My case for weighing yourself every day.

DiscipleN2k

I like to weigh in everyday, but I'm a data nerd. I love adding plot points to my progress chart! If my morning weigh-in is higher than I expect, then I just assume I'm probably still carrying a bit more of the previous night's dinner with me than usual and the next few days should average out to my true weight. At the end of the week, it's not the individual data points that matter, it's the overall trend.

This, however, drives my wife NUTS! It's pretty distressing for her to see her weight jump up two pounds from one weigh-in to the next. She can rationalized it and see that there are likely good reasons why one weigh-in was especially low while the next was especially high, but it still bothers her enough to disrupt her progress. For her, a once or twice a week schedule works way better.

It's definitely one of those things that just requires each person to find what works for them and stick with it!

LATeagno

I always weigh daily! This lifestyle change is all about routine to me. I know my weight will fluctuate, but I like having my morning weigh-in as a routine. It helps me stay on track.

That said, I don't log my weight daily. My rule is I only log losses. If I gain, a gain has to appear for three consecutive days (weigh-ins) and then I'll log the gain. It keeps me going and it works for me. Since this is all about YOU, always do what works for you!

angiechimpanzee

I used to be a defender for weighing every day, saying "as long as you don't take the fluctuations personally, it's no big deal". I'd even weigh multiple times a day, just to "see the difference".

Then I realized that no matter how hard you try, that number may slightly tweak your mood and affect you for the rest of the day if that's how you start your day off. And that number is dependant on so many things that could be going on in your body, it's not fair to you to have that set the tone for your day.

I've "lost" 8lbs overnight from being dehydrated. I've "gained" 8lbs in a day because of ..... something. All of it is arbitrary when it comes to your actual health and body fat %, which is what you're aiming to reduce - not your body's actual weight, but the chubber.

So it's much more logical and kind to your psyche to just weigh once a week or even once a month on the same day, under the same conditions (in the morning, no clothes, after the potty) and watch the trend, rather than nitpick at the details.

Say you were actually logging this weight every day.... your graph would look like this: /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

I'd rather have a long linear downslope. It's much more encouraging, and it takes away a lot of the stress and perfectionistic thinking.

This is the exact same reason why I stopped weighing daily. I'd see the same number, or a bigger number, for days in a row and even though I'd try to tell myself "it's okay, you're just retaining water because of x reason", or "its just the weight of the food still in your digestive system" I still felt a certain way after seeing a number I didn't want to see. I hated that a number set the tone for my day, regardless of how well I've been doing.

At the same time, though, I suppose the same thing could happen from week to week. And in that case it would be even more disappointing. I guess with weighing daily, you can see how low you possibly get. And you can see that the up & downs from day to day over time create a downward trend, so I suppose those could calm one's obsession. Sigh, honestly I have no clue which one is better.

maricash

I used to be a defender for weighing every day, saying "as long as you don't take the fluctuations personally, it's no big deal". I'd even weigh multiple times a day, just to "see the difference".

Then I realized that no matter how hard you try, that number may slightly tweak your mood and affect you for the rest of the day if that's how you start your day off. And that number is dependant on so many things that could be going on in your body, it's not fair to you to have that set the tone for your day.

I've "lost" 8lbs overnight from being dehydrated. I've "gained" 8lbs in a day because of ..... something. All of it is arbitrary when it comes to your actual health and body fat %, which is what you're aiming to reduce - not your body's actual weight, but the chubber.

So it's much more logical and kind to your psyche to just weigh once a week or even once a month on the same day, under the same conditions (in the morning, no clothes, after the potty) and watch the trend, rather than nitpick at the details.

Say you were actually logging this weight every day.... your graph would look like this: /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

I'd rather have a long linear downslope. It's much more encouraging, and it takes away a lot of the stress and perfectionistic thinking.

I've found it much easier on my psyche to weigh every day. When I used to do it less often, I'd be so discouraged if I didn't see a big loss. It made it feel like a test that I needed to pass and I felt hopeless if I didn't pass it. It never even occurred to me that my "failure" might have just been because I ate salty food the night before.

I don't log my weight every day on MFP. You're right that it would make the progress graph all over the place. But, I do log it every day in Excel and add a trendline. When I get discouraged, I look at the trendline (still steadily downward) or I look back at another day in which my weight was way up and remember that it's usually followed by a drop to a new low. I only record the new lows on MFP.

I think people should weigh as often as works for them, but I think a lot of people would benefit from daily weigh ins if they gave them a try.

gauchogirl

I used to be a defender for weighing every day, saying "as long as you don't take the fluctuations personally, it's no big deal". I'd even weigh multiple times a day, just to "see the difference".

Then I realized that no matter how hard you try, that number may slightly tweak your mood and affect you for the rest of the day if that's how you start your day off. And that number is dependant on so many things that could be going on in your body, it's not fair to you to have that set the tone for your day.

I've "lost" 8lbs overnight from being dehydrated. I've "gained" 8lbs in a day because of ..... something. All of it is arbitrary when it comes to your actual health and body fat %, which is what you're aiming to reduce - not your body's actual weight, but the chubber.

So it's much more logical and kind to your psyche to just weigh once a week or even once a month on the same day, under the same conditions (in the morning, no clothes, after the potty) and watch the trend, rather than nitpick at the details.

Say you were actually logging this weight every day.... your graph would look like this: /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

I'd rather have a long linear downslope. It's much more encouraging, and it takes away a lot of the stress and perfectionistic thinking.

GREAT answer! And I keep two graphs, one looks like /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ and one I only enter the new low so it's linear. always going down. (And, LOL, I actually have a third, which rounds the number into the closest 2.5 lb increment so it doesn't fluctuate as much if I'm still in the general ballpark...) And I was/am an everyday weigher, until I started noticing problems. Like you mention, every change affects my mood and I thought it was pretty crappy of me to start my day with an artificially (and arbitrarily)-induced mood. So I am working towards once a week weigh-ins, but I'm not there yet.

beachlover317

This is why my scale now resides in the very back of the linen closet. I have not weighed in 3 weeks. I will not weigh again until 01-01-13. I am seeing great losses of inches from lifting heavy - but not a lot of pounds. I want to abolish the mindset that the scale is the be all. It's just too discouraging. :sad:

I used to weigh once a week, then it became every day, and finally several times a day. I have had enough. Nobody sees the number on the scale, but everybody notices when you lose inches! :noway:

Just me

Katla49

I weigh myself about 5 times a day so that I get a feel for which parts of the day I am the heaviest/lightest. Also just because I like seeing my numbers go down! And like you, I get excited when I hit that new low! Of course I don't weigh in every day on MFP... usually every week or so, or whenever I have gone down a full pound. I agree with your thinking! It really is the best way to monitor your weight.

I am so curious about this. Did yo find a pattern? When are you heavy versus light? Or does it seem random?

photossandy11

I weigh myself every day and then I use www.trendweight.com to get the real picture.

KeltaRose

I have a morning routine, and weighing myself is part of it. Regardless of whether I am up or down, I start my morning thinking about my weight and that is what I have to think about all day in order to be 100% conscious and in control of what I am eating and how much I exercise. I log it on MFP to keep track of it. This works for me.

lizblizz2012

I weigh myself about 5 times a day so that I get a feel for which parts of the day I am the heaviest/lightest. Also just because I like seeing my numbers go down! And like you, I get excited when I hit that new low! Of course I don't weigh in every day on MFP... usually every week or so, or whenever I have gone down a full pound. I agree with your thinking! It really is the best way to monitor your weight.

I am so curious about this. Did yo find a pattern? When are you heavy versus light? Or does it seem random?

I'm lightest at night. Almost as light in the morning. And in the middle of the day I'm obviously my heaviest because I'm eating. My weight fluctuates in a 2 lb range every day. This morning when I weighed myself I was 164.4. When I weighed myself at work I was165.2 and tonight when I weighed I was 163.6. It really does follow a pattern, though some days it's a little off. When I hit a new low that is a full pound from my last weigh in, I log it.

Doesntplaynice82

I weigh myself every day because my boyfriend bought me a withings scale for my birthday and I love it...I also like to look at how I fluctuate at different times of the month (you know what i'm saying) I dont take it personally and I'm not obsessed LOL (maybe obsessed with the scale but not the weight)

mudya

I weigh myself once a week after being 'cleared out' if you know what I mean :P This way when I weigh myself I get an accurate reading. For me, there is no need to weigh in everyday because my diary reflects my weight loss accurately. After a week of following my diary strictly, I know that I have lost weight - I don't even have to weigh in, but I do obviously!

Skmellyg

I used to weigh in daily. I would berate myself daily because it was not where I was yesterday. I actually made a status about this very thing. It would put me into depression modes. I have tried to weigh in weekly but I can't control myself. So as of right now I have gotten rid of the scale. I don't need it. I am going to go by how I am feeling and how my clothes are fitting. I don't need a number to determine my mood. That is just me, not true for everyone else.

happythermia

Same. My scale makes a handy chart that shows my ups & downs all the way back from March, and it's been super helpful and it keeps me motivated. (I have the fitbit aria scale)

Even if I get a freak day where it seems like I've lost 3lbs and I really haven't - it pushes me because I know I can get there. It's attainable :-)

Honestly, I just look at it as data. It can't hurt me...I know I won't step on it and be right back where I started. Maybe where I was last week, but that just pushes me to look at what I've been doing between then and now and I go from there. It doesn't work for everyone, but it definitely does for me.

natalie412

That is exactly what I did while I was losing and still do on maintenance. As long as you don't obsess about the normal fluctuations. I seemed to have a pattern of not losing for awhile, then losing several pounds, then it would go up a little, and then lose several pounds again. If I only weighed weekly, it would have been discouraging. Now I fluctuate through a 4 pound range. As long as I don't get over a certain weight consistently for more than 2 weeks, I won't worry about it.

dawneekoz

I agree with you Marty! I like to weigh daily. I find when I go off track I ignore the scale because I am in denial and don't wanna know, but when I am on track I am excited to see if I went down a little each day. But I know that it fluctuates so I don't get discouraged if it is up one day.

Dawn

Ldysw357

Totally agree! I weigh myself twice a day and I have learned what my normal gain through the day is, my average water weight etc. I think it really helps keeps me on track.

mimstero

I totally agree with your thinking. I weigh every day because I don't want my one certain day to be the day that it's the highest.

gypsyrose64

I like to weigh in everyday, but I'm a data nerd. I love adding plot points to my progress chart! If my morning weigh-in is higher than I expect, then I just assume I'm probably still carrying a bit more of the previous night's dinner with me than usual and the next few days should average out to my true weight. At the end of the week, it's not the individual data points that matter, it's the overall trend.

Just started this journey last month (10/11) and the above is true for me as well. I'm a spreadsheet queen. With that said, I lost 17lbs the first 18 days. Then my daily weigh in back fired on me, when the scales refused to budge for 7 days straight. I'd bounce +1/-1 pound, but that was it. I have to admit it screwed with my head the last day or so. How the heck can I stall out THAT quick!?

Anyways, I am going to continue my daily plotting and just do a reality check here. My main reason for doing it daily is watching my water retention. Some days I blow up big time. Pitting edema in the legs, shoes squeezing the feet, etc. Some days I actually have a shin-bone! Daily monitoring is helping pinpoint what in my diet is triggering this. I always thought it was sodium, but as it turns out - BREAD appears to be a culprit. Not 100% sure on that yet, so I eliminated bread to see if it happens again. So far, so good.

I just have to remind myself on the "puff days" that it's temporary. I just wish the weight-loss "trend" would start moving again. (sigh)

Kim55555

This is why my scale now resides in the very back of the linen closet. I have not weighed in 3 weeks. I will not weigh again until 01-01-13. I am seeing great losses of inches from lifting heavy - but not a lot of pounds. I want to abolish the mindset that the scale is the be all. It's just too discouraging. :sad:

I used to weigh once a week, then it became every day, and finally several times a day. I have had enough. Nobody sees the number on the scale, but everybody notices when you lose inches! :noway:

Just me

Best reply!

I have fluctuated between 57.2 & 60.5 for the past 5 months. If I were to go by scale weight it doesn't show what has been really happening. August 4th I got to 57.2 & right now Im in the 60's. I'm thinner than I was 5 months ago. I'm getting my measurements & skin folds taken on Wednesday. I'll post my update. My clothes are getting looser, people keep saying I've lost more weight & my regular photos are showing a difference. I can see arm definition now, as my fat has stripped away. The muscles can be seen.

It's funny because they say you can't put on muscle when in a calorie deficit but I swear my boy must be going through some kind of a slow recomp. It surely can't be all fluid retention weight. I think my muscles, bones must be getting slightly heavier (also the muscle will be retaining fluid as it repairs. So I'm in fact replacing fat with all the factors mentioned.

I'm 5, 2 & 60 & I'll be lucky to reach 57 kg I reckon with the amount of LBM I have. I've lost 32 kg since April 2010 & the last 2 years have been a slow recomp eating between 1700-2200 depending on activity levels. I exercise intensely and lift very heavy.