How often should I step on the scale??

MissKim78
MissKim78 Posts: 426 Member
in Getting Started
I just joined MFP two weeks ago so obv I am just starting out. I have been tracking everything I eat and trying to get a little less calories and a little more exercise. I try not to make any big, drastic changes because I know I won't stick with them! Baby steps! LOL

I've been weighing myself almost every morning. Sometimes I go down a few decimal points and sometimes I go up. Overall I've lost about 2lbs in the 2 weeks but seeing my weigh up from the day before (even if just a tiny bit) can be a little discouraging so I'm just wondering how often I should be weighing myself? I know everyone is probably different but just looking for a general idea!

Thanks MFP Friends! :smile:
«1

Replies

  • psychicmedium26
    psychicmedium26 Posts: 48
    I weigh myself every Monday morning. That way I don't tell myself "its the weekend!" as an excuse to over eat knowing I have weigh in coming up. I was weighing myself a few times a week but got frustrated with the fluctuation. Do what works for you! I'd stick to once a week as my advice though :).
  • k1inoregon
    k1inoregon Posts: 10
    I weigh myself everyday just because I wanna "know." :-) However, I only COUNT my weight/record my weight on Monday mornings. This allows for the normal fluctuation that's going to occur during the week (i.e. up a little, down a little, etc.). Just make sure you are consistent about how and when you weigh once a week. The other times you step on the scale can just be consider check-ins vs. weigh-ins. :-)
  • SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222
    SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222 Posts: 252 Member
    I try not to weigh myself very often because I become obsessed with the scale - and I have begun working out intensely so I dont really care so much about how I weigh as I do about how my body changes.
  • laurie04427
    laurie04427 Posts: 421 Member
    I aim to once a week but some days I feel skinnier so I hop on just to find out I'm .5 lbs heavier than the day before which should teach me a lesson but it doesn't.
  • Singularity84
    Singularity84 Posts: 98 Member
    I do my "official" weigh in on Monday mornings as well, but I do step on the scale several other times during the week, just because I like to see the various fluctuations. If it's causing you a lot of stress or anxiety, I'd try to limit it to once per week. Tracking your measurements can also be really helpful, since the scale doesn't always reflect the work you are doing.
  • Jaxsonjess
    Jaxsonjess Posts: 93 Member
    EVERYDAY FOR ME AND EVERYNIGHT. KEEPS ME ON TRACK AND IT IS FUN. I DONT GET MAD IF I SEE A FLUCTUATE CAUSE I KNOW IT HAPPENS. I LIKE TO SEE THE LOW WEIGHT KNOWING IT IS CLOSE!
  • Go_Mizzou99
    Go_Mizzou99 Posts: 2,628 Member
    Daily...always. Immediately after I wake up and take care of - ahem - business. Least amount of variability then.

    BUT...Do what is best for you.
  • MsMaryMac48
    MsMaryMac48 Posts: 89 Member
    I aim to once a week but some days I feel skinnier so I hop on just to find out I'm .5 lbs heavier than the day before which should teach me a lesson but it doesn't.

    ^^^ THIS^^^ So frustrating...... and I just keep doing it. LOL
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • EddieHaskell97
    EddieHaskell97 Posts: 2,227 Member
    Only when you want it to tell you how much you weigh.


    Wednesdays and Sundays are my "Weigh Days".
  • amykuh
    amykuh Posts: 27 Member
    I agree with what is being said here. I think of my weight as a 5-pound range, because there is so much natural fluctuation depending on the time of day and where my body happens to be in the replenishing cycle of glycogen (which I think is the same thing that is often talked about as "water weight").

    I agree that to monitor progress it is best to weigh at the same time of day on the same day of the week, once a week. Like k1inoregon, I also weigh myself daily just because I wanna "know" but I do it with the 5-pound weight range allowance in mind, since being up 2 pounds one morning doesn't mean I did anything bad or wrong eating-wise, it just means my body is doing what it needs to do to replenish energy stores and keep me going. So right now if anyone asked, I would say that I weigh 164, because that is the lowest number I have seen on the scale (well, actually 164.6) but I know that for the next week I will likely see any number from 164 to 169. And hopefully next week, it will be any number between 163 and 168.

    I hope this helps! Hang in there!
  • bradXdale
    bradXdale Posts: 399
    I WHEY EVERYDAY...okay bad fitness joke attempt...

    I weigh on Wednesdays because that's when my new week of P90X3 workouts start.

    I'm going to try & start on a Monday next time so I can weigh on Mondays.
  • losttogain
    losttogain Posts: 84 Member
    I weigh myself every Monday morning. That way I don't tell myself "its the weekend!" as an excuse to over eat knowing I have weigh in coming up. I was weighing myself a few times a week but got frustrated with the fluctuation. Do what works for you! I'd stick to once a week as my advice though :).

    I also weigh myself every Monday morning because the fluctuations pretty much means nothing in my grand scheme of things.

    However, I have contemplated possibly weighing myself morning and evening every day for a typical week just to track my fluctuations and see when I am getting the most accurate weight.

    I wouldn't do more than once a week after that test week though!
  • losttogain
    losttogain Posts: 84 Member
    I do my "official" weigh in on Monday mornings as well, but I do step on the scale several other times during the week, just because I like to see the various fluctuations. If it's causing you a lot of stress or anxiety, I'd try to limit it to once per week. Tracking your measurements can also be really helpful, since the scale doesn't always reflect the work you are doing.

    This too.
  • OliviaMelanie
    OliviaMelanie Posts: 2 Member
    Once a week...on Fridays, so the (I hope) lower number helps me stay motivated across the weekend not to over eat...
  • Citrislazer
    Citrislazer Posts: 312 Member
    I like to weigh 1st thing in the morning everyday, but my official weigh-in's are Friday morning. My weight doesn't fluctuate enough to be frustrating because I really stick to my guns on diet and exercise. If I go up a bit I can usually correlate it to something I've ate or did by reviewing my diary entries. It's a learning opportunity about my body, what it likes and dislikes.
  • PlayBall5
    PlayBall5 Posts: 125
    I have weighed myself every morning for the last couple of months. I like to look at the graph in the reports section. I have found once a week I lose really big one day. Around 2 lbs and then for the next couple of days after that I gain about 1 lb back. For the next few days after that I go up and down by a 1/2 pound. I dont get frustrated when it moves up because I know I am going to have a day with a huge number right a round the corner. As long as I weigh lighter than the exact day a week before I am happy. I have averaged losing 2 lbs a week since January 1st. Weighing myself everyday also helps me look at my eating and acitivities from the day before to make sure I keep working hard and eating better. This method isnt for the weak of heart however. If you get discouraged and frustrated when you see gains, then I suggest you step on the scale once a week. Feel free to send me a friend request.
  • grrawritsjordi
    grrawritsjordi Posts: 14
    I find to step on it more than once a week makes me just feel bad. I did it yesterday morning and weighed 3lbs more than I did last week. However, when I stepped on this morning for my actual "weigh in" I weighed 1lb less than I did last week. I have been drinking a lot of water and depending on the day, I retain it a lot. I find that in the middle of the week, for whatever reason, I am not retaining as bad. The scales are in the other bathroom, which I don't use, so I don't see them unless I am looking for them. If you want to keep yourself from stressing out, I would hide the scales or put them away so you aren't temped. Of course, you will be tempted every once in a while, but not having them out in the open will keep you from weighing yourself so often. (unless they are huge scales, then I wouldn't recommend moving them, unless you want a work out. :P)
  • Hiker_Rob
    Hiker_Rob Posts: 5,547 Member
    In the beginning I used to weigh myself every few weeks, very occasionally once a week.

    One big factor about how often to weigh is how you feel about what the scale tells you.. Some people get bummed out for the day if they see an increase or very little change, they should try and weigh once a week or longer, it's not a fast race to the bottom, it's going to take a bit. For some people, small losses are reason to not continue, in that case, hide the scale!

    These days I am comfortable with my weight fluctuations from day to day so I do weigh daily but only record once a week or every two weeks, usually on Thursdays, post workout.
  • jnb143
    jnb143 Posts: 62 Member
    I only weigh myself once a week. Typically Friday or Saturday FIRST thing in morning. I usually go to the bathroom beforehand and I always do it naked lol. I don't know why I feel like that matters, but I just want it to be accurate.:laugh:
  • ingraha
    ingraha Posts: 99 Member
    I aim to once a week but some days I feel skinnier so I hop on just to find out I'm .5 lbs heavier than the day before which should teach me a lesson but it doesn't.

    This is me thank you so much for posting this
  • jim180155
    jim180155 Posts: 769 Member
    It's the third thing I do every morning after starting the coffee and a trip to the "library." You have to be prepared to see daily fluctuations and not be frustrated by them. And I am prepared. But I still pat myself on the back every time the scale goes down, knowing that it's the result of my hard work, and question everything when it goes up.

    Also, I have a scale that measures body fat and skeletal muscle. Some days, like today, I get tradeoffs. I'm up a couple pounds in overall weight, but also up a couple pounds in skeletal muscle. I know I didn't grow a couple pounds of muscle overnight, but still, it's nice to see extra muscle if I have to see a higher total weight reading.
  • PlayBall5
    PlayBall5 Posts: 125
    I like to weigh 1st thing in the morning everyday, but my official weigh-in's are Friday morning. My weight doesn't fluctuate enough to be frustrating because I really stick to my guns on diet and exercise. If I go up a bit I can usually correlate it to something I've ate or did by reviewing my diary entries. It's a learning opportunity about my body, what it likes and dislikes.


    Agreed!
  • emmawatts22
    emmawatts22 Posts: 28
    I weigh myself every Monday morning. That way I don't tell myself "its the weekend!" as an excuse to over eat knowing I have weigh in coming up. I was weighing myself a few times a week but got frustrated with the fluctuation. Do what works for you! I'd stick to once a week as my advice though :).

    This, too! It also gives my Monday a boost when I see that I've lost weight.
  • funkim55
    funkim55 Posts: 216 Member
    Try a weekly weigh-in. I double check on Monday or Tuesday to see how much damage I have done over the weekend (smile)!!!
  • becs3578
    becs3578 Posts: 836 Member
    I am trying... badly... to weight only on Wednesday and Saturday. I get OCD about it.
  • j75j75
    j75j75 Posts: 854 Member
    I rarely weigh myself. I do once in awhile just for curiosities sake. But it really does not matter that much to me. How I look, feel and perform is much more important
  • amy8400
    amy8400 Posts: 478 Member
    I weigh myself first thing every morning and log it on my calendar. I know once a week is really better but for me I need two things that daily weigh-ins provide:

    1) accountability

    2) learning how my weight is going to fluctuate from day to day and getting comfortable with it

    There are days where I'm a couple pounds heavier and that's okay. I just stay on track and it makes me more determined. And yes, I always weigh in the buff. Got to keep it consistent!
  • HerbertNenenger
    HerbertNenenger Posts: 453 Member
    Every two weeks. I find that I fluctuated too much on a weekly basis and I was getting too scale-obsessed. It's been tough, but it's much healthier for my state of well-being to focus on my day to day healthy food intake and getting my 5x/week workouts in and doing my best than to see what the scale is telling me. The scale only tells a part of the story. I find that the weeks I don't see any scale losses are the weeks that everyone's complimenting me on how small I'm getting. Don't overthink the scale, it leads nowhere.
  • CaitlinW19
    CaitlinW19 Posts: 431 Member
    I also only weigh on Monday morning, but the specific day doesn't really matter to me. Once a week. For years every time I've tried to lose weight I weighed whenever I felt like it (everyday and sometimes a few times during the day). I've stopped doing that and noticed a lot of positive changes. 1) I'm setting a habit I can maintain once I reach my goal. I have successfully lost weight before, it's keeping it off that is my trouble, so I feel this is a very important habit for me to establish. 2) I feel more intuned to other differences from weight loss...how I feel, how my body feels. I think this has been really healthy. 3) I get to jump start my week by seeing all my hardwork from last week pay off. It really gives me energy to keep going.

    This is just my experience, but personally, even though I didn't have any issues with watching the scale go up and down daily, I feel much more satisfied by once a week weighing and won't go back.

Categories