The scale didn't go down today...

mcgeorge5

And I am bummed by that. I guess in my mathematical mind, any deficit in calories should equal a loss of weight, and I have seen the scale consistently move even by .2 or .4. Today it was .6 higher than yesterday.

I measure my food and record everything. I don't exercise. (I know, bad.) And I realize that I shouldn't weigh myself everyday. And I realize that I am nearing that time of the month.

It helps to just hash it all out on this forum. Thanks for reading.

Pearsquared

I had to stop weighing myself everyday for that reason. I thought I could mentally handle the ups and downs, but alas. Now I weigh once a week.

retiree2006

Your second paragraph should put it into perspective as you've figured out mostly likely "why". You'll have many days and weeks when the scale number will move up or seem stuck. Don't let it derail you from the bigger picture. Plus the scale isn't the true reflection of how you're doing. Go with measurements, pictures, how clothes fit and how you feel. There's a lot more to it than a number...that will follow.

Sparlingo

I weigh every day, mostly out of habit - but initially, it was to get over the shock of the fluctuations, and to understand that as long as I'm trending downward over the long term, then any individual reading is basically meaningless.

I read a success story recently from a daily weighing guy, and though I believe he lost over 100 lbs (and looks awesome!), 40% of his scale readings were increases - 40%!!

Make sure you have other metrics for success: I measure my arm, chest, waist, abdomen, hips, thigh and calf monthly. I also take progress photos monthly from the front, side and back.

The photos are certainly the most encouraging thing. It's amazing what a difference 3 or 4 lbs can make in a photo.

Keep it up! And when the scale is more discouraging, consider either weighing in less frequently, or just thinking rationally about your decisions: does an uptick in the scale make your healthy eating decisions less valuable? No. Does an uptick in the scale make the strength training or cardiovascular activity you've done less important for your body? No. Were you eating at a deficit? (I'm going to assume the answer is yes here). Well then? Carry on!!

Edited to add that I would encourage you to find some physical activity that you love! Just saying what you already know .

eazy_

Do you measure yourself? I have been at this since January and have lost inches while the scale didn't move for a couple of weeks.

jzammetti

Not working out is not bad - but it is better if you do (food is how we control weight, working out is how we control fitness).

Weighing every day can be a bummer - but it also gives you a good view of your body's normal fluctuations - watch trends and not single day numbers for 90 days to get a good idea (I range up to 6 pounds per day so any single loss or gain within that amount is a number I do not rely on unless the overall trend is going lower - does that make sense?)

As far as the math working linearly...well, it doesn't. We estimate our caloric needs, we estimate food portion sizes, we estimate calories burned durnig exercise...so the math will not always line up.

Just_Alyssa

Weighing yourself everyday is BAD!

ok, I totally do it. Not sure why. I shouldn't because I don't weigh & measure my food or even eat that well half the time. I guess for me it's way to keep myself in check BUT I'm able to put those .2s & .6s in perspective.

You can't worry about that small of a number from day to day. You could have eaten something that made you retain water. You said you are close to period time, anyway.

I mean, you could have to poop. Yeah, I said it. :ohwell:

cwolfman13

Weight loss isn't linear...you don't lose .x Lbs or whatever everyday...you don't have the same week to week...sometimes it'll be more, sometimes less, sometimes nothing. You have to take a much longer view of this or you're going to drive yourself insane. You need to be looking at trends over a period of time, not day to day activity.

You have natural body weight fluctuations and if you don't understand them and can't deal with them then you should definitely not be weighing yourself daily.

Pearsquared

I also have to mention that .6 isn't a big fluctuation. I would eat for the most part the same thing for a few days in a row, and on one of those days, I could have fluctuations as big as 1.5-2 pounds. I would fluctuate down just as hard, so it evened out, but it was definitely disconcerting on some days.

meeper123

1-5 pounds is water don't stress

nvpixie

If you're near your time of month, I would just ignore it. I gain a pound just knowing my Aunt Flo is in the house.

If not, I'd still just say ignore it and try again in a few days or a week.

Make sure you're drinking enough water.

Hellbent_Heidi

I don't exercise. (I know, bad.)

You really should try to recitfy this situation. Weight loss can absolutely be done without exercise, but there are SO many more reasons a woman your age should be exercising and more imortantly, doing strength training!

You don't want this to happen to you, do you?

Barbellerella

mcgeorge5

Thank you for the responses. I just want so badly to see this change happening, I am so excited that I am changing! I know this didn't happen in a month and it's not going to go away in a month. Does time move faster the farther you go? I feel like I'm newly pregnant and counting every.single.day. Please tell me that I will look back and be able to say that the time flew by!

Plus I was bummed when I started on this change because for *years* I weighed 215 and then last fall I ballooned up 20 pounds when my dr. prescribed a new medication. So in a way I feel like I am starting behind the starting line- does that make sense?

castelluzzo99

I was weighing in once or twice a week, and after some initial loss during the first 3 weeks, I got stuck and even went back up, then down to what I was before. However, my measurements were consistently going down. So when I started a new exercise routine, I weighed in on the first day, then put the scale in the closet. Now it's out of sight, out of mind. I'm going to measure every week and weigh in at the end of the 4-week program. Should be interesting to see where I am then. All I know is, my clothes are getting looser and looser! Which is way more motivating than any number on a scale!

coreyreichle

Weighing yourself everyday is BAD!

Not necessarily.

I do it. I don't get bummed by the ups and downs from day to day. I do it to try and track what I am doing as a whole much more closely, so I can see the trends as soon as they start to happen, not with a 14 day delay.

DebbieLyn63

I say this nicely and from experience- You will drive yourself nuts if you freak out every time the scale goes up. For one, most digital scales are not 100% accurate everyday. And two, your body weight fluctuates from water levels, time of month, how much waste is in your intestines, etc. Pick one day a week and use that weigh in as your bench mark. I am a daily weigher, and have to step on it every morning, but I know that it is going to go up and down over the week. Get used to it. And don't change your weight on MFP every time it goes up and down, or you will drive your pals crazy with the notifications! I had a friend once who 'lost weight' every other day, but after 6 months was only down 2 pounds. I think she just liked the kudos she got every time she posted a weight loss. lol.

You have a lot of weight to lose. It will take a while, so settle in for the long haul. Don't expect more than 1-2 pounds AT THE MOST, once you get past the water weight loss of the first month. If you have 90 pounds to lose, pick a date 90 weeks from now and picture yourself at goal weight on that date. If you lose a bit faster, bonus! But don't expect to lose like you did in your 20s. It just won't happen. Especially if you are not exercising. I am very happy to get 3 pounds a month now, but that is ok. I am making steady progress.

For this to work, you have to make permanent changes in your lifestyle, and be consistent and patient!

kprengaman

And I realize that I am nearing that time of the month.

I *always* gain right before that time of the month. Once I went up 3 pounds overnight. But if you stick with your plan you should see it drop back down right after. I often see a bigger jump than normal after my period because I lost some weight in addition to losing the "period" weight.

jwdieter

My weight has gone up 4 times in the last 7 days. Tomorrow it will be down again. That's just how I roll.

Just_Alyssa

Weighing yourself everyday is BAD!

Not necessarily.

I do it. I don't get bummed by the ups and downs from day to day. I do it to try and track what I am doing as a whole much more closely, so I can see the trends as soon as they start to happen, not with a 14 day delay.

I realize that sounded like a generalized statement. Sorry, I guess assumed that if people read my whole post they would have seen some sarcasm. I wrote below that I in fact, get on the scale daily. But, I can, like you, can handle the ups & downs.

My advice was actually to not worry about the little daily numbers like that. And I made a poop comment. Hopefully that was taken the right way also.