Do you weigh yourself before or after you exercise?

WalkingAlong

This message brought to you from 2011...

hermann341

I'm a bit of a numbers kind of guy, so I weigh myself before going to bed, second thing after waking up (first thing is taking care of business), and after exercising. I only log the morning weight with MFP, as that's going to be your most average weight for day.

Before I exercise in the morning, I drink a quart of water (~2 pounds). After an hour of exercise and showering, my weight is about 3 pounds less than my wake up weight. So, my weight will fluctuate a total of 5 pounds in just over an hour, between hydrating and exercising. Kind of good to know for running half and full marathons (or any endurance event for that matter).

meganjcallaghan

I weigh before AND after. but I do that to determine sweat rate while running so that I know how much more sodium I'll need after a big run (I've lost up to 6 pounds in a run before)... not for the purpose of "weighing in", so if that's what you're asking for, I don't have a specific time I do that.

meganjcallaghan

I weigh first thing in the morning before breakfast and before exercising. This is the time you weigh the least amount...so I've heard.

I used to do that. I'm not losing anymore. just trying to maintain around 145 ish....and I find I have to weigh more often to make sure I don't keep going down. i'll often check once in the morning and once in the afternoon just to see where I'm at, and I'm always a few pounds heavier in the morning than I am when I get home from work.

nilbogger

I weigh myself before because I drink water before and sometimes during exercise.

stacyjh1979

I sometimes do both just for the heck of it but the weight I use is first thing in the morning, after I pee, no food or drink and naked. That is always going to be the most accurate with the least number of variables to throw off your reading. If you weigh after you exercise it's going to vary just depending on what amount of water you consumed...the water has weight and if you drink one cup one time and 3 cups another time the weight of the water is going to make it inaccurate. Consistency is the most important thing but "after exercise" is going to vary depending on what you did, how long, how hard you worked and water you consumed so it's really not consistent.

stacyjh1979

I'm a bit of a numbers kind of guy, so I weigh myself before going to bed, second thing after waking up (first thing is taking care of business), and after exercising. I only log the morning weight with MFP, as that's going to be your most average weight for day.

Before I exercise in the morning, I drink a quart of water (~2 pounds). After an hour of exercise and showering, my weight is about 3 pounds less than my wake up weight. So, my weight will fluctuate a total of 5 pounds in just over an hour, between hydrating and exercising. Kind of good to know for running half and full marathons (or any endurance event for that matter).

Lol you sound like me! I'm a huge numbers geek. I will often weigh myself in the morning, after work, when I exercise (on the wii fit) and before bed. I only use the morning weight but I just like to get an idea of where I'm at during different times of the day to help me better understand my body's patterns.

Timelordlady85

I weigh first thing in the morning before breakfast and before exercising. This is the time you weigh the least amount...so I've heard.

+1 i also don't weight after exercise because I've lost water from sweating and as soon as gulp down a glass or two of water the scale goes back up to account for it. I've found the best method for me is in the mornings .

mhlew

I record my official weigh in on Saturday morning around 9am- This is after I have used the restroom and before I have eaten or dranken anything.

I have found that after a workout I will weigh the same, and even very commonly weigh up to 2-3 pounds more (probably from water dranken during and after my workout, and muscle swelling retaining water)

Also what is interesting that I have noticed with my body, is my weight loss will reflect on the scale usually 1 day after a rest day.

Tracey_B_72

I think that as long as you weigh at the same time every week you'll get your weightloss, if you change your weighing time then you may have a better or worse weightloss for one week then you'll just get your normal loss after that, at think you just need to find the best time for you and be consistent.

Guanare

I weigh myself early this morning before work out and breakfast. I was wearing my workout clothes/shoes and my weight was 128.2 lbs. I did it again after workout, showering and while wearing regular clothes/no shoes and my weight was 126... I guess that I really weight 127.1

kahulalui

I only weigh myself twice a month first thing in the morning. That is just me because, my weight fluctuates after drinking, eating, and working out.

caracrawford1

GossInABox wrote: »

I've been with MFP for almost two months now and Thursday is my weigh-in day. I always weigh myself after I exercise and before I take a shower simply because that's most convenient for me. But should I be weighing myself first thing? I'm wondering if all that water I drink while exercising would effect the outcome at all. Not that I drink that much really...I'm still working on my stamina and have been doing 20 minutes lately (did my first half hour today!), but I'm wondering if I should switch it up a bit.

What do you guys do? And do you think it matters at all for accurate results?

Before. I workout for a good hour in the gym and then give the dogs a 3-5 mile walk after. Weighing myself after makes me magically between 2-3lbs lighter. All sweating (water weight)
If you're going to weigh yourself before ALWAYS do it before, so you have an accurate comparison. Same with if you decide to do it after--just know that if you're doing any decent amount of exercise--30+ minutes or more, you should understand water weight will be a factor.

sofaking6

Unless someone is paying me per ounce I don't care since the amount of weight I'm trying to lose is not equivalent to wet hair or a full bladder.

mitch16

For tracking I always weigh myself first thing in the morning, after voiding, before eating anything, completely naked. Currently I am doing this twice a week, just because I want to.

However, I normally weigh myself a couple of times of day just for the sake of science (before/after using the bathroom, before/after a long run to see how bad I dehydrated myself, with/without clothes to see how much my favorite outfits weigh, before/after dinner out at a restaurant). It's just interesting to see how my body reacts!

westhaven68

I'm a fitness trainer and here's why you should weigh in before exercise.
When you exercise, especially if you're doing strength training, your muscles store extra glycogen during healing. This can cause fluid retention. Also muscles will tear from the workout. But these things can cause your weight on the scale to temporarily increase.

cwolfman13

I weigh in first thing in the morning before my shower...empty belly, bowels, and bladder.

Tacklewasher

WalkingAlong wrote: »

This message brought to you from 2011...

Another necro thread from a first time poster. Weird how that happens.

I run on the treadmill for 30 mins most mornings and weigh after. I don't drink very much and sweat out more than I drink so yeah, I "cheat" a little. I have weighed before and after and can drop up to a half a pound.

I do weigh every morning whether I run or not. I really have to just weigh once as my scale updates everything automatically.