How often to weigh self on scale?

ChrisManch

I think it depends on your attitude to the results!

If you realise your weight is going to vary throughout the day, and from one day to the next you can weigh yourself every day and not worry about minor variances. I find it helps to motivate, if you gain a few pounds one day, try harder the next day, some extra exercise or fewer calories.

If you are the type of person who worries when you gain a couple of pounds, or feel despondent if you haven't lost any for 3 days despite sticking to your diet and exercise plan, then just weigh yourself once a week.

I weigh myself every morning after going to the bathroom, before breakfast. I also bought a cheap body-fat monitor, and I've started recording that every morning too.

I've lost 8.6Kg (19lbs) so far. The other day I bought a pack of 4 x 2litre bottles of water, they were heavy to carry, then I realised, that's how much weight I've lost!

jaegging

I don't have a scale at home, so I tend to jump on one whenever I see one. Since I work in a hospital, this tends to be about every other day or two. I also check my weight before I work out and log it for my fitness program. I weigh in no less than once a week, but I only log my weight on MFP if I've lost. I also use the Weighbot app on my iPhone. The projections help keep me motivated.

Riffraft1960

Why does everyone keep saying "it's not accurate" at certain points in the day? Either your scale is accurate or it's not. Time of day does not affect the accuracy of the scale. The fluctuations are in fact, how much you weigh at a specific time in the day. Live with it.

Personally, I have a fitbit aria that automatically records my weight and bodyfat via wifi each time I stand on it. I weigh myself prolly 5 or 6 times a day.

Not sure why people are saying you shouldn't do that. More data is better than less data. If you get into a tailspin because your scale says your 5 lbs heavier than before, you're looking at weight loss all wrong.

Maybe "accurate" is not the right word. What I believe they are saying is it is the most consistent. Food has digested, no extra water, undigested food, etc. Whereas in the afternoon, you might have had a big lunch not digested or maybe you just drank a large glass of water. So if you weight at the same time every afternoon, there are more factors that might come into play. Doing it when you first wake up and have evacuated seems to limit the other factors to a greater degree than other times.

lemurcat12

When my scale was the Wii Fit in the living room ... probably weekly. A couple weeks ago I bought a bathroom scale and now I weigh myself a few times a day.

Now hold your warnings weighing too often or whatever...

(a) I don't care what it says. I'm just curious how I fluctuate over time. I record my weight every 4 days.
(b) Weighing myself before/after runs helps me know how much water weight I lost which has opened my eyes to how much water I need to bring on long runs (especially now that is hot)
(c) I'm childish. Weighing myself before/after ... bathroom activities ... is funny to me. I'm setting records.

I like this. I'm trying to think of it as just data, and like to see the fluctuations too. I might start the running ones too--it will be interesting to see how much it varies depending on the heat.

Currently I weigh first thing in the morning every day, but only log the one from Monday morning. I like weighing every day and seeing the fluctuations, because then I can guess at the causes and mostly just don't worry if Monday happens to be an uptick day. Plus I stayed away from the scale too long because weighing used to stress me out so, and I'm trying to make it no big thing, just an interesting data point.

VeryKatie

I've been doing it weekly up until now but just switched to bi-weekly. I want to focus less on the number and more on how I feel and my fitness. It kind of seems like it's too much to think about otherwise.

WreckaRed

I weigh myself at least once a day. First thing in the AM, after I pee, and then throughout the day if I feel like it. I have found that if I do NOT obsessively weigh myself, I tend to gain weight. I know that if I am up a bit, I need to really push the fluids and watch my sodium.

VeryKatie

(c) I'm childish. Weighing myself before/after ... bathroom activities ... is funny to me. I'm setting records.

3 pounds. what's yours?

I like her.

LSinVA

I weigh once a week. It's a personal rule for me. Otherwise, I'll obsess non-stop over it. I think weighing everyday is counter-productive for a lot of people early on in weight loss. I'll weigh more often once I'm maintaining.

BonworthVonFattyPants

(c) I'm childish. Weighing myself before/after ... bathroom activities ... is funny to me. I'm setting records.

3 pounds. what's yours?

Impressive.

During the 2 weeks I've been tracking I've only hit about 1.6. It's actually been a little disappointing because I know I can do better.

I will do better.

Llamapants86

I weigh daily (when I'm home and I remember). I record Sundays weigh in on mfp.

caitconquersweight

I do it daily, after I've peed, and wearing only underwear or naked. I like to see the fluctuations. It keeps me on track.

RINat612

(c) I'm childish. Weighing myself before/after ... bathroom activities ... is funny to me. I'm setting records.

3 pounds. what's yours?

Impressive.

During the 2 weeks I've been tracking I've only hit about 1.6. It's actually been a little disappointing because I know I can do better.

I will do better.

Sounds like you need to do a bulk cycle and strength train that muscle bro.

:bigsmile:

kaaaaylee

Once every week or 2.

tjsims8

everyday, trying to reduce to once a week but its hard

mom2aeris

I try to stick to once every 5 days or so, but I get anxious when I don't feel like I am losing, so I will usually check multiple times a week, in the morning, right after using the bathroom. Idk, I have often struggled with anxiety as well as weight, so... Yeah. I over check, I am sure. I only record once a week, though, or at least I try to.

perseverance14

I weigh once a week on a sunday morning at my boyfriend's house. I use his scales as they are digital and i weigh naked so i know it is as accurate as it can be. Although i swear they are not right sometimes lol.

Digital scales are prone to being effected by many things, temp, humidity level, on carpet or tile, on even surface, etc.

SamiDee12

I try to weigh myself on a monthly basis, simply because of weight fluctuations during the day/week I can't tell if I actually lost weight in a week's time or not.

ProudAirforceWife

Every morning, as soon as I get up and use the little girl's room and in the buff. I put the scale in the same spot every time. I only record on MFP on Friday's, but I use an app to record the daily weights to see the overall trend. Each person is different, but if you are going to really stress over the daily fluctuations (because there will be) then don't do it. I do it to keep me on track and it helps me. Also take measurements because remember the scale is not everything in weight loss. Cheers!

spara0038

every day, but I don't freak if it goes up suddenly. I know how much I eat, so gaining 2lbs overnight isn't really an issue for me. Unless I was sleep eating, I know I didn't consume an extra 7000 calories overnight :laugh: But... it usually does clue me into drinking some extra water, so in that way it's helpful for immediate feedback.

JTick

It varies for me. Sometimes I'll go several days without weighing, and other days I get on every time I walk by. I'm fascinated with numbers and data, so I'll weigh myself before and after showering, before and after using the bathroom, etc. If I am recording anything, then it's the first weight of the day.