How does weighing once a week make sense?

emacb123

If I weigh once a week...what if THAT'S the day it fluctuated in the wrong direction and now I think I've gained weight when maybe I haven't...

Just curious as to the logic behind this...

Yeah, I've thought of this too. So here is what I do (which is seriously neurotic)

I weigh every morning and keep a spreadsheet of daily weight. At the end of each week I take the highest and lowest weights and record that range in a separate column on the spreadsheet. This way I can see trends while factoring in daily fluctuations.

For MFP I record Friday's weight and every other Friday I measure.

I said it was neurotic, didn't I?

rebeccab575

Do what ever you need to do to stay motivated, as long as it doesn't become obsessive. If you can control your mind when you see #'s go up a pound or 2, then weigh daily. I'm weighing in about 3-4 times a week. Some days I just don't want to step on the scale, and other days I can't wait to wake up and see where I'm at. I have a long journey, and I need to lose a lot more weight, so its important I stay on track. Like you, once a week doesn't cut it for me.
**As long as you feel good and its getting you to your goal - do what you need to do for your own well being**

stephdeeable

It makes sense to me if it stops at least a few of these posts a day "Haaaaaaaaaalp me, I gained 9 pounds overnight. Why can't I lose weight??! I'm just going to quit! Haaalp! Call an ambulance!"

now_or_never13

If you are ok with seeing the changes day to day than daily weighing is ok.

The issue is for those on here who weight daily and expect the scale to go down each day. They see a gain and freak out... come post on here about how they are so discouraged and they didn't overeat but they are gonna binge now because they gained two lbs and they are gonna give up because they just cannot lose weight. Those are the ones who should not be weighing everyday.

If you are ok with the changes, weigh more often. Some people do so they know their body better by how their weight changes. For some, daily weighing can ruin any progress.

714rah714

I started recording weekly quite a while back. Consistently, Saturday mornings, after bathroom, before eating/drinking. I chose Saturday because, according to trends I had seen in my weight fluctuations, that's the day I tend to weigh the least. But I will record on Saturdays whether it goes up or down (I'm in maintenance). The reason that I do this, and tend to recommend it, is because our weights DO fluctuate so much daily, I've seen so many people get disheartened because of those fluctuations. You can generally get a better view of the way your weight is trending if you record once per week (or probably even if you do it every two weeks/month, etc). I actually do weigh myself most days, but only record it on Saturdays.

Sounds quite logical

FlannelMothman

I weigh everyday for two reasons: 1) it keeps accountable, 2) I'm on certain meds that have potential to cause weight gain, so I like to keep a close eye on that. I really think its all a matter of personal preference.

I like to weigh in every day for the same reasons - If I don't see a "gain" I might lose motivation. Seeing an 8oz gain one morning might make me push a little harder during my run, whereas if I see a 2oz loss, let's say, I might not challenge myself as much. And weighing in once a week doesn't work for me - I'm too curious! I'll weigh in several times a day just to see how my body works with food and stuff. "I had nothing but veggies all day, let's see what I'm at. Oh, neat."

Or "I've had like 3 gallons of water. I wonder what my water % is at?"
It's all a little game with me, and that's what keeps me interested in continuing to lose more... And I'm down almost 45lbs, so I'm going to stick with what works.

Nissi51

I weigh every 12 weeks or not at all....

FinallyDoingMe

I weigh myself at the same time every day but only record it once a week. I like to see the fluctuations and it keeps me on track.
I guess it's personal preference.

Guamybear

I weight every day...to impatient for once a week.

JanaCanada

I say, weigh in once a year. Oh wait, nevermind...that might be the day I gain. :laugh:

MeanSophieCat

I just think it depends on what motivates you. I weigh daily - right after waking up. Because of water weight fluctuations, which seem to be greater because I'm still breastfeeding, I need to see a trend - not a single number in a week or a month. Once a week or a month might be great if you are losing 2+lbs a week - but a pound or even a half of a pound is a good loss for me. Water weight fluctuations (especially due to hormones) can easily temporarily erase a week's or a month's progress (on the scale) for me.

If seeing a temporary weight increase is going to get you down, weigh less frequently or chuck your scale altogether.

newdaydawning79

I weigh myself daily (sometimes several times) just to see what's going on and how things affect my body. For me, knowing how drinking a bottle of water or something affects the scale makes me feel LESS concerned about fluctuations, as long as I know the cause. I only put it on MFP once a week though.

SueGeer

I posted this as a blog in December to explain why *I* weight daily:

" I first joined MFP in January 2011 weighing 149.2 lbs - not particularly overweight for my height of 5'5, but not comfortable. Following a 1200 calorie eating plan and weighing myself daily, I reached goal of 130 by June the same year......coincidentally on my 49th birthday.

On to maintenance - the hardest part, some say......upped calories & ate back exercise calories & weighed in every few days. Managed to maintain between 130 & 135 for the next 6 months or so.

2012......So many family parties & celebrations! Youngest son's 18th; my 50th; nephew's 21st; oldest son's wedding; middle sister's 25th wedding anniversary; youngest sister's wedding; Dad's 75th and a 2-week cruise, amongst others! So much food and so many to indulge in my favourite past-time. The scales went out the window to a certain extent. Yes, I know I was putting on weight....."it's OK, let's get these celebrations out the way then I'll get back on it"......you all know how it is, we've all been there.......

My profile pic was taken on our cruise........a perfect overeat occasion! The shorts were a bit tight........can almost see a camel-toe! but I was determined to enjoy it and made a promise that I would get back on track and lose the weight once we got home.

28th October 2012.......first morning after arriving home. OK.....weigh in time. OMG.... 158.5lbs!!!!! 9.3lbs more than when I first started on MFP and certainly heavier than I've ever been, excluding pregnancies.

Time to get really serious about this. Pulled out my nutrition sheet given to me by the gym.......low carbs, high protein, etc. Haven't followed it to the letter, but stuck reasonably close to the guidelines........and weighed every day.

Because of how I know myself and how my mindset works, I know that if I didn't weigh every day, I would get complacent and slip back into my old ways. For me, it's the only way to keep me on track.

I have an Aria scale, which is synced to MFP, so my weight is automatically posted to here.....what you see is what I've lost - straight from the scale."


And it's def working for me because.....Fast forward a little to today (28th February) 4 months since that post-cruise weigh-in......I now weigh 140.5lbs.....a loss so far of 18lbs!

So please, don't criticise those who do weigh every day.........we're all different, and for some of us, this is the only way..........

Whichever way is best for you, do it....and good luck! :flowerforyou:

Sue xxx

PAnn1

if you weigh yourself at the same time each week you see a general weight trend rather than the fluctuations. you are supposed to weigh yourself at the same time so that your body is in the same state it was in during previous weigh ins. weight fluctuations occur throughout the day due to sodium and water intake, undigested food and excrement in your intestines, and other factors.

so if i weigh myself every monday morning at the same time, i'm keeping my weigh in as close as possible to the same conditions that i had on previous monday mornings and that helps reduce error (it doesn't completely get rid of it, however, as there are things you can do sunday that influences your weigh in on monday). on top of that, your weight doesn't change considerably much from day to day, so you want to wait at least a week between weigh ins so that you either see results or you see that you have stalled. even better would be weighing in only once a month and as long as you are consistent with calorie deficits and exercise then you should see results.

or better yet, take measurements

^^^THIS^^^
I have always weighed once a week, using the same practices as the above. I found I had consistant losses and never hit one plateau (I know that's unusual for most people). If I weighed more than that I would feel disappointment during the week before my actual weigh day. Weighing once a week kept me motivated. I looked forward to my weigh days, so that kept me on track during the week. I also made Sunday's my "splurge days". I told myself from the beginning that if I had to give up certain things I really loved..like pizza..I wouldn't stay on track. My splurge days were also somethng to keep me on track because I looked forward to those days, too :-) I found I worked out harder knowing that I would have that one day to indulge just a bit...For some of my buddies here I have said "throw out your scale, because they were obsessing about the numbers. Like the above poster said "take measurements". How your clothes fit, how you look and how you feel, both physically and emotionally, are the measures of how you are really doing.

choconuts

i weigh every single morning, but I'm only logging/recording once a week. Gain, Lose, maintain--I record once a week. Mentally, I NEED to see the scale everyday, but I like the weekly trend of recording once a week.

Athijade

Most people can't separate a basic fluctuation in their daily weight from emotions. For them, seeing a "normal" fluctuation increase leads to feelings of failure and "what did I do wrong?". As such, it is actually detrimental for them to weight daily.

Or, for someone like me for example who has actual OCD, it becomes a trigger for obsessive thinking. I only weigh monthly because even weekly was starting to turn into a negative for me mentally.

On top of all of that, I don't see a point in weighing daily because there will be no meaningful change in a single 24 hour period. I sometimes have pizza or a beer because I believe in moderation, IIFYM, and 90/10. I honestly don't care what that will do in a 24 hour period because it won't be fat that is gained... only a bit of water retention.

BrotherBill913

It was'nt until I threw away my scale did I start to really lose weight and start feeling better. As of Oct 1st 2012 I am DOWN 6 belt loops. About to be 7. To me personally that is far more important than just some changing number on a scale........

natalie412

I agree with you - what if on your weekly weighin, you happen to be up? I went through that frustration for awhile, and then finally started weighing myself every morning. Then I would just log my losses. I found that I would show a significant loss every two weeks or so, and after that loss, I would go up a tad, and then within another week or so, would show another loss. Much less stressful, because I got to know my pattern. Now, in maintenance, I fluctuate around, but I know if I consistently go above my maintenance range for awhile, I need to cut back a little.

leomom72

a lot of people believe that takes frustration of daily weight gains and losses away...i on the other hand weigh every day, because i do it on wii fit plus..i have been logging every day in a notebook since i started over 2 years ago..i wanna look back one day and see my progress and fails..maybe it will help me STAY on track for the rest of my life, so i dont slip back into the way i was..i do official weigh ins here every sunday..to each their own

BlackStarDeceiver

I weigh in and measure once a month, any more frequently than that makes me go full on Rain Man and build spreadsheets. By then I cannot stop obsessing over trying to fit something that isn't linear (metabolism) into something that is e.g. spreadsheets.