How do you know when you're actually losing weight?

FreyasRebirth

I'm weighing daily. I like to. I plan on only logging it here once a week or so (I have a separate place where I log daily weights). I have my stuff set to lose half a pound a week. My issue is that half a pound is well within day to day fluctuations. Am I really going to have to wait a month to see if the diet is really working? That is really discouraging.

yoovie

1 month is too long?

helenrosemay

Why a month? If you lose 1/2lb a week then by the second week you should at least show a 1/2lb loss taking the fluctuations into account.

guessrs

Loose clothes. This is a lifestyle change, not a week long sprint. Give it time. When you look at success stories, most people gave it months, year or two.

theopenforum

your belt
it sucks i know but its the best indicator using the mirror will betray you lol

cheers

tof

heybales

Find your valid weigh-in day or days to cut out false weight gain / loss.

Morning after rest day eating normal sodium levels (high, low, whatever), and not sore from last lifting workout. Though in truth, you could be retaining water from that and not be sore still if you lifting at night before the rest day.

More importantly since you seem to be encouraging just fat loss, measure many spots. Because 1/2 lb fat is decent amount of volume that may show up. Now, you could lose a very little bit everywhere and it would take awhile still to show up on tape.

jeffpettis

If you are doing daily weighing after some time you should see a gradual steady decrease. Give it time.

Timshel_

Daily weight can fluctuate as much as 6 pounds depending on hydration (water weight) and other factors.

If anything you might weight weekly or bi-weekly for a better glimpse at how you are progressing.

For me, I've only lost around 15 pounds, but I dropped a couple pants sizes and shirt sizes. So even if it isn't the weight loss I had in mind, I KNOW I am doing things right and moving forward.