Is anyone else having this issue?

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I have kept a detailed account of my weight for the last month before I rejoined MFP, and I a just wondering if anyone else has had or heard about anyone having this issue. I went in and weight my self last Monday (11th) and I weight 172lbs. I waited till Saturday to weight myself again and I was 161.5lbs! Then this Monday I weight 166.5, and today (Saturday) I weight 161.5! I know that everyone varies around 5-6lbs a months but I'm covering that if not more in a week.. is this normal?

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  • Sauchie
    Sauchie Posts: 357 Member
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    Don't forget PMS & TOM will add water weight to your scale just to be mean.
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    That's a huge fluctuation, I would say either your scale is broken, or you are not being consistent with your weighing. You need to weigh-in first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom but before eating, and naked. Any day that you weigh in do this same routine, and you should get a much more consistent reading. It sounds like maybe the low weigh in is before you eat, and the higher weigh in is midday when you've already consumed some food and drink.

    ps, the floor that you weigh on can make a difference too. Never use the scale on carpet, it will give a wonky reading. I've even seen a difference between hardwood and linoleum. I'm so anal about this, I try to put the scale on the same tile on the bathroom floor each time, lol.
  • tesshaney
    tesshaney Posts: 110 Member
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    Same thing happens to me from time to time and its always around my cycle. My trainer says this is very normal.
  • 4lafz
    4lafz Posts: 1,078 Member
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    Time of day also has alot to do with it. Weight once a week on the same day and at the same time (on same scale too). I weigh in the morning - after bathroom :-) but before food and workout! Your weight can fluctuate up to 5 lbs, they say, from day to day and hour to hour.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
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    Yes.

    I can fluctuate up to seven pounds fin the course of a day. Everything you eat and drink effects your scale weight. Here's an article that explains it all:

    http://www.naturalphysiques.com/cms/index.php?itemid=87
  • hoperenee88
    hoperenee88 Posts: 11 Member
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    I am at 166.5 i wish so much i could reach 161 :( i have been doing this for 45 days and lost 5 pounds :(
  • Disciplined74
    Disciplined74 Posts: 298 Member
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    I'm betting it's a scale problem. I can weigh myself 3 times in a row and get different numbers at each weigh.

    I have given up using my home scale and instead I choose to go to a public place that has a digital scale. It is much more accurate. My closest place happens to be a gas station but if you have a GNC they have one there.
  • purple1butterfly
    purple1butterfly Posts: 576 Member
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    That's a huge fluctuation, I would say either your scale is broken, or you are not being consistent with your weighing. You need to weigh-in first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom but before eating, and naked. Any day that you weigh in do this same routine, and you should get a much more consistent reading. It sounds like maybe the low weigh in is before you eat, and the higher weigh in is midday when you've already consumed some food and drink.

    ps, the floor that you weigh on can make a difference too. Never use the scale on carpet, it will give a wonky reading. I've even seen a difference between hardwood and linoleum. I'm so anal about this, I try to put the scale on the same tile on the bathroom floor each time, lol.

    I put my scales on the same tile in the morning after i have been to the bathroom. I also weigh in naked once a wk around the same time
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
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    I have kept a detailed account of my weight for the last month before I rejoined MFP, and I a just wondering if anyone else has had or heard about anyone having this issue. I went in and weight my self last Monday (11th) and I weight 172lbs. I waited till Saturday to weight myself again and I was 161.5lbs! Then this Monday I weight 166.5, and today (Saturday) I weight 161.5! I know that everyone varies around 5-6lbs a months but I'm covering that if not more in a week.. is this normal?

    Chek the batteries in your scale. When they are going bad/low, the weight seems to fluctuate a lot and give crazy results. Very depressing!

    Also read the other posts and make sure that you weight yourself at the same time of the day, preferable in the morning after using the bathroom and without clothes.
  • timbotina
    timbotina Posts: 1,130 Member
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    and believe it or not, a couple high sodium days can also add 5 lbs.....that's why I keep track of my sodium in my diary.....then is you are low on sodium for a couple days and push the water....the weight will go away in about a day.....just a thought
  • potluck965
    potluck965 Posts: 529 Member
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    I put my scales on the same tile in the morning after i have been to the bathroom. I also weigh in naked once a wk around the same time

    According to the manual I got with my last scale, if you have a digital scale it is best NOT to move it any more often than necessary and, as someone else mentioned, it should be on a hard floor. I was moving my previous scale each time I wanted to weigh myself. I was putting it on a hard floor, but it was still kind of "off", I felt.

    Since I got the new scale and read about not moving it I have set it up, along with my old one, so I don't have to move it at all and the weights on both of them have been very consistent.

    If you have to move it and it is a newer type scale, I suggest you weigh yourself, allow it to go off and weigh again. It might need to recalibrate each time it is moved.
  • candlegal
    candlegal Posts: 220 Member
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    Double check your scale. Get something that you know how much it weighs and see if your scale weighs it right, like 5ps of flour or something like that.
  • S13Chick
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    Thanks everyone, and I've checked everything you all recommended and I have ruled out my scale. After checking my notes the weight in that was last Monday I had taken after breakfast so I know what happened there. But the 172 was first thing? Maybe it was high sodium? I'll have to keep a better track of that. Thanks!
  • schnarfo
    schnarfo Posts: 764 Member
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    if you worked out hard the day before your muscles will be retaining water to help them recover, this can make the scale look like youve gained.

    I always weigh less when I weigh myself the day after not exercising if that makes sense.