member
    I'd say once a week, in the morning.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    Danimri84 wrote: »
    I'm a fan of weighing daily to be more aware of fluctuations, what causes them, etc. I also use TrendWeight, so even if my weight goes up, the data input helps show a long term pattern of weight loss or gain.

    Ditto, except I use Happy Scale (iPhone). Took the pressure off weekly weigh-ins and helped me understand how my body works so I don't freak out about a little gain because it's not real "weight."

    I see all those posts with titles like "Gained Weight--SO Frustrated!" And they say they're doing everything right but gained a pound in the last week and ask if they should drop down to 1000 calories a day.

    Life is stressful enough, I don't want the scale adding to it. For me, it's gone from a weapon of judgment to just a tool of measurement.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    First thing in the morning, after using the bathroom and before eating/drinking anything. As for how often, it's personal preference. Some people like to weigh every day. Others can't deal with the constant fluctuations so they only weigh once a week or less.

    Definitely agree with all of the above.

    I like daily weigh-ins, even when they're a little "scary" (day after Chinese take-out) I find that constant, very slight fluctuation reassuring and very motivating.
  • VeronicaA76
    VeronicaA76 Posts: 1,116 Member
    First thing in the morning right after you pee. Wear the same type of clothes so any change will be actual and not related to clothing or how much food/water is in your stomach. I tend to weigh myself about once a month, but that's just me. Some people prefer daily. Just note that water retention fluctuations are normal so you might go up and down a few pounds everyday because of it
  • VelociFit
    VelociFit Posts: 32 Member
    Like others have said, I've found it best to weigh after I wake up and use the bathroom. I weigh 5-7 days/week and record the results for myself in a 'private' app on my phone. Saturdays are my official weigh-in day, when I log my weight on MFP. The rest don't "count" per se, they just help me stay accountable to myself.

    I'll also take measurements every 3-6 weeks, especially when the scale hasn't moved much. Sometimes I'm surprised at how many inches I've lost--and on the flip side, if the measurements haven't budged either, it forces me to review what I've been doing and see what I can improve.

    You can weigh yourself at any time, but the food/drink you've consumed and clothes you are wearing will making the numbers fluctuate a lot more than necessary.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    Like some others, I do it first thing in the morning after a potty break. Every day, except when I'm traveling; I use TrendWeight to plot the trend. I don't mind the fluctuation; it's interesting to see how a meal out, or an unusually hard workout, will affect my day-to-day changes.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    The same time every day will give you the trend. A chart of it will look like a lopsided ball bouncing down uneven stairs. This variation is normal. Your "real weight" is a moving target going up and down with consumption, elimination, and the like all day long and from day to day. Our home scales are good but not perfect. Go with the flow.

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