My weight is all over the place

Trilby16
Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am doing everything! Why don't I see some progress???

PS- my "starting weight" was a guestimate. Then I went down, now up a few days in a row. UP! How does that even happen?

So frustrating....:mad:

Replies

  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    Do you weigh daily? It sounds like you do.

    I don't recommend weighing daily to anyone that gets frustrated at a gain. Your body fluctuates daily depending on water retention, what time you weigh, what you are wearing, TOTM, whether or not you've been to the toilet, etc. I weigh daily, and I'm often up from the day before. But by my 'official' weekly weigh-in, that will probably have come off.

    Concentrate on your results a month at a time. You may not see the results you want daily or even weekly, but by a month you will probably find the scale is going down.
  • CherishQuick
    CherishQuick Posts: 145
    Do you weigh daily? It sounds like you do.

    I don't recommend weighing daily to anyone that gets frustrated at a gain. Your body fluctuates daily depending on water retention, what time you weigh, what you are wearing, TOTM, whether or not you've been to the toilet, etc. I weigh daily, and I'm often up from the day before. But by my 'official' weekly weigh-in, that will probably have come off.

    Concentrate on your results a month at a time. You may not see the results you want daily or even weekly, but by a month you will probably find the scale is going down.
    Like this! Will keep in mind because I too get frustrated with the scale. Thank you!
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    Also check clothes - is there a particular garment that used to fit? I've got a button through dress (hubby's fave :wink: ) which I've not been able to do up for months - I can now do it up except the top 3 buttons (and the lower nearly reaches - OK there's elastic at the back but still!!). When I can do it u all the way I'll be "officially" back in shape>
  • ckmama
    ckmama Posts: 1,668 Member
    I weigh daily and it is something you have to just get used too. I record a loss when it happens then I focus on getting below that number. If the scale goes up 1 to 4 lbs a day then I know I need more water and less salt or I lifted weights within the last 2 days.

    Weighing daily means you have to see the scale as just a TOOL for weight loss and not the only thing that matters.

    On a side, the national weight registry studied people who maintained their weight for the longest weighed daily or weekly.

    Not having a true idea of where you started can also make it frustrating. Pick a number and start from there.
  • TaniaB_79
    TaniaB_79 Posts: 52 Member
    I weight daily because I like to see the fluctuations, last Friday I dropped 1.2 lbs from the day before, I haven't been below this since but Friday is my official weigh in day so I'm hoping to drop at least a little. Thursday is my complete rest day so I usually have a biggish drop on a Friday.

    If you don't like to see the fluctuations, weight weekly and use a tape measure if you are increasing your exercise
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Don't stress over fluctuations - perfectly normal.
    I gained 3lbs from yesterday morning to this morning due to a late (and salty) meal washed down with alcohol. It's not fat and it will be gone by tomorrow or Friday.
  • renate1958
    renate1958 Posts: 67 Member
    I agree with the other posts. I weigh myself every Saturday morning. Naked, AFTER going to the bathroom (which can be almost 1/2 a pound). Sometimes if you eat a lot of protein, you may actually gain muscle (a good thing because it burns more calories but weighs more).
  • renate1958
    renate1958 Posts: 67 Member
    By the way, take a week to measure everything you eat. You'd be surprised that you may be eating more than you think because your sense of portions are off.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    I weigh daily and it is something you have to just get used too. I record a loss when it happens then I focus on getting below that number. If the scale goes up 1 to 4 lbs a day then I know I need more water and less salt or I lifted weights within the last 2 days.

    Weighing daily means you have to see the scale as just a TOOL for weight loss and not the only thing that matters.

    On a side, the national weight registry studied people who maintained their weight for the longest weighed daily or weekly.

    Not having a true idea of where you started can also make it frustrating. Pick a number and start from there.

    Thanks! Yeah, I get what people are saying, about staying away from the scale, but me, if I stay away from it then I get scared of it and hide from it and then I don't keep myself in check. I think I have not been pushing water enough.

    Thanks, for other's suggestions too. I always wear the same thing when I weigh, always weigh close to first thing in the morning, after bathroom, etc.. My mom didn't raise no dummies.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    By the way, take a week to measure everything you eat. You'd be surprised that you may be eating more than you think because your sense of portions are off.

    Thanks for the suggestion. My measurements certainly could be off but I am eating pretty sparsely. I'm not really willing to eat less. I think this is little enough, honestly. If what I am eating now is too much, I may as well shoot myself in the head b/c I cannot go lower.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    Well, after my whining this morning-- This is the first day since joining MFP that I've actually felt less bulky, less bursting out of my clothes. I feel pretty good in fact! No matter what the damn scale may say.
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
    Do you weigh daily? It sounds like you do.

    I don't recommend weighing daily to anyone that gets frustrated at a gain. Your body fluctuates daily depending on water retention, what time you weigh, what you are wearing, TOTM, whether or not you've been to the toilet, etc. I weigh daily, and I'm often up from the day before. But by my 'official' weekly weigh-in, that will probably have come off.

    Concentrate on your results a month at a time. You may not see the results you want daily or even weekly, but by a month you will probably find the scale is going down.

    Totally agree with keeping track of results monthly. I have an excel spreadsheet that I track my weight and measurements on and I update it on the first of every month. I also keep track of the changes in inches and weight month to month, and it's always a decrease. Daily fluctuations (even gaining a few days in a row) are inevitable. It's not a race!

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