Scale Number Differences Day and Night

secretlobster

The time of day when you step on a scale and read the number that indicates the earth's gravitational force upon you doesn't actually change your body mass.

What you want to look for is a general picture - A downward trend in weight. If you lose sight of the general picture because you're focused on daily fluctuations, then you're not doing yourself any favors by weighing yourself daily.

Remember that you can't control your weight by stepping on a scale. You can only control it with diet, exercise, and PATIENCE.

Bumdrahp

Yeah, so I lied it's not just Sundays, I have been trying to do Sundays, seems I haven't been. just looked at my journal lol.

Lozze

OP can I ask what your current weight/height is? From your picture you don't look as overweight as you're saying.

medennison123

there are so many different factors to take into consideration for your weight at night. Things like the food you ate the water you drank. I do weigh myself at night just as a "ok i should be around x and when i sleep i will lose x." It is more of a head game for me. But the only weights I record on mfp are the weekly weigh ins in the mourning before breakfast.

melhayes1115

I understand the need to weigh yourself multiple times per day. I use to do it and sometimes still do. I agree with everyone when they say pick a time of day whether it's the morning or night and stick with that as your actual weigh in time. I prefer morning since I know I won't be weighed down by food. If you feel the need to keep weighing in multiple times per day, make sure you're writing down everything you're eating and drinking and use it as a tool to see what foods are weighing you down. For example, if you eat a lot of salty foods, your body will retain more water causing you to weigh in higher. If you're eating a ton of fresh fruits and veggies, your system will flush out the bad stuff and you'll find you won't "gain" as much during the day.

Bumdrahp

The time of day when you step on a scale and read the number that indicates the earth's gravitational force upon you doesn't actually change your body mass.

What you want to look for is a general picture - A downward trend in weight. If you lose sight of the general picture because you're focused on daily fluctuations, then you're not doing yourself any favors by weighing yourself daily.

Remember that you can't control your weight by stepping on a scale. You can only control it with diet, exercise, and PATIENCE.

Yeah I know I can't control it stepping on a scale. It's not about being impatient for me. Of course I would like to see more progress but, I can't say 11 lbs in a month is bad. So, I am happy.

PlunderBunneh

I am new lol. I weigh myself all the time because I do, and that's it. I KNOW I shouldn't, but that doesnt stop the fact I do. it would make more sense not to, but curiosty always gets me. I always end up on the scale anyway.

And that's fine. I weigh myself every morning. But when I was new to the healthier lifestyle, I had to hide my scale, because I wasn't familiar enough with my body to accept that my weigh is going to go up every now and then. It's like a pretty little wave-line pattern. I'll drop to my new lowest, and then go up a pound or two over the course of the week, and usually (if I've been good) hit another new low a week or two later. When I was just starting out, that was incredibly frustrating.
Now a days, I use the scale to guide my choices through the following day. I am up .2 of a pound this morning, even though I ran 3 miles and was under my calorie limit, which I can reasonably guess means I had just a bit too much bread with dinner, and the sodium from the sauce is probably causing me to retain water. So today, to even things out, I'll go easy on the carbs and drink a few extra cups of water.
Everyone will weigh less at the end of the day. Don't use that as a reason to not celebrate your losses that are shown in the morning

Bumdrahp

OP can I ask what your current weight/height is? From your picture you don't look as overweight as you're saying.

5'2 231 ( according to morning loss). It's a head shot. lol.

Lozze

Know it's a head shot but usually people who are our size 'look' bigger in the face.

Honestly you can stop stepping on the scale. Just takes some discipline.

Qatsi

Like the other posters said - pick a time of day and be consistent about when you weigh yourself.

Also - for consistency, use the SAME scale for tracking your weight. Your home scale isn't necessarily calibrated the same as the one at your friend's house, or the gym, or the doctor's office. But it should be consistent with ITSELF, so a 5-pound loss is really a 5-pound loss.

Bumdrahp

Know it's a head shot but usually people who are our size 'look' bigger in the face.

Honestly you can stop stepping on the scale. Just takes some discipline.

I know it does, and that's something I'll need to practice along with my healthier lifestyle. I have a SOMEWHAT full body pic in my profile, it isnt the best since I don't even own a full length mirror!!

Jbarbo01

The scale is the worst. Just take pictures and compare every month.

Bumdrahp

Also, I have a lot of weight in my thighs and butt area. I mean I have it everywhere, but My face and shoulders don't show a lot of it.

Lozze

You'll be fine :-) It's hard at first. I dont even own a scale (your profile is friends only so can only see your profile pic)

LindaCWy

I usually weigh myself naked, after I use the washroom in the morning, once a week.

Try it

SirZee

Nothing wrong with weighing in daily. The problem lies in the emotional attachment to the scale. Emotions cloud judgement, and generally don't produce good results. I weigh in every morning consistently (for the last 6-7 years) and write down the weight and percentage in a notebook I keep next to the scale. If I want to examine the numbers, I look at the last 2-3 weeks worth for a pattern.

That's it. No exuberance for daily gains, nor depression for daily losses. Stuff like that is what makes you be not successful long term.

Sometimes I weigh in in the afternoon just for kicks. I routinely gain 3-5 pounds and LOSE as much as 7% bodyfat!!! Try to explain that rationally/logically lol.

chevvy53

yep Im with all the other posts especially beautyand theg. I weighed last friday and put three and half ounces yes ounces on but I had had birthday celebrations and the like Good Eh!..... sooooooo I jumped on scales this morning in a great mood guess what it saying once again I might add I have put on 2.3 kilos !! stoopid me for doing it but today another day take the advice given and weigh once a week same time same place it will be okay the scales can mess with your head, ive put mine on the norty step as I was feeling quite good about myself maybe Ishould join them odm :embarassed: x you will be fine x

russellma

There's nothing wrong with weighing yourself more than once a day, if that motivates you, or (like me), if you find the trends fascinating. I actually weigh myself 3 times a day...am, after workout, and pm! I don't stress over it, but I just like watching the numbers go up and down. I guess I'm easily amused! LOL!

If you just like to watch numbers, too, then just choose which one you're going to actually record. (If I were you, I'd choose the morning one because there are fewer factors that make it fluctuate.)

But, if seeing a 3 or 4 lb. gain between morning and evening or a 3 or 4 lb. loss between bedtime and morning bothers you, then don't weigh yourself that often. Do what works for you.

Bumdrahp

There's nothing wrong with weighing yourself more than once a day, if that motivates you, or (like me), if you find the trends fascinating. I actually weigh myself 3 times a day...am, after workout, and pm! I don't stress over it, but I just like watching the numbers go up and down. I guess I'm easily amused! LOL!

If you just like to watch numbers, too, then just choose which one you're going to actually record. (If I were you, I'd choose the morning one because there are fewer factors that make it fluctuate.)

But, if seeing a 3 or 4 lb. gain between morning and evening or a 3 or 4 lb. loss between bedtime and morning bothers you, then don't weigh yourself that often. Do what works for you.

So true.. I'll just stick to my mornings. I like that number better anyway

Bumdrahp

You'll be fine :-) It's hard at first. I dont even own a scale (your profile is friends only so can only see your profile pic)

Ah now that I think about it I did set it to private. I have no reason for that, let me open it up.

MJ7910

Um, no i dont believe I am gaining and losing 3-4 lbs of FAT lol. I think it could be a variation of things. Not fat. I know weather, water intake, and food can make a lot of changes in your body. I do weight myself at the same times every day. Right before work, and right before bed.

just do the morning weigh in. those 3-4 lb will drive you crazy. especially because it's not always the same amount of weight. some nights it's 3lb difference some nights 2lb, some 4... i have actually gone to weighing every 2 weeks because of fluctuations with TOM and ovulation. i always seem about 2-5 lb heavier during TOM/ovulation so i had to stop this...

Lindsey_Latham

I agree. have heard that if you weigh yourself everyday, you tend to not see immediate changes and it can depress you into thinking your hard work is well, not working. I was told to weigh onc a wweek, or biweekly.

subbychick

I weigh twice a week, Wednesday morning and Saturday morning. After I pee with nothing on but panties. When I was losing weight I would weigh only once and then when I switched to maintain I started twice a week. You will def drive yourself mad with the constant up and down the scale shows and then get discouraged (been there, done that)! If I eat a heavy sodium meal on Friday night I see as much as a 3 lb weight gain on Saturday morning! So what you eat prior to weighing def has a huge impact on the scale!!! Do your best to restrain yourself from weighing so often!

Bumdrahp

I weigh twice a week, Wednesday morning and Saturday morning. After I pee with nothing on but panties. When I was losing weight I would weigh only once and then when I switched to maintain I started twice a week. You will def drive yourself mad with the constant up and down the scale shows and then get discouraged (been there, done that)! If I eat a heavy sodium meal on Friday night I see as much as a 3 lb weight gain on Saturday morning! So what you eat prior to weighing def has a huge impact on the scale!!! Do your best to restrain yourself from weighing so often!

I will be trying my best to not weigh myself again until Sunday Morning! Lol, lets hope I can do this.

mjhuff1121

Can't stop hopping on the scale? Have a friend take it away for a week.

I weigh myself a couple of times per week, but I only record my weight and take measurements on the 15th and last (30th/31st) day of each month. That gives me a 2week span to see a real difference, but I still monitor my weekly behavior, as I feel the need. But never more than twice a week. And it's always, as the others said, in the morning, right after I pee with only a tank top and panties on. Crazy hair and all.

chicpeach

The number on the scale is just to track your progress, so as long as you consistently weigh-in under the same conditions, you see your true progress. Remember, it's not the number on the scale you're ultimately after - it's how you look and feel in your own skin. You don't carry a scale in your purse so you can throw it on the ground, step on it and prove to anyone how little you weigh. It's your appearance and your healthy glow that's gonna make the impression on people.

Alpine005

I weight myself twice a day. I know some people might be shocked by this, but it works for me.

I step on the scale at night before I go to bed and once in the morning (pretty much any time before I take a shower, since it's in my bathroom). I use the morning reading as my official reading. I do it at night to give me a sneak peak. Like clockwork I lose 2 pounds overnight. I have a lot to lose so there are times when I’m losing weight daily (or at least my body release water to reveal the fat loss). I understand it's not always fat I'm gaining or losing, but it still feels good. For me, it doesn’t stress me out and stepping on the scale represents another day on my journey. I have come to terms with the fact that this is a life change, not a temporary one.

I find it kind of interesting to see how my daily activities affect my weight. My sodium intake seems to drive my weight fluctuations. The more I control my sodium intake the more accurate my "weight" is. It's not unusual for me to put on 1-2 pounds after a really high sodium day.

Bumdrahp

The number on the scale is just to track your progress, so as long as you consistently weigh-in under the same conditions, you see your true progress. Remember, it's not the number on the scale you're ultimately after - it's how you look and feel in your own skin. You don't carry a scale in your purse so you can throw it on the ground, step on it and prove to anyone how little you weigh. It's your appearance and your healthy glow that's gonna make the impression on people.

if they had a travel sized scale I would prob be carrying it with me :laugh: NOT funny, I know.. but it's probably true. Though I wouldnt be pulling it out in front of people.

moosmumma

Hi. I tend to weigh myself weekly on a Sunday morning. It's true that you gain 2-3 pounds over the day but it is water that retained. You use this when you sleep hence why we are lighter in the morning. Also weighing myself on a Sunday gives me a plan for the week ahead of what to eat and how much exercise I need to do spending on how much I weigh. Hope this is helpful

opus649

I weigh myself every day and keep a 7-day rolling average. I feel this is much more accurate than "weigh once per week."