Weigh MORE in the morning?

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LeAnn_Mae
LeAnn_Mae Posts: 263 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm obsessed with the scale so sometimes I'll weigh right before I go to bed and then first thing when I get up in the morning. Most times the morning weight is more than the night before. But after I've been up and moving around for 30 minutes or so I'll go weigh again and it will be less, sometimes less than the night before. I understand that weight will fluctuate throughout the day and various things cause differences in the scale at different times of the day. BUT what could it be about lying down (sleeping all night) that would cause a gain on the scale? And why is it less after I've been moving around? I couldn't lose 'water' weight in just 30 minutes or so right?

I know, most of you will tell me not to rely on the scale :tongue: And that I shouldn't focus so much on the numbers, but I do and probably always will. I try not to let it get me down but for some reason I just HAVE to know the numbers!
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Replies

  • jknops2
    jknops2 Posts: 171 Member
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    Probably caused by the temperature of your house. Scale might show a different reading when it is at a different temperature.
  • ifiwasurvampire
    ifiwasurvampire Posts: 181 Member
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    How about not weighing yourself everyday. Pick one day a week and weigh that day. Otherwise your gonna stress yourself out.
  • wriglucy
    wriglucy Posts: 1,064 Member
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    Could it be that at night you are full of food and water from the day, and while you sleep your body metabolizes it, so you would weigh less in the morning? You could also just be salt sensitive. I can flucuate 5 pounds in a day just because of salt.

    Oh, and I'm a scale nut too :)
  • Page83
    Page83 Posts: 23
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    i heard somewhere that you weigh more first thing in the morning because of something to do with fluid settling at night so if you get up and weight then you will be heavier, though i dont like to weigh at night because of the days food. so when i weigh i get up and get the kids their breakfast, make their lunches, go to the loo then weigh.
  • wriglucy
    wriglucy Posts: 1,064 Member
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    Hi again, I just found this article, it's not by a professional, but the information cited in here is. So here's the info and the study that was done.

    •" Weigh yourself. Stepping on the scale first thing (after the bathroom, before breakfast, wearing little to nothing) gives you the most accurate read on your weight, which can fluctuate by up to three pounds during the day! It's a good idea to weigh in daily: A study from Brown University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill showed that 61 percent of people who did so maintained their weight within five pounds over time (compared with 32 percent who weighed in less often), mainly because it helped them catch weight gain early."

    I got it from: http://women.webmd.com/features/the-best-time-of-the-day?page=2

    I don't know if it helps, but I always like to research and try to find info from professionals or from studies.
  • LeAnn_Mae
    LeAnn_Mae Posts: 263 Member
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    i heard somewhere that you weigh more first thing in the morning because of something to do with fluid settling at night so if you get up and weight then you will be heavier, though i dont like to weigh at night because of the days food. so when i weigh i get up and get the kids their breakfast, make their lunches, go to the loo then weigh.

    This makes sense but I wonder 'where' the fluid goes after standing up! (I always use the bathroom before I weigh so it's not 'that' fluid ;-)
  • LeAnn_Mae
    LeAnn_Mae Posts: 263 Member
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    Could it be that at night you are full of food and water from the day, and while you sleep your body metabolizes it, so you would weigh less in the morning? You could also just be salt sensitive. I can flucuate 5 pounds in a day just because of salt.

    Oh, and I'm a scale nut too :)

    Only thing is I weigh MORE in the morning until I've moved around some (about 30 minutes). Then when I weigh again it's less. This is weighing naked and before eating breakfast both times.
  • LeAnn_Mae
    LeAnn_Mae Posts: 263 Member
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    How about not weighing yourself everyday. Pick one day a week and weigh that day. Otherwise your gonna stress yourself out.

    I've tried that but I just can't stay away that long! If I get on the scale and it's more then I know to watch what I eat that day. No I don't starve myself because the scale says I gained. I just think about what I'm eating a little more than I would normally and try to choose healthier options. I think that if weighing daily and maybe more than once a day helps me to think about what I'm eating then it's got to be a positive thing. At least for me.
  • 123456654321
    123456654321 Posts: 1,311 Member
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    Are you a night time eater? I know if I eat before bedtime I tend to weigh more right when I wake up then I do later in the morning...but when I don't, I weigh less. I'm not 100% positive there is something to my night time eating theory, it's just something I've noticed for myself.
  • LeAnn_Mae
    LeAnn_Mae Posts: 263 Member
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    Are you a night time eater? I know if I eat before bedtime I tend to weigh more right when I wake up then I do later in the morning...but when I don't, I weigh less. I'm not 100% positive there is something to my night time eating theory, it's just something I've noticed for myself.

    Ah, that could be it. I do snack at night sometimes but from now on I'll have to pay attention and see if that's the cause. Thanks for the idea!
  • mygirl15
    mygirl15 Posts: 16
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    I too am also obsessed with the scale. I weigh myself in the morning....after I work out and before I go to bed....Sometimes more just to see the numbers. Crazy I know!!! I have always been that way and I cant imagine only weighing myself once a week!!! I record my morning numbers because honestly they are almost a pound lighter than when i go to bed. I also make sure to weigh myself the same way. like in a sports bra and shorts....Because honestly a t-shirt and jeans can add like a pound!!! So when you weigh yourself makesure its the same outfit or like similar always in jeans and a t or naked or however you wanna do it ,....but i wonder why yours is the complete opposite than me... mmmm
  • Myschelle
    Myschelle Posts: 101 Member
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    I used to have the same problem. Let's say I weighed first thing in the morning, mine would be less that very same night....WEIRD. SO, I used to weigh at night, but lately it's the same no matter what time of day. :tongue:
  • michellehorvath
    michellehorvath Posts: 57 Member
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    I've tried that but I just can't stay away that long! If I get on the scale and it's more then I know to watch what I eat that day. No I don't starve myself because the scale says I gained. I just think about what I'm eating a little more than I would normally and try to choose healthier options. I think that if weighing daily and maybe more than once a day helps me to think about what I'm eating then it's got to be a positive thing. At least for me.
    [/quote]

    I totally agree with you! I am on the several scale whenever I amin the bathroom as a reminder of what I've accomplshed and how I am doing......starvng myself has never been an ooption as a result i a heavy weigh in.....but like you it is a reminder to make good choices!! Good luck! I wish I had an answer for weighing more in the morning but I have no idea!
  • aecryan
    aecryan Posts: 89
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    I weigh at least once a day. :blushing: I can't help it. It actually keeps me accountable. So here's to the scale nuts! :drinker: :laugh:

    I am not sure why you weigh more in the morning... how much weight are we talking about here? More than 1 lb?
  • SNorrisii
    SNorrisii Posts: 31
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    There is also the possability that you may be getting up in the middle of the night and drinking water and you don't remember it because your still half asleep also make sure your scale is on a hard serface and not on carpet and that you are centered on the scale hope this helps
  • LeAnn_Mae
    LeAnn_Mae Posts: 263 Member
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    I am not sure why you weigh more in the morning... how much weight are we talking about here? More than 1 lb?

    Normally it's about a pound and a half difference between the first morning weigh in and the second morning weigh in. I guess it could be my scale. Maybe I need to change the battery? I never thought of that.
  • cris12
    cris12 Posts: 90
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    Hm, do you eat late at night? I've never been a nighttime eater, and I've always found I weigh the least in the mornings, before breakfast and after going to the bathroom. I always have the feeling of waking up skinny, probably because I spend hours awake during nighttime, well after dinner, without eating anything, and then sleeping adds +8 hours to my body not eating.
  • alilind03
    alilind03 Posts: 3 Member
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    I often weight at night and first thing in the morning, naked after going to the bathroom. Always, I weight 1/2 to 1.5 lbs less in the morning. The times that it is less is when I snack at night. I've read not to eat after 8 pm and try to stay with this. Super curious as to why you would weight more in the morning. Maybe your doctor could answer this.......? If you find something out, let me know. As to weighing every day-This is the only thing that keeps me motivated-seeing consistent results often and noting soon if I'm heading up.
  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
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    I am not sure why you weigh more in the morning... how much weight are we talking about here? More than 1 lb?

    Normally it's about a pound and a half difference between the first morning weigh in and the second morning weigh in. I guess it could be my scale. Maybe I need to change the battery? I never thought of that.

    Thats what I was thinking. I know my battery needs to be changed, I can get on it several times in a matter of minutes and the number changes drastically, like 2-3 lbs. Every once in while I will do that to check it if I am concerned about the batteries.
  • LeAnn_Mae
    LeAnn_Mae Posts: 263 Member
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    There is also the possability that you may be getting up in the middle of the night and drinking water and you don't remember it because your still half asleep also make sure your scale is on a hard serface and not on carpet and that you are centered on the scale hope this helps

    Nope, when I go to sleep I'm dead to the world! The scale not being on a flat surface may be the problem too. I'll have to check that.

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