Monthly vs Weekly weigh ins

JengaJess

I've been weighing myself weekly since I started here, just about a month ago. And I've been fluctuating and hovering around the same numbers. I've weighed myself and been as low as 170, and just this morning I was back up to 174. I know about water retention and how weight generally fluctuates throughout the day. But I think we can all understand, especially those just starting out, that it's really frustrating to be working out hard at the gym and watching your portion controls when you really just want 3 servings of pasta because it's delicious and not seeing the desired number on the scale.
I've noticed changes, particularly in my face and how some of my clothes are fitting, but not a lot of change on the scale. Despite being able to see results in my body, when I weigh myself, it's like I forget all that. It's discouraging.
If i begin weighing myself monthly, do you think it will help with motivation? Will I see more of a difference on my scale if I wait a little longer between weigh ins? Or is it possible that I'm not doing something correctly and weighing myself in monthly will just allow me to continue to make these mistakes more often?
Anyone else do monthly weigh ins? Or something else all together?
Some advice would be great. I don't want to allow this discouragement to get me any less motivated.

EDIT: I know sometimes people like to know stats and I forgot to include them.
I'm female. Between 5'9" and 5'10". Started out at 183, got down to 177 and that's when I joined MFP. I'm fluctuating between 172- 174 right now. My goal is around 160. I work out 5 days a week. And I'm a vegetarian so I struggle to keep my carbs in check and I'm trying to add more protein into my diet. I'm pretty sure my diary is open.

WBB55

What's your BMR and TDEE? Have you used this calculator? http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

What setting did you use for your weekly loss goal?

Azchange

Measurments > Weight

JengaJess

What's your BMR and TDEE? Have you used this calculator? http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

What setting did you use for your weekly loss goal?

I started off wanting to loose 1.5 lbs a week, but I started reading a lot more of the posts on MFP and realized, that despite this always being a goal of mine, it's pretty aggressive. I've recently bumped it down to 1 lbs a week.
Honestly, I'm still pretty new to this so despite seeing just about everyone refer to BMR, TDEE and this website, I'm still not entirely sure I understand.
According to the website, my BMR is 1590 and my TDEE is 2465.
Now... am I supposed to reduce my TDEE by 20% for weight loss? I'm a little confused by it all.

WBB55

BMR is the minimum amount of calories you should eat every day, since that's what your body requires to pump your blood and regenerate cells, perform CO2/O2 exchange in the lungs, etc.

TDEE is the (estimated) total number of calories you burn in your day.

There's one method of determining your calorie target per day for weightloss. It's the TDEE-20% method. For you, that would mean eating 1972 calories every day. Using this method you wouldn't eat more when you work out.

But if this number is a lot higher than you normally eat, don't jump to 1972 calories right away. You have to ease into it, if it's more than you typically eat.

JengaJess

Measurments > Weight

I know! When I don't weigh myself, I catch myself eyeing my body in the mirror and smiling. But then I step on the scale and all that happiness disappears. For my height, I'm just a few lbs overweight (literally not even 5 lbs). I'm desperate to get down to 169 lbs just to not be overweight. I know it's silly and if I'm seeing results, I should be happy. But there's something so obnoxiously discouraging about being so close but still seeming so far away. I'd love to say I'm finally at an average weight for my height.

JengaJess

BMR is the minimum amount of calories you should eat every day, since that's what your body requires to pump your blood and regenerate cells, perform CO2/O2 exchange in the lungs, etc.

TDEE is the (estimated) total number of calories you burn in your day.

There's one method of determining your calorie target per day for weightloss. It's the TDEE-20% method. For you, that would mean eating 1972 calories every day. Using this method you wouldn't eat more when you work out.

But if this number is a lot higher than you normally eat, don't jump to 1972 calories right away. You have to ease into it, if it's more than you typically eat.

Thank you so much. I'm currently eating around 1400- 1500, so I'll start planning to increase it slowly.
One more question, I don't typically work out on the weekends, should I be aiming to eat a little less these days? Or stick with the 1900?

Dreya711

Measurments > Weight

YES!

jamie3j

This is great information and I don't know a lot about it.

I went to the website to calculate the numbers and I am a little confused. I chose "desk job with little exercise" because that's typical me, although I did start a boot camp this month so I am working out at least 2-3 times a week doing that so I am not sure if I should change my activity level.

BMR = 1569
TDEE = 1883
The next row says "Daily Calories based on goal in Step 6" (Lose fat - 20% calorie reduction) = 1506

According to what you have in your post, I am not quite sure why I should be eating less than my BMR. HELP!

jamie3j

This is great information and I don't know a lot about it.

I went to the website to calculate the numbers and I am a little confused. I chose "desk job with little exercise" because that's typical me, although I did start a boot camp this month so I am working out at least 2-3 times a week doing that so I am not sure if I should change my activity level.

BMR = 1569
TDEE = 1883
The next row says "Daily Calories based on goal in Step 6" (Lose fat - 20% calorie reduction) = 1506

According to what you have in your post, I am not quite sure why I should be eating less than my BMR. HELP!

WBB55

I am not quite sure why I should be eating less than my BMR. HELP!

TDEE-20% might be too aggressive of a plan for you. Maybe you're less than 30 lbs or so to your goal weight. Maybe using this method you would want to select TDEE-15%

WBB55

Thank you so much. I'm currently eating around 1400- 1500, so I'll start planning to increase it slowly.
One more question, I don't typically work out on the weekends, should I be aiming to eat a little less these days? Or stick with the 1900?

If all of your exercise calories are estimated into the calculator, then you'd eat the same amount 7 days a week. But you should do what you think is best. Just try to make sure to at least eat your BMR every day in total calories.

ceemonkee

It doesn't sound like many people have responded to your actual question, so here's my two cents:

Switch to monthly weigh-ins if you're currently doing weekly. Or even better, quit weigh-ins entirely and go by how you feel (most important) and how you look (less important).

Your questions:
If i begin weighing myself monthly, do you think it will help with motivation?
[Me] Maybe. Motivation is kind of personal, but there are a lot of studies out there that show that shame/guilt is very ineffective as a weight loss tool -- if your weigh-ins are making you feel that way, they're probably demotivating.
Will I see more of a difference on my scale if I wait a little longer between weigh ins?
[Me] Possibly. Sometimes people who are dieting AND exercising notice an initial uptick in weight because they're putting on muscle, but as that initial muscle gain subsides a few weeks in, the weight goes down.
Or is it possible that I'm not doing something correctly and weighing myself in monthly will just allow me to continue to make these mistakes more often?
[Me] You're exercising and trying to eat a healthier diet. You've noticed that you look thinner. I think you can definitely say that you're not making a mistake.
Anyone else do monthly weigh ins? Or something else all together?
[Me] I try my best to NOT weigh myself, but then I'm also only trying to get stronger and fitter. I'm not trying to lose weight, have less jiggly thighs, have a six-pack, or whatever else.

I'll also give you a personal anecdote because, although somewhat meaningless, people seem to like them:

I'm 5'5". My highest ever weight was ~152lbs (~5 years ago) and I felt awful. My knees hurt all the time. I was eating fast food most days. I wasn't getting any "lifestyle" exercise (walking to work, etc.) and very little gym exercise. My clinical depression was totally out of control. (Depression caused my poor lifestyle for the most part -- being thinner did not make me less depressed.)

Now, my weight is around 145-148. I'm not on a diet or trying to lose weight. I work out a lot, doing yoga and training for a 100 mile bike ride. My weekly training goals put me around 7-8 hours a week of gym-type exercise. I also walk to work (in the snow), so that adds about 30 minutes a day of lifecycle exercise. I don't track or restrict what I'm eating most of the time. My knees almost never hurt. But here is the part you should care about: I wear pants 1-2 sizes SMALLER than when I weighed 152 lbs. 5 years ago, although I'm only about 4 lbs. lighter. I feel awesome -- strong, healthy, well fed, and happy.

My takeaway from this anecdote: Weight is stupid and meaningless. I've probably got 10 pounds more muscle than I did before, but I'm still the same weight. Sometimes I get on the scale because it's there at the gym and I feel tempted. It often makes me feel sad because my weight is high, but what matters is that I'm healthy and I feel good. What shouldn't matter so much, but kind of does, is that I generally think I look great, definitely better than 5 years ago. Maybe TMI, but my butt even sags less than it did at 130 lbs. because it's so muscular!