Is it ok to weigh every day?

Sarah47201
Sarah47201 Posts: 18 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Some websites say not to weigh more than once a week....other websites say to weigh daily if you have a big goal...which I do. How do you know the best approach?
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Replies

  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
    It really depends on how weighing daily affects your motivation. There will be normal daily fluctuations in your scale weight, sometimes by several pounds. If you're the sort of person who will be horribly disappointed by a rise in scale weight, then I'd recommend against daily weighing. If you can take the daily fluctuations in stride, then weight daily if you feel like it.

    I'd also recommend that you take measurements, as these will continue to go down even when the scale is uncooperative.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    It works for me - down="yes, doing well", up or constant = "ooo, must try even harder tomorrow".
    Others may get dispirited and give up if they don't see figures going down when it's actually natural body fluctuations.
  • Nyranee
    Nyranee Posts: 57
    I weight daily and log only Friday mornings. For me it's interesting to see how my weight fluctuates based on different food, exercise, week of the month etc ...
  • Ash_ah_lee
    Ash_ah_lee Posts: 116 Member
    Yes, I weigh in everyday but only record on mondays.. It keep me on track.
  • sathor
    sathor Posts: 202 Member
    twice a day, every day. What counts is first thing in morning before food/clothes, and then I see how bad it went up over the course of the day. I can loose up to 1.5# overnight, but it gives me an idea how it went, and if low enough, I will eat or drink a bit more.
  • hhayes06
    hhayes06 Posts: 189 Member
    It really depends on how weighing daily affects your motivation. There will be normal daily fluctuations in your scale weight, sometimes by several pounds. If you're the sort of person who will be horribly disappointed by a rise in scale weight, then I'd recommend against daily weighing. If you can take the daily fluctuations in stride, then weight daily if you feel like it.

    I'd also recommend that you take measurements, as these will continue to go down even when the scale is uncooperative.

    I agree with this, it all depends on how weighing daily will affect you. You are the one on this journey and you are the one who has to deal with seeing the number on the scale. If you can't handle seeing it daily then don't weigh yourself that often.
  • opuntia
    opuntia Posts: 860 Member
    How do you know the best approach?

    Try both and see what works best for you. Your weight fluctuates naturally throughout the day by a few pounds, so if you get discouraged every time it's gone up slightly, then weighing daily is probably going to result in your mood being up and down, which isn't the best state of emotional health to be in. But if you just observe it from a curiosity point of view, and don't have strong emotions attached to the numbers, then weighing every day can be fun.
  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
    twice a day, every day. What counts is first thing in morning before food/clothes, and then I see how bad it went up over the course of the day. I can loose up to 1.5# overnight, but it gives me an idea how it went, and if low enough, I will eat or drink a bit more.

    You understand that you are tracking fluctuations based on water, and what food is still being processed in your system? You didn't lose 1.5 pounds of fat overnight.
  • xoleanne
    xoleanne Posts: 38 Member
    i would always weigh myself every day or every 2 days and i got so frustrated with myself because i didn't see any difference and i would give up!

    so now i've decided to weigh myself every 2 weeks so i can think more positive about losing weight :)
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    It depends on you. If you have a solid grip on how your weight fluctuates and won't flip out if you see a gain then go for it. Just know that if it's a fast gain...it generally isn't fat. :-)
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    I weigh everyday and record everyday. It keeps me aware of the need to stay focused.
    Rocky
  • jensweighingin
    jensweighingin Posts: 168 Member
    I do it every day but only log once a week. It's information and I like to make sure it's not inching up every day. If I go up 2 pounds one day (happens), I look at my diary and see if I drank enough water or where the hidden sodium is. If I've had sushi, I just expect it!
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
    I tend to freak out over small fluctuations, so when I was trying to lose, I only weighed twice a week--Fridays to see how I'd done and Mondays because I work out a lot on the weekends so used that as make up time if I'd had a bad week the week before. Now that I'm in maintenance, I weigh every day, but I hope to wean myself off that after a while. I agree with others that it's a personal preference. If you freak like me, you should probably not weigh every day, at least not until you are close to goal or a goal.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    I do actually weigh twice a day, but only take notice of the one first thing in the morning after toilet.
    Weigh before going to bed as well, which gives me an idea of the next morning, but as above tends to vary more based on what I've eaten/drunk etc.
  • IslandDreamer64
    IslandDreamer64 Posts: 258 Member
    It works for me - down="yes, doing well", up or constant = "ooo, must try even harder tomorrow".
    Others may get dispirited and give up if they don't see figures going down when it's actually natural body fluctuations.

    This is exactly the way I look at it. I actually weigh more than once a day. I like to see what my body does with the food I eat. I don't let the number bother me though, and only focus on the "official" weigh in for the week.

    Also, this week I showed a 3 pound gain mid-week. This morning's official weigh in showed a maintain.
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
    It really depends on how weighing daily affects your motivation. There will be normal daily fluctuations in your scale weight, sometimes by several pounds. If you're the sort of person who will be horribly disappointed by a rise in scale weight, then I'd recommend against daily weighing. If you can take the daily fluctuations in stride, then weight daily if you feel like it.

    I'd also recommend that you take measurements, as these will continue to go down even when the scale is uncooperative.

    I agree with this, it all depends on how weighing daily will affect you. You are the one on this journey and you are the one who has to deal with seeing the number on the scale. If you can't handle seeing it daily then don't weigh yourself that often.

    ^^^^^^^ This^^^^^^^
  • tommygirl15
    tommygirl15 Posts: 1,012 Member
    I weigh everyday because I'm just so naturally curious! Before I step on the scale though, I have to tell myself not to take the number personally. I don't bother weighing at night, best time to weigh yourself is first thing in the morning after you use the washroom, and with minimal amount of clothing on (for accuracy).

    Is it ok to weigh everyday? I don't see anything wrong with it as long as you are willing to accept what the number is and not beat yourself up if it's not what you wanted to see.
  • mrshoneydew
    mrshoneydew Posts: 253
    I do...but I wish I didn't. I think it makes the progress I'm making feel slower, but I when I see my scale there, I always end up standing on it.
    The thing is, my scale is the cheap kind with that little dial, and sometimes I don't think the reading is accurate, so I check daily to get an average idea on how much I weigh. Once I get a digital scale, I think I'm going to put it in a cupboard and only weigh myself weekly.
  • LovePBandJ
    LovePBandJ Posts: 288 Member
    As everyone else says, it depends on how the scale will affect your motivation, whether or not you weigh every day. The scale keeps the easiest track, but not the most accurate.

    As one of the first responders stated, MEASURE YOURSELF. There will be a day when the scale affects your motivation. On that day or those days, pull out that tape measure and witness the changes. How many hundreds of posts have you read on this site, wherein the MFPal is furious over the number on the scale? How many posts have you read on this site wherein the MFPal is ever upset over their measurements.

    Tape measures will tell you the truth.

    Scales often Lie.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I weigh myself almost every day, but I don't record it every day or my weight chart would look like an ECG reading. Up, down, up, down, up, down... :laugh:

    It helps me to understand fluctuations and the cause of them, so changes in weight don't bother me. For instance, weight lifting makes me retain a little fluid. If I'm sore, I know I'm holding water. High sodium makes me retain a little, especially pizza. Yesterday, I lifted and increased my weights so I'm pretty stiff, AND I had pizza, so I'm a pound heavier this morning than I was yesterday morning. Some people would get discouraged by that... I'm amazed it's only one pound!

    I find photos the best way to track progress.
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
    It works for me - down="yes, doing well", up or constant = "ooo, must try even harder tomorrow".
    Others may get dispirited and give up if they don't see figures going down when it's actually natural body fluctuations.
    I'm the same way. I weigh every day and no matter which direction it goes it motivates me to either press on harder or makes me very happy. Either way its a positive thing for me. Some of my friends are the opposite and get really depressed and throw in the towel at the slightest increase and even a loss of weight will make them down in the dumps because they swear they thought they lost more than what the scale says. If your the type who is never happy no matter what with unrealistic expectations then stay off the dang thing :laugh:
  • Prodigga
    Prodigga Posts: 1
    I weigh weekly. Oh and before/after taking a crap, just for the lols.
  • claporte69
    claporte69 Posts: 18
    If you do weigh in every day do it at the same time. You body can gain up to two pounds in a day with food and water.
  • mets86champs
    mets86champs Posts: 64 Member
    I weigh myself in the morning right after I wake up, and i record it daily. It helps me learn the right mix of foods and exercise.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    People who weigh daily have a higher success rate but in the end, it's individual. If you can do it without becoming obsessive or discouraged by fluctuations, it's a great way to stay on track. I do much better when I weigh daily.
  • Nina1007
    Nina1007 Posts: 150
    It can help me stay on track when I weigh everyday but all the fluctuations really screw with my head sometimes too. So I don't weigh everyday but I do check the scale more then once a week and that helps me know where I'm at too.
  • mowrie
    mowrie Posts: 3
    I personally dont. I find i get too despondent if that little needle of fiendish-design, doesnt move as far as I want it to. once a week is fine for me. though this app/website is the best thing I've ever found to help with weight/fitness goals. its my concience, and means that if I want a treat.. i.e today i have had 2 slices of home made caramel shortcake.. oops!, but I dont need to bust my own chops about it cos ive already earned over 500 calories with exercise. :D i think it made my cake taste even better...!

    you'll find what works best for you. ;)
  • gpstrucker
    gpstrucker Posts: 930 Member
    Weighing every day can make some people nuts. Personally, I only weigh every week or two, not because it would make me nuts to weigh every day but simply because I don't feel the need to do so.
  • arcticfox04
    arcticfox04 Posts: 1,011 Member
    I had no problems
  • super_monty
    super_monty Posts: 419 Member
    I did simply to understand water weight.
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