How many days do people wait before weighing after a workout?

RealityKiller1987

Hi
I have been on plan now for a few months and I am noticing a trend, I workout between 3 and 5 times a week, what I have noticed is if I weigh 3 days after a workout my weight generally decreases if I weigh and leave it less than 48hours since the last workout I typically gain between 1 and 2lb. currently sitting at 11st 10lb to 11st 12lb
I am always in deficit when it shows a weight gain.
today, for example, my last workout was Monday evening, I weighed today and I had gained 2lb, even though my calories have been in deficit as stated by FP.

I have been working out for years, and have recovered from an eating disorder, so nutrition isn't a new thing to me.

However, I have never seen anyone ask anywhere before, how many days should/is best to wait before weighing after a workout?

As I know DOMS and muscle glycogen levels can affect the scales number.
So I thought I would ask.

cwolfman13

Body weight fluctuates...I do some kind of workout most days of the week, if not 7 days per week so if I waited some specified days to weigh in, I'd never weigh in.

quiksylver296

I weigh every day.

I work out enough that I rarely get DOMS any more.

idontshoplift

I weigh myself every day. It's a better way for me to keep myself in check so I know exactly what I've been doing right or wrong on a daily basis.

LolaBearyPie

This doesn't answer your question really, but in the past I've tried weighing in only once per week on the same day (same time, same "state"), and I've also tried weighing every day or two and then taking an average over a week or two. Doing it once a week would often show a gain (depending on various factors including working out hard), but taking the average showed a steady trend downward. This time around I'm trying to weigh every few days and take an average every couple of weeks or so...the average helps to account for the highs and lows. ??

sardelsa

I weigh pretty much everyday and expect fluctuations especially after a hard workout. It all evens out after a few weeks unless I change volume significantly.

JBanx256

I weigh every day.

MikePTY

I would try not to worry about it. Body weight fluctuates. I workout 5/6 days a week, so there really is no "waiting after a workout" for me. The more you workout, the less fluctuations there will be from your workouts.

I weigh daily, in part because it it helps me not worry about these fluctuations so much.

NorthCascades

I weigh myself every day. It's not the number it's the trend. More data is pretty much always better than less when it comes to trends.

BoxerLover96

I workout about 5-6 times a week, usually about an hour long consisting a mixture of weight-lifting and cardio. I weigh myself everyday. I do notice that the day after my "rest day" - I weigh less than I do during my workout days. Usually about 1-2lb difference for me.

quiksylver296

Seems a good place for this...

http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

apullum

I weigh every morning and I work out 6-7 days a week depending on whether I'm training for something. Any workout-related water fluctuations are just normal for me. My advice would be to not worry about what's water loss and what's fat loss unless you're losing substantially faster than expected. Using a weight trend app like Happy Scale or Libra will help show the long term direction of weight change.

amusedmonkey

0 days. Like many others, I weight daily and accept the fluctuations as they come.

sijomial

I weigh every day - normal fluctuations are expected and erm….. normal.

cathipa

I weigh every day at the same time and use a trend app (Libra or Happyscale).

lotorchia

I also notice that I weigh more the day after a good workout - does not seem right, but it happens to me too.

lorrpb

I weigh daily and track the trend happy scales app.

SCoil123

I weigh daily and track with trendweight. I have noticed though that the day after my weekly rest day is usually when my weight is the lowest. I take one rest day a week where I will occasionally still go hiking or do something light but it’s usually reserved for foam rolling and an Epsom bubble bath....I am really looking forward to that bath tonight! 🙂

DancingMoosie

I workout every day, and weigh every day(when at home). If I waited a certain # of days after workouts to weigh, I'd never weigh myself! I also use a trending app(Libra) which helps smooth out some of the bumps.

garystrickland357

I weigh every day. You seem to understand the issue. I run and cycle 5-6 days a week. As you point out, after a particularly hard workout I will notice a 1-2 pound bounce on the scale. I just make a note that it is easily explained and not true fat weight gain. If nothing else, these weight bounces tell me I might need to pay attention to recovery and go easy for a day or so.

The point is that you understand that workouts can influence water retention. Just use the scale for what it is - data - to help you make decisions.

RealityKiller1987

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences learning of others experiences really helps for me to reconnect with reality when the Eating Diorder Voice gets loud.
After recovering from anorexia it can be difficult to accept my own knowledge regardless of how much knowledge I've gained around health and fitness. But hearing others really does help to ground me and reinforce what I already know while also filling in any blanks I may have . Thanks again everyone 😁

Finafoshizzle93

I had anorexia for 8 years and now actually find weighing myself whenever I’m at the gym helps with my body dysmophoria. Sometimes I “feel fat” but the scale will say I haven’t gained weight. As long as you’re rationally able to acknowledge normal weight fluctuations (I ate a lot of salt/drank a lot Friday and Saturday...Sunday my weight was up 7 lbs then back down to what it was Thursday by Monday) then I think it can be a healthy tool for recovery

NorthCascades

I weigh myself every day and I go to the gym in the evenings, so about 10 hours.

keithwp99

meh. once per week morning after I poop. Always after I poop and before I eat or work out.