When is the best time to get on the scale?

triceever
triceever Posts: 50
in Health and Weight Loss
Before joining this site, I was weighing 210 lbs and now it’s 213 lbs. What could the problem be? Also I started becoming so obsessed with the scale that I had to put it away. Like someone on MFP mentioned the scale can discourage you. My question: Is it best to weigh weekly, every two weeks, monthly or etc?

Replies

  • beautifulbeast11
    beautifulbeast11 Posts: 202 Member
    My trainer suggests every other week and in the morning before your body has time to absorb water weight and food from the day. It's also suggested to measure your body because you'll see more accurate results there due to water weight and muscle development.
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  • srhershey
    srhershey Posts: 181 Member
    I hop on the scale almost every day, first thing in the moring, naked. I've learned over time that the scale can be misleading and not to worry if you gain a pound or 2 because your weight increases/decreases throughout the day. I go by measurements now that I have a friend do once a week. We will measure each other over various parts of the body and track our numbers. This proved to be the best method when I was doing Jillians 30 Day Shred. I lost 1lb, but lost almost 10 inches overall...I didn't finish the program though:(
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Opinions differ, but I weigh myself several times a week with a scale that provides a bodyfat percentage estimate. I understand that there will be fluctuations based on salt intake, etc. As a small person, it's a good idea for me to stay on top of my weight so I can make corrections.

    You may not want to weigh yourself as frequently, but I suggest you do it once a week. Too many people live in denial. I daresay a fair number of the people on this site who are overweight avoided the scale for too long. Only if you weigh yourself week after week, record the results while monitoring your eating and activity will you have a sense of what you need to do to lose weight and later to maintain the loss.

    Updated to add: I weigh myself under the same conditions each time, always before eating or drinking anything.
  • martintanz
    martintanz Posts: 280
    At least weekly. I weight myself every day, though I admit that is my obsession. For many, daily weighing might be a bit discouraging.

    Opinions will vary. There are some who say throw the scale away. But you are trying to lose weight, so more information is better even if it isn't what you want to hear. I weight myself daily because I want to get a better sense of the effect of certain foods and beverages on my weight short term. My wife weighs herself weekly. What I notice is, right after her weekly weigh in, she cheats for the rest of the day, then has to cut calories later in the week to make up for it. If you know that scale is waiting for you in the morning, maybe you will skip that second beer, or dessert.
  • martintanz
    martintanz Posts: 280


    Too many people live in denial. I daresay a fair number of the people on this site who are overweight avoided the scale for too long. Only if you weigh yourself week after week, record the results while monitoring your eating and activity will you have a sense of what you need to do to lose weight and later to maintain the loss.

    Updated to add: I weigh myself under the same conditions each time, always before eating or drinking anything.

    Yup, that was me. I weighed myself several times a week for 3 years and mostly kept the weight off. Then I relaxed a little and started to gain. Had I just gotten on the scale 2 years ago, I might have only needed to lose 30 or 40 lbs, instead of the 75 or 85 lbs I need to lose now.
  • skinnyjean4me
    skinnyjean4me Posts: 43 Member
    I weigh myself every week on Friday morning after morning bathroom business, before coffee or shower completely naked. I also weigh myself before the weekend cause i know somehting will happen over the weekend where i will eat something to throw off my whole week so i at least have mon-thurs to burn it back off. as long as im losing at least 1/2 a lb a week im happy but last week i lost 2 so now im motivated LOL
  • jacquelyn_erika
    jacquelyn_erika Posts: 524 Member
    In a perfect world, I would only weigh myself once a week. Currently I weigh myself everyday, sometimes more than once, and that's an issue I need to deal with. I think weighing once a week, in the morning, after using the bathroom, and in your birthday suit is the way to go. Now if I could take my own advice that would be super.
  • aimes8
    aimes8 Posts: 12
    My advise is to weigh first thing in the morning right after you go to the bathroom and weigh at this time consistantly. I weigh every two weeksI am not a fan of the scale but what i do is instead of watching just the weight i have a scale that also shows muscle mass, body fat, bone density, water etc. these scales are better because you gain muscle when you work out and if you only check the weight it would discourage you unneccessarily .... if you gain muscle you would see you body mass etc going down. Hope this helps.
  • spencer7593
    spencer7593 Posts: 13
    I step on the scale the first thing in the morning (after relieving myself of all that excess water I drank the day before.) By doing it at the same time everyday, I'm catching myself at the same point in the cycle everyday.

    My body weight varies throughout the day. Right after breakfast, I weigh 1.6lbs more than I did when I got up.

    Yes, the scale CAN be discouraging. A much more encouraging measure is inches (waist, hips, chest, arms). So, IGNORE the daily fluctuations on the scale. If you can't ignore it, then put the scale away, where it's out of sight and hard to get to.)

    One big thing I've noticed about the scale is the effect that sodium (salt) in my diet seems to have on my weight. When I've had a lot of salt the day before, I'm heavier in the morning. (I believe that it causes my body to retain more water, but I don't really have any "science" behind that.) I have days where my weight is higher than the day before. And that could be really discouraging.

    I want "immediate" results, but it just doesn't happen that way.

    What gets me results is consistency: eating the right things (healthy whole foods), not eating the wrong things (hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, white flour, processed foods), strength training every other day (3x per week), and interval ("cardio") training almost every day of the week.
  • stevedumont2
    stevedumont2 Posts: 1
    I have heard that it is best to weigh yourself once a week. The same time every time, preferably in the morning before you eat or anything. Don't be discouraged with it fluctuating. There have been days where my scale said I gained 3 lbs in one day and I know that couldn't have happened. That is why I stopped weighing myself every day. Just follow a sensible diet and a regular exercise routine and you will lose the weight you want to.:smile:29237011.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
  • quiltergirlar
    quiltergirlar Posts: 35 Member
    I weigh myself every morning after getting up. I know my weight fluctuates and I'm not going to stress about it going up a little. If you are going to obsess over every tenth of a pound, once a week would be better.

    Tammy
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    Weigh once per week TOPS, on the same day every week. I like to weigh first thing in the morning after using the bathroom, before breakfast, and without a stitch of clothing on. Personally, I only weigh once every six weeks on the same day of my assessment at the gym. I weigh myself at home using the aforementioned method, then they weigh me in the early afternoon at the gym.
  • MSam1205
    MSam1205 Posts: 439 Member
    Always in the morning, and then usually in the evening before bed. It helps me know what I may have done right or wrong that day. Everyone needs to find their own timing.
  • Whimzeee
    Whimzeee Posts: 152 Member
    Dr. Oz discussed this subject on his show just this week. He advised once a week, in the morning with no clothes on, right after arising and after going to the bathroom.
  • triceever
    triceever Posts: 50
    Thanks!!! I wanted to get an idea on when others weigh. Each of you have given me some great pointers. I appreciate it dearly.

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