Weigh MORE in the morning?

LeAnn_Mae

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 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!

jknops2

Probably caused by the temperature of your house. Scale might show a different reading when it is at a different temperature.

ifiwasurvampire

How about not weighing yourself everyday. Pick one day a week and weigh that day. Otherwise your gonna stress yourself out.

wriglucy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

michellehorvath

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.
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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

TAMEKAHARDY

Hey, LeeAnn

I am having the fricking same problem! I weigh more in the morning but less around noon.. Pisses me off.. And I too also weigh myself daily.. It keeps me on track and motivates me that much more to keep going.. I guess it's just a habit.. So since I have been having this problem, I only have a protein shake for breakfast then I go workout.. When I come home, I pee, shower then weigh.. I have a trainer and we weigh in once a month.. I hate doing it because I know if I wait till later I will weigh less.. It depresses me as well cause I weigh more in the am and I train at 5:30 in the morning.. I have been looking for an answer to this mystery for months and have yet to find it:.. So, when I do, I will let you know.. Keep doing what you're doing.. Everybody is different and everyone will have an opinion but you do you..

JLove2Zumba

I just want to say I understand! Twice now I have weighed in post workout and my weight has been lower then stepping on the scale first thing in the morning.. I weighed in yesterday first thing at 135.. Then I had my toast for b'fast and coffee, and ran for an hour on the treadmill, I then Stripped down to nothing and jumped back on.. 134.2 .. I stepped on and off 5 times and there is where it stayed.. So I made the decision, that I will weigh in post workout from now on and not first thing in the morning.. NEVER at the end of the day, But I do believe a few hours after being up gives you more of an accurate reading : )

shakybabe

I'll have to try this... though I have weighed both before and after bathroom and after 2 hours exercise and been the same weight.. I don't know if its water retention I do have monthlies.. I'll have to try it when they end.

Usually on my regular digital scales (gives just one weight) I'm lighter in morning than at night but on the body fat scales I'm heavier first thing than at night and sometimes can be up to a stone difference between them, which I can't understand.

I thought body fat scales might give a lighter reading cos its not including water weight, but surely can't be carrying about stone of water?... and other digital scales only fluctuate by 1 lb in day if I haven't eaten carbs. For example on digital scales this morning I was 11st 5, on the body fat scales just now I got 10st 2, 10st 8, 10st 3, 10st 4... usually on digital scales I get the same number if I get on and off a few times in a row.. so they are the ones I go by.

TAMEKAHARDY

Jaime, good idea.. Post workout weighing is more accurate for me right now.. I'm thinking it has something to do with gravity or something.. But I have yet to find anything online about it, just a bunch of forums.. But I really need to stop weighing every single day cause when the scale doesn't change daily, even if it is the same weight as the day before, it ruins my whole day! pretty bad, huh? I don't gain but some days, I may weigh the same for two days and I hate that with a passion..

Care911

I don't have an answer for this... I was just trying to look it up myself, lol. But I just wanted to say that I have the same thing happen to me. If I weigh right when I get out of bed--and I also weigh daily--I weigh anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 lbs more than if I weigh myself the same way a few hours later. This is consistent, and the only thing that may have changed is going pee, and sometimes not even that. That certainly isn't responsible for that type of weight loss! My last scale broke only a week or two ago and I still have this so I doubt it is your battery. And I have a wood floor, not carpet, and my scale is completely level.

The only thing I can think of--besides what some people have mentioned about maybe not having fully digested food from the night before (which even then, is curious, because it is still in your body--but maybe the food weighs more in you before it has been fully digested? That much weight difference seems unlikely, but I honestly don't know) is I wonder about muscle tone. When you sleep your muscles become relaxed, and you become heavy. Any person who has ever had their partner fall asleep on them, or carried a sleeping child, can testify to the fact that dead weight of a sleeping person is A LOT heavier than trying to lift them when they are fully awake and alert, and it isn't their actual weight that has changed. So maybe when you first wake up your body is kind of like that, not fully out of that zone, and your muscles aren't functioning as well because you are still slightly sleepy and relaxed, than they are a couple of hours later when you are fully alert and moving around.

Not sure how that works, but it's the only other reason I can think of for this. And I don't know about for others, but for me it is consistently this way.

popcornplaya64

I feel for you. I weigh myself 5 or 6 times a day and if I'm ever over two pounds heavier I won't eat for 12 hours and do a lot of exercise. I think something is wrong with me. Haha.

mundaycarroll

I know exactly how you feel about having to know the numbers. For me it's like the number on the scale is what determins how big I am. I know that's not true at all but it's just how my thought process works. I'm trying really hard to fix that though.

Sabine_Stroehm

WOW this is an old thread.

tmbg1

I weigh more in the morning too!! I still haven't figured out why.

belabbacihadj

Recently started doing Diet , I am experiencing same! did you know what was the reason ?