Weighing every morning

i weigh myself every morning. is this a bad habit? i assume it probably is since i get discouraged if i see anything in the form of a gain even if its just 1/10th of a pound... are there any benefits to weighing daily? i know most of you probably weigh in weekly and i want to start doing weekly weigh ins as well but the daily trip to the scale is just so hard to break. help!
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Replies

  • zebisis
    zebisis Posts: 157
    Stop it!!!
    Seriously, you don't need the discouragement. Make it Fridays, first thing when you wake up.
    I like to weigh after a BM, too, lol. (TMI?? Makes a difference!!)
  • stines72
    stines72 Posts: 853 Member
    Stop it!!!
    Seriously, you don't need the discouragement. Make it Fridays, first thing when you wake up.
    I like to weigh after a BM, too, lol. (TMI?? Makes a difference!!)
    no not TMI! i do too. i dont weigh until i've used the bathroom in both forms lol. wish i could just toss the scale all together and go by how my body looks instead
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    It all depends on the person. If you are getting disappointed by the tiny fluctuations, then you probably should move to a weekly weigh in. Here's the thing - a little too much sodium, a really hard workout, a little constipation, TOM, etc can effect your weight. It's not all about what you eat... AND the number on the scale should have NOTHING to do with how you view yourself.

    Try not weighing yourself at all for a while if you can stand it. Instead go by how your clothes are feeling, how well you've been eating, your workouts, etc. Take some pride in how well you've done so far!! And learn some patience. We all know those last few pounds take forever to come off so give yourself a break...
  • I weight myself ever morning and have been doing so for years. One thing I don’t compare day-to-day I compare the same day the week before, such as current Monday against previous Monday, and Tuesday against Tuesday, etc . This method helps me understand the overall trend. But if you cannot stand the day to day variation don’t do it.
  • capnrus789
    capnrus789 Posts: 2,736 Member
    Once a week for me, Fridays, after I pee in the morning, before I eat breakfast. As long as it's the same time every week, same schedule, you'll get an accurate picture of your loss. Daily can get discouraging.
  • minkakross
    minkakross Posts: 687 Member
    I weight daily but I also don't let the number affect my mood. I do it so I can get a feel for how my fluid intake, sodium, time of the month etc. impact me and while I enjoy jumping on the scale every morning it sounds like maybe you don't. An idea to break the habit is to get the scale off the floor, put it on a shelf or in a closet. It is pretty easy to jump on it daily if you walk by it daily.
  • Lisah8969
    Lisah8969 Posts: 1,247 Member
    I get on the scale at least twice a day, but only post my weight on MFP one day a week. For me, I don't mind seeing the fluctuations and if it goes up a pound in a day, I normally know exactly why and when it will go back down. I recently went on vacation for 5 days. My official weigh in was the day I left. I stepped on the scale the minute I got home and was up 7 pounds. Did it cause me to freak out? Not at all. I knew most of it was water retention from eating out for 5 days and some of it was from TOM. Three days later on my regular weigh in day, I was down those 7 pounds plus one more. I have lost a lot and still have a lot to go. I still step on the scale and am very happy I am almost 50 pounds less than I was in February.

    Possibly when I get closer to goal, I will be more focused on inches and less on the scale. Maybe then I will cut down to weighing once every week or two, but for now stepping on the scale every day doesn't hurt.
  • JLgettinghealthy
    JLgettinghealthy Posts: 39 Member
    i weigh myself every day. it helps me focus! and i understand that my body fluctuates, so i don't let it get me down too much. i like the everyday accountability.
  • amswanson3
    amswanson3 Posts: 37 Member
    I have an official weigh in every Sunday. This is the weight I count towards my weight loss. But I do like to step on the scale each morning. I like to see how different things affect my body. Like, if I had a day with not so good eating habits, I like to see the affect and see how long it takes to go away. I don't get discouraged by the number (because I know it'll be different by my weigh in). I think it helps me understand my body better. But if it discourages you, then I would move to weekly (or bi-weekly) weigh ins. Your body weight fluctuates through out the day for so many reasons.
    On my weekly weigh in, I weigh in wearing the same thing every week (I don't like weighing in naked) under the same circumstances (first thing in the morning, after I use the bathroom, before I eat).
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
    I weigh daily because if I am gaining, it gets my attention. I just renew my efforts after a gain.
  • solyhhit
    solyhhit Posts: 97 Member
    I'm a day-to-day guy. In the morning nekkid after the bathroom. It can be discouraging to see fluctuations in a pound or so, but I just got used to it and realized it's probably water retention or some other factor.

    I'll usually take a good weight in the week, update my stats, and then aim lower.

    Overall you just have to keep telling yourself, "If I keep eating right and excersizing I cannot fail"

    I've had to say that a bunch of times to myself, but it started to work, and if you follow those rules, your weight will take care of itself.
  • SavageFeast
    SavageFeast Posts: 325 Member
    I weigh myself every day. It keeps me in check with my eating and exercise, because I can see what cheat meals/water retention/skipping workouts/etc. do to my body and make corrections on the spot. Love it!
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    I wouldn't advise it. Your weight fluctuates naturally hourly/daily. Weighing yourself too frequently will just cause stress seeing the numbers bounce up and down. It's best to pick a time once a week, preferably the morning before you've eaten anything. And remember the scale is not always a good indicator of progress. Take measurements and pictures and rely on how your clothes fit.
  • castell5
    castell5 Posts: 234 Member
    I weigh myself every morning and on Sundays, I write the "Sunday" weight down. So far (for the past 5 mos) every Sunday has a lower weight. Yes, I have seen it say I am a pound up when it sure shouldn't and there are days, I want to kick that stupid scale across the floor. I have even been known to wag my finger at it before I even get on. My scale tends to have a sense of humor. Anyway, it's ok to weigh yourself every day. It is not ok to make yourself upset if the scale is "messing" with you. Just so long as it doesn't show more then a 2lb gain when it shouldn't be.. cause if it does that, then most likely it isn't "messing" with you, you are doing something wrong.
  • lallaloolly
    lallaloolly Posts: 228 Member
    weigh weekly, or if you are going to weigh daily, learn to accept the daily fluctuations. those are your two choices!
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    I weigh every morning. I know I have ups and downs so I don't get discouraged. Whatever works for YOU!
  • marlown
    marlown Posts: 59 Member
    It actually helps me to weigh every day. I think it depends on the person. When I'm not weighing every day, I'm usually in denial and getting out of control (which is how I've been off-and-on for the past few months:(). If the number on the scale goes up, then it motivates and challenges me to keep weighing until it goes down. If the number stays the same, that, in itself, is success, but again, it challenges me to make the number go down. If I lose weight, then it REALLY motivates me to continue. It feels like a reward for my efforts and then when I notice body changes and clothes fitting differently, I'm further motivated to keep it going. I like to weigh at night before I go to bed for two reasons; 1) I don't have time (or won't make time) to weigh in the morning consistently, and 2) I tend to weigh more at night w/ water retention, etc., so that's the worst it will be - actual weight may be better when/if I weigh in the morning:). Weighing every day may not be a good idea, if you are easily discouraged by the numbers or if bad numbers will cause you to "fall off the wagon". Just my two-cents' worth. Whatever works for you is great!
  • JenMull44
    JenMull44 Posts: 226 Member
    I weigh myself every day and always will.
  • Thats too funny cause I had the same thing happen after vacation this summer, only i did freaked out! :)
  • quill16
    quill16 Posts: 373 Member
    I weigh every morning and it keeps me on goal. I don't get depressed over a pond or two difference, but once I was on vacation and waited a week to weigh. I gained 12 lbs. Now thaT WAS DEPRESSING. If I gain more than 5 lbs I add some extra exercise and curb calories a few days until I'm back to maintenance weight.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    best do what you want to. i have weighed myself everyday for a while. I haven't for 2 weeks now. The important thing for me is to watch what i eat and exercise and checkup on my friends using mfp as long as you dont react to the scales in a stupid self harming way then why not weigh every day. If it makes you starve yourself because you have put on a couple of lb of water over night though then don't :-)
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    I weigh every morning and track my daily weight in a spreadsheet with my daily calories eaten, calories burned as per my BodyMedia Fit and any exercise calories from that days workout.

    I've found it to be infinitely valuable for my journey and also has helped me to have a much better understanding of my weight and the scale. I also measure every couple of weeks as well, but only track those here rather than in a spreadsheet for now. (I'm sure it will be added in eventually)

    I can see how high sodium days, cheat meals, or cheat days affect my weight and how long it takes for my body to readjust from those days. It helps me to see when the scale shifts based on the time of the month (for women) and also in relation to the workouts I do - both what type and the intensity.

    It's made it so that I don't freak out if I see an increase, because I can usually look at the surrounding factors and know exactly what it's from and just ride it out or make the changes needed to get it going back in the right direction.

    How often you weigh is entirely up to you and a decision that you make for yourself based on what works best for you. When I changed from weekly/bi-weekly weighing to daily weighing I broke the plateau that I was in and it has just ended up being a great choice for me in the long term since I made the switch.
  • been285
    been285 Posts: 99 Member
    Put the scale in the closet... you can visit on your weigh-in days.

    You said " i get discouraged"
    WHY do anything that makes you NOT happy ??
    You need lots of positives in life to help you over the bad times ,,,, find a way.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I only weigh once every two or three weeks.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    If you are obsessing over every little gain or loss then you absolutely need to cut back to no more than once a week.

    I weigh in daily, but I don't let the fluctuations bother me. I just like to see the trends caused by hormones, sodium, etc.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    It all depends on the person. If you are getting disappointed by the tiny fluctuations, then you probably should move to a weekly weigh in. Here's the thing - a little too much sodium, a really hard workout, a little constipation, TOM, etc can effect your weight. It's not all about what you eat... AND the number on the scale should have NOTHING to do with how you view yourself.

    Try not weighing yourself at all for a while if you can stand it. Instead go by how your clothes are feeling, how well you've been eating, your workouts, etc. Take some pride in how well you've done so far!! And learn some patience. We all know those last few pounds take forever to come off so give yourself a break...

    ^^^ yep
  • Juliejustsaying
    Juliejustsaying Posts: 2,332 Member
    I weigh everyday because I don't like surprises. But I don't count weight gain..ever. I usually will see a 2 oz weight loss every week, if I don't then I boost some effort. But weight fluxs so much, it doesn't bother me when it goes up a little bit. but I still want to see it everyday so I know where I am.
  • angiechimpanzee
    angiechimpanzee Posts: 536 Member
    I weight myself ever morning and have been doing so for years. One thing I don’t compare day-to-day I compare the same day the week before, such as current Monday against previous Monday, and Tuesday against Tuesday, etc . This method helps me understand the overall trend. But if you cannot stand the day to day variation don’t do it.
    Agreed 100%!

    I used to weigh daily and get sad if I saw half a pound higher than the day before, or no loss. But NOW I still weigh daily, but I ultimately only care about my weight on a week-to-week basis.

    I have an app on my iPhone called "weightbot" in which in input my weight daily (I weigh every morning at the same time after peeing). The app creates a graph that shows a linear representation of your weights over time. So it helps me because I know that straight downwards isn't realistic - all I want to see is a downward TREND.
  • sapphireswi
    sapphireswi Posts: 583 Member
    I weigh myself every 2-3 days especially on days when i have been a good gal - stuck to my diet plan, no junk food or sodas. . . however on days when i binge a bit or eat a whole bar of chocolate I feel really nervous about weighing myself. I'm just scared that I'll suddenly show a 5lb gain on the scale.

    In the beginning I was losing my weight real fast so I would get really excited about weighing myself, but right now I am on a plateau so the weighing discourages me a bit :(
  • denezy
    denezy Posts: 573 Member
    I'm a day-to-day guy. In the morning nekkid after the bathroom. It can be discouraging to see fluctuations in a pound or so, but I just got used to it and realized it's probably water retention or some other factor.

    I'll usually take a good weight in the week, update my stats, and then aim lower.

    Overall you just have to keep telling yourself, "If I keep eating right and excersizing I cannot fail"

    I've had to say that a bunch of times to myself, but it started to work, and if you follow those rules, your weight will take care of itself.

    This is me. Only I don't have a penis.