What cause fluctuations in the scale?

OAS5

2 weeks ago I hit a new low of 206.6 which is 70 pounds down. I immediately went to 203.3, 203.6, 204.4, 205.2. 4 days ago I was 202.8 and then 204.6, 205.2, 206.2 and this morning 206.4. what is causing those crazy fluctuations? Sodium, water weight? Does that all seem normal?

Hannahwalksfar

Have you recalibrated your scale? Is it on solid ground? If so then it could be fluid retention depending on exercise that day, food, hormones etc

jelleigh

Day to day fluctuations are completely normal due to watery weight, whatever is left in your intestines, hormonal fluctuations (resulting also in watery weight)etc. If your scale is bouncing around like this minute to minute, maybe a new battery and the same level, hard surface will help.
That being said, I can weigh myself when I get up and am hour later, without having eaten or drank anything, it will have changed. No idea what that's about but I guess that's why they say to weigh in first thing in the am, age the bathroom, no clothes. Then it's consistent circumstances and overall you will see a trend

Maxematics

I think a better title for this post would be "What DOESN'T cause fluctuations on the scale?" The human body is quite finicky!

• "Oh, you're starting to exercise now? Let's hold water for muscle repair."
• "Hmm, you had more sodium than usual today. It's water holding time!"
• "More carbs than usual today? Yeah, I should hold some of this water here."
• "You didn't get much sleep last night. Let's hold some water just in case we need it."
• "It's really hot out today, we need to retain some fluid."
• "Oooh, you're ovulating/menstruating/in some part of your cycle; let's hold up to five pounds of water!"
• "Did you start taking a new medication? I think I should hold onto some water."

I could go on and on. Fluctuations, even larger ones, are quite normal and will happen often. This is why it's a good idea to weigh daily, note the fluctuations, and use a weight trending app to analyze the data. If daily weighing doesn't work for some people, they'd do best comparing their weight month to month rather than week to week since one or more of their weigh ins can occur on a high fluctuation day. Weight loss isn't linear; it's more like a roller coaster.

tinkerbellang83

I'm up and down as much as 5lbs per day, so yes it's totally normal.

OAS5

Thanks guys, it sure is a rollercoaster. It's just so annoying to see 202.6 or 202.8 and then just a few days later 206.2.
I have upped my calories by a few hundred a day to. I forgot to lower my goal from 2 per week to .5 which I should have a while ago. My goal is 190 so I'm very close.

OAS5

Hannahwalksfar wrote: »

Have you recalibrated your scale? Is it on solid ground? If so then it could be fluid retention depending on exercise that day, food, hormones etc

I changed the battery a month ago and calibrated it because the manufacture suggested. I could step on the scale 3 times in a row, I mean the same exact time and get different numbers. Now its the same each time after the calibration.

cwolfman13

tinkerbellang83 wrote: »

I'm up and down as much as 5lbs per day, so yes it's totally normal.

In addition to the above, your body is comprised of roughly 55-65% water and that's always going to be in flux regardless of anything you're doing or not doing...also, varying degrees of inherent waste in your system, etc.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

Sounds like you are doing a great job! Congratulations!

@Maxematics is right on. But, if you eat a consistent diet and weigh in a consistent manner (e.g., in the morning after toilet in the same level of dress with a reasonable digital scale) you'll see a variation of a few pounds daily either way (or should I say "either weigh").

If you feel like it, you can calculate a running average over 5-7 days and see a trend. Or you can just type it in MFP and eyeball it. In any case, fluctuations are normal!

OAS5

Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »

Sounds like you are doing a great job! Congratulations!

@Maxematics is right on. But, if you eat a consistent diet and weigh in a consistent manner (e.g., in the morning after toilet in the same level of dress with a reasonable digital scale) you'll see a variation of a few pounds daily either way (or should I say "either weigh").

If you feel like it, you can calculate a running average over 5-7 days and see a trend. Or you can just type it in MFP and eyeball it. In any case, fluctuations are normal!

Thanks, I just put a bunch of my weights in over the last week and it came out to 204.5. I'm hoping tomorrow I do not see 206 anything tomorrow I will say that.

OAS5

And today 204.6 which I am much happier with. Amazing how that scale is not supposed to be everything and your supposed to take it in stride but then that number makes you happy when it's what you wanted to see. 😂

hixa30

Something to consider is scale error. Using various means I measured scale error for a digital bathroom scale at up to +/- 0.5 kg. That means your number bounces around each reading by up to that amount, although wider variations are less likely than smaller ones. Gym scales are much more consistent. I've had a week of exactly the same weight every day at the gym. That's just not gonna happen using a bathroom scale. I've never seen it.