When do you "officially" record your weight loss?

bunnyhawk

I wait until whenever my trainer wants to weigh me at the gym..usually once a week. I sneak in a personal weigh in at work once or twice during the week..but I do not officially record any weigh in but what my trainer gets.

BetterThanExpected

After I actually believe that I've lost weight, ha ha. Usually after the scale says the same thing for a few days.

dezb64

I weigh on Wednesday mornings as soon as I get up. I used to weigh myself every day multiple times a day and drove myself crazy. It's all about the average as you have discovered it does fluctuate throughout the day and week. As long as you see progress that's all that matters.

swampgeek

First thing in the morning after relieving myself and prior to any water or supplement intake. The daily fluctuation of the weight is no issue, lets me judge how my choices in both food, water and workout impacted. The one warning I have about this is when starting a new strength training regimen you will pack on water weight. If you are the type that is easily demotivated stay away from the scale for about 2 weeks.

ScottH_200

Once a week at my TOPS meeting (taking off pounds sensibly) in the early evening around 6 :00 pm, fully clothed. However, as many have already stated here, scales are not always the truest means of tracking one's progress and to become fixated on some number on a scale every day is just crazy imho.

QueenBishOTUniverse

Anytime I see my new low

HA! This is totally what I do! I weigh in every day, but only record new lows, same with the rest of my measurements. I know the scale is going to bounce around all week, so I just don't worry about it.

Of course, I haven't HAD a new low in over a month stupid heavy lifting :grumble:

Don't hurt me! I know it's normal, and I'm accepting it, but I can still grumble about it....

Betty_Canada

Once a week, usually Wednesday morning before coffee. Sometimes I'll climb on another day if I'm curious about the sodium impact of something, like takeout food, but I don't count that.

I only record upward ticks if I get over 5 lbs difference, as I did over the summer (8 lbs! Aie!)

I don't 'count' weigh ins at the doctor or the gym as those add anywhere from 4-8 lbs of clothing and whatnot and are usually later in the day after I've eaten drunk and been moving. (Yes, up to eight pounds. I live in Canada. Wool socks, longjohns, jeans, thermal long sleeve, sweater... winter gear when the ambient temperature is -46C before wind chill is heavy.)

Your mileage may vary,

=Betty=

Ericavictoriavelazquez

I like that once a month is also ideal for me

CynthiaT60

I weigh often, because I'm one of those people who has to be on top of everything. Naked, before breakfast.
I log it when I reach a new low (hate those fluctuations).

Ibleedlipstick

I weigh myself and record it every day on a separate app, and I record it here after a week of consistent results. I like to see the ups/downs that come from different food choices, and it has been fun to discover how much water my muscles retain after a murderous workout (roughly 3lbs) and how I can have one 3000+ calorie day a week without having to worry, but if I have two I will gain about 2lbs that week.

sarahg148

I weigh myself every 2 weeks officially, but I do check how I am doing everyday but do not log it.

This is what I'm doing this week. TOM is due and I figured wait until it's over so I don't get discouraged and overindulge using PMS as an excuse. So I will weigh in on Thursday, my usual day, and as long as the scale is down...keep doing what I'm doing.

AproMunro

I like to weight myself every morning, nude and after I go to the bathroom. Like others have mentioned the point of this is consistency and it also is nice that this is typically the lowest weight of the day. It is definitely not cheating like you think it is. You want to weight yourself, not the water or food you eat.

Any time I see a lower number than I have seen previously it is a victory. My scale even measures tenths of pounds, so I get happy just to see the decimal number lessening. I also keep a spreadsheet chart with a trend-line and record my daily weight there. I like to see the hills a valleys. It really helps me to understand how my body deals with weight loss and I can see how what I did the previous day affected me. It never upsets me to gain here and there because I understand how the trend works and it all just makes sense! I know if I gain a half pound today that it is just my body getting ready to let go of another full pound or something like that very soon!

I have no "official" weigh ins. I just see how I am doing each day, though every time I see a new tens place, or even get to a 5 in a given tens place, that really tells me that this is real progress! So those are my special moments. Like yesterday, I hit the 270s for the first time, so I logged (on this site) 279 because it means something big to me. I will probably log when I get to 275 and then again at 269, and so on, just because those are the special moments in my mind. So every 5-ish pounds I guess. Even if I go up a pound or two after I see it, I know that that is just natural fluctuation. The important thing is that I SAW that number, and never had before I started the weight loss, so once it is seen, it is real! LOG IT!

charmedp326

I weight myself every Saturday morning before I've ate or drank anything. I became obsessed with checking my weight constantly, early on in this journey, and it will do you absolutely no good. Once a week will give you as accurate of a reading as you can, plus it gives you something to look forward to. I even have gone four weeks at a time without weighing myself, although I don't recommend that, as it used to drive me nuts because I couldn't tell if what I was doing was helping at all (or I thought it helped more than it actually did which was even more disappointing).

Brainless64

I weight myself every morning and as soon as I see a lower number, I log it in. If the number was going up, I would still keep the ``old`` number logged in. And then when the weight drops again, I would log the new lowest number. I find this really encouraging because I just see the number going down instead of yo-yo-ing. That said, as of december 1st my weight just keeps getting lower.

This except I check my weight every few days.

seltzermint555

I weigh myself every morning after using the restroom and before eating or drinking anything. That's the weight I use. I don't update MFP until I have sustained a number for 3 days.

I NEVER weigh myself at any other time of day. When I've gone to the doctor my weight's about 2 lb higher than that morning, which is fine w/ me. I attribute it to clothes and whatever I've eaten/drank. Not a big thing.

I do think I'll weigh myself every AM for the rest of my life. My boss is a normal weight 50 yr old woman who has always been very average and never dieted but she says that's her secret to staying the same size. She weighs every day and then if it's up 1-2 lb she will cut back a bit. Down the road one day when I reach a healthy weight and want to maintain I plan to do that, too.

asreyes8022

I weigh daily because my nerdy OCD self likes to track it in Excel so I can see how my weight is impacted by my choices the previous day. I log it on here after I've seen the same weight for more then 3 days.

It doesn't matter the time you weigh in, just be consistent with whatever time you do pick. I weigh first thing in the morning. Don't over think it, the scale is just one tool in tracking your progress.

Tracking in excel is nice - you can take a nice moving average, and have a trend line that represents your "real" weight, and smooths out the ups and downs. Soemthing like this:

LOVE this. I am kinda nerdy like this too.

gracielynn1011

I weigh myself every few days in the morning. I only record a loss when I have weighed at a lower wight for several different weigh days. Therefore, I have not recorded a loss in many weeks. :frown:

But I am pleased that I have lost a few more inches since then. :happy:

Azurite27

I weigh often but only record on Wednesday morning. I like seeing that number going down but find it easier to track my weekly loss only once a week, especially since I've been working on trying to up my daily calories to slow down my loss a little.

nm212

I suggest only weighing yourself once a week! I personally don't find weighing myself more than that helpful, because it's natural for the body to fluctuate 1-2 lbs daily and also changes depending on the time of day you weigh yourself. To me, that is discouraging, because if I'm low one day, then up the next day, I get upset and frustrated.

I think pick a day in the middle of the week, especially if you eat out or have a few drinks on the weekend, it gives your body time to adjust after that. (If you immediately go back to being strict on your diet after the weekend) Eating out at restaurants usually has a high sodium intake, even if you order something "healthy". So your body may retain water and make your weight go up if you weigh yourself the next day etc...

I usually weigh Tuesdays in the morning...sometimes Thursdays if I forget, but I make sure to do it before or after the weekend.

A steady weight loss is going to take time, so once a week is enough to tell you if you are losing and keeping it off. Any more than that will only create confusion and frustration! Again, this is just my experience, but I suggest 1 day a week...maybe 2 if you really can't control yourself...but NO more than that.

Good luck. You can do it.

arrseegee

I weigh most days and log it in an Apple app called "True Weight". It allows for one weight entry per day and reports your actual weight, having evened out fluctuations. Now that I am officially maintaining I will reduce the amount I weigh, but I think so long as you aren't fretting about day to day changes in weight it doesn't matter how often you do it.

jiz35

Does it really matter?
As long as you weigh-in at the same 'time' each time you will be fine. I weigh myself every other day just to track how I'm doing but log only the one on a Monday morning (middle of week for me here).

Mr_Knight

So other places I have read that morning weight is your official weight. However, I have a hard time believing that. I always wake up dehydrated so it makes me feel as though I'm just water depleted and that is why I always get lower weight in am.

It doesn't matter, as long as you're consistent.

If you are an athlete in a sport that requires weigh-ins, then of course the official weight is whatever you weigh at the official weigh-in.

But other than that, it just doesn't matter.

1Lightstep

........
If you'd rather have the lowest 'official' weight possible, use the "nude after the bathroom before the shower when you first wake up" method. (This method is considered the best because aside from being the lowest, it has the fewest variables, e.g. stomach contents & weight of clothing, which will weigh less in summer than winter).

If you'd rather have your weight match the doctor's office as closely as possible, use the "fully clothed with shoes after work before dinner" method.

If you'd rather have your official weight be the highest point of the day, for motivation purposes, choose the "fully clothed with shoes following your largest meal of the day".

That is basically what it boils down to and was well put. I don't think the weigh in interval matters too much as long as you are not too fixated on the numbers. I think it is really a case of pick the way that appeals and stick to it, so you get an accurate assessment of your weight under the same conditions.

I weigh regularly out of interest and I do not take fluctuating weights too seriously as a variety of factors can change the numbers. My choice for the purposes of weight recording, is to use my 'outside' weight. I want to know the actual weight that will be used in most circumstances. There are times when we might be weighed outside the home and will often be with clothes and shoes. Whether it is a quick weigh in at the doctor's office, using a weigh in facility in a shop, or being weighed for some sports and activities. If someone is doing a bungee jump for example, it makes no different that had they been naked and hadn't had any food that day they might have been weighed in at 7 lbs lighter, they want to know what they weigh at the crucial moment. (Not that I am suggesting anyone do a bungee jump).

popsicklestar

I have to maintain the lower weight for a week straight before I record it.

MelissaPhippsFeagins

If you are drinking enough water, you won't wake up dehydrated and even if you do, if you weigh at the same time, the trend will be right anyway. My scale is 3.2 pounds off from the one at my doctors office; however, I weigh myself 1st thing in the morning, nude and I am always her last person of the day and dressed for work. Clothes alone could be the 3.2 pound difference.

To answer your question, I record on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, even though I step on the scale every morning. :-)

Sreneesa

I thank you wonderful people for all your responses. Really appreciated.

At 36 yrs old, losing weight is nothing new to me and I have always weighed myself often. It never stresses me out or anything like that if it fluctuates, just tells me if I'm slipping and need to make some changes quickly! lol.

I just always wondered. I mean if I gain any weight I can feel it as soon as I can see it on the scale if it is an excess of 5lbs.

All this week it says I weight btwn 170-172 on my scale first thing in the morning. As soon as I get water in I'm at 175. And continue to be at 175 throughout the day. So in all actuality my current recorded weight may not be accurate at 180.

And I didn't even think of the clothing factor at the doctor's. I always take off my shoes and live in Southern, CA, so not going to have heavy clothing so I just always read it as 4lbs ahead of my scale. Oh when I used to go to the gym, it was around the same difference...4lbs heavier than my scale, no shoes,,, workout clothes on.

So with that being said it is going to take me a minute to be able to be comfortable with using the first morning weigh ins due to the fact that throughout the day it seems to stay at 175 and only 170-172 first thing in am. Why I cannot wrap this morning am weighing first thing as being accurate is beyond me. smh... lol

I get the logic behind it but I guess in my mind the more consistent number throughout the day if I weigh myself anywhere seems to be more accurate.

But in the end it only matters what my results are.

I just was curious as to what others think. Weighing myself all the time doesn't stress me out! lol... been doing it for way too many years....

Again, thank you y'all for your responses!

Sreneesa

If you are drinking enough water, you won't wake up dehydrated and even if you do, if you weigh at the same time, the trend will be right anyway. My scale is 3.2 pounds off from the one at my doctors office; however, I weigh myself 1st thing in the morning, nude and I am always her last person of the day and dressed for work. Clothes alone could be the 3.2 pound difference.

To answer your question, I record on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, even though I step on the scale every morning. :-)

Oh trust me... everywhere I sit in my house, go, I have a huge glass of water and Perrier right by my side like a purse! LOL... I wake up in the middle of the night and drink water right by the side of my bed. I have always had this problem and no as far as I know I do not have diabetes...

bellevie86

I weigh myself first thing every morning and record it every time I hit a new low. Yes, it fluctuates and often goes back up after I've recorded the new weight, but I just keep at it and wait until it goes down again.

+1

dynamicdreamer

I weigh myself first thing in the morning after using the bathroom and brushing my teeth. Sometimes I get curious and weigh myself more than once throughout the day. However, my "official" weight is what I weigh on Monday mornings. That's how I determine how much weight I've lost so far.

Sreneesa

I have to maintain the lower weight for a week straight before I record it.

Makes perfect sense.

Oh, and I guess I should mention I do not record anything. My brain is my record. lol

I did at first the last time I wanted to lose weight but after a few weeks I quickly lost interest. However, it did teach me to be able to gauge my portions and that in return has helped me in this weight loss journey. I may need to get back into it and give it another shot due to me not eating enough calories. I'm having a very hard time meeting daily requirements, let alone when I work out eating those calories. My weight gain this time around is mostly contributed to EXCESS drinking for months...but that's another topic in itself. lol