How does weighing once a week make sense?

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  • donna_glasgow
    donna_glasgow Posts: 869 Member
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    I weighed every day (well 10 times a day) the fluctuations never bothered me, it was the over all trend I looked at. I now only weigh once a week the reason behind this is because Im not really looking for a particular "weight" any more I'm much more interested in my body shape ................ I realised not too long ago that the scales lie ... last year at this time I was 173lbs and wore a tight UK 14 ... today I am 171lbs and wear a loose UK 12 ... so as you can see the scales lied to me, so I only use them as a guide to work out my BF% on the on line calculators :)
  • donna_glasgow
    donna_glasgow Posts: 869 Member
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    I weigh in and measure once a month, any more frequently than that makes me go full on Rain Man and build spreadsheets. By then I cannot stop obsessing over trying to fit something that isn't linear (metabolism) into something that is e.g. spreadsheets.
    lol I have spread sheets ... lots of them, some are smiley face charts ...
  • Julieann777
    Julieann777 Posts: 13 Member
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    :smile: Totally understand what you mean. I never understood the logic either because if I weight myself and the scale says I gained a pound or two after a week, I wonder what the heck have I been doing this for and it becomes very discouraging, no matter how many times I hear someone say, "Don't worry about it. It's only 1 weight-in." Well, if I would have know I wasn't losing at the beginning of the week, maybe I could have done something different right away--instead of 6 days later. It's seems those 6 days are lost. For someone like me I need to weigh-in more often. I'm 48 and my hormones fly all over the place from day to day so it's necessary. But for many, I can see why they only have to weigh in once a week or even every two weeks.
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
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    For women, my doctor recommends weighing once per month due to all of the hormone fluctuations. He said if once per month isn't enough for me, then another method is to weigh every day and take the average weight for that week. That allows for fluctuations and will still show a downward trend as the weeks go by.

    He doesn't like the weekly method for the reason you mentioned. I know I tend to be higher mid-week and low on Thursdays and Sundays, so if I weighed in every Tuesday or Wednesday, it would be discouraging.

    He did stress that taking measurements once per month is a very good idea, especially if you exercise and "firm up".
  • ascha927
    ascha927 Posts: 3 Member
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    There are 2 reason behind weighing once a week. #1. Yes, your weight fluctuates daily due to food, water weight, sodium intake, etc. And it can be discourgaing if you weigh in one day and you've gained lbs. Also, if you only weigh in once per week, even if you do weigh yourself on a "fluctuation" day, the fluctuation will not be as much because you have been losing actual WEIGHT all week. So if you eat a high sodium meal the day before your weekly weigh in, it may say you weigh the same as last week but in fact you have lost weight. If you were to do this everyday, the scale could say you've gained 2 lbs! The misery is not worth it.

    #2. It takes a deficit of 3500 calories to lose a lb. Therefore, unless you are burning and/or eating a substantial amount of calories each day, you are not losing any substantial lbs from day to day. This means that any weight lose and or gain you see on the scale by weighing your self everyday is NOT WEIGHT LOSE. It is just your body fluctuating. REAL PROGRESS should only be measured over a week's worth of weight lose, not daily weight loss because My fitness pal and any other good diet plan is designed so you lose a certiain number of lbs PER WEEK. Not per day.

    This is why weighing yourself everyday is not a good idea because it doesn't show you any actual progress and if the result is not what you were expecting, can be detrimental. Basically, there are no positives. Weigh yourself once a week!!!

    Hope that helps!
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
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    I think it's because some people get really discouraged by seeing the daily fluctuations even if they know they're there.

    Personally, I weigh at least every morning and most evenings before bed. I don't log it until my AM weight has been the same for several days, that's when I know I've actually lost the weight.

    I feel I can keep track of it going up better if I see that the evening weight is consistently going up or the morning weight is going up. I know some of it is what I eat but if it happens a few days in a row, I can make adjustments right away or really evaluate if there's anything else that I've done that could cause the changes.
  • jryan83
    jryan83 Posts: 72 Member
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    I agree w/ OP regarding what if you're up on the one day you weigh. So, I am a daily weigh-er, BUT I put it all into perspective... I use a little tip from some PhDs regarding our love/hate relationship with our scales. If you are addicted to your scale and are compelled to weigh daily (mememememe), a good rule of thumb is to first weigh at the same time of day and under the same circumstances (e.g. w/o pjs after morning potty break... haha) then average all of those daily weights and use that as your weekly 'true' weight, as your weight WILL fluctuate daily due to many factors. Then, you can average your weekly 'true' weights and see what your monthly weight is.... This is a more accurate picture of where you are over time... It also takes some of the stress out of the fluctuations you might see daily so you don't obsess over it.... Just MHO, so always check it out for yourself! :o)

    I really like this idea. Think I will start doing it. Right now I'm tempted to weigh in daily, but I've been trying not to. Seeing little or no results does impact me. I won't fall off the wagon immediately, but it's the long stretches of no change that really dicourage me.
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
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    Can't speak to any science. But, I weighed myself 1x per week. Same day every week and at roughly the same time. When I started using MFP I knew nothing! (I know, not much has changed! ) I loaded my stats and the program suggested that I should lose 2 lbs per WEEK. So, I set about trying to eat the suggested calories per day and then checked each week to see where I had arrived. In my mind, as I was weighing myself the same day and time every week, I had a week to week bench mark that would eliminate any fluctuations due to water retention and other misc things that cause a persons weight to fluctuate daily. I did check my weight a few times per week but I logged only my weekly number.

    This system worked very well for me. Once I got going I was hitting t he 2 lbs lost per week regularly. During the summer months as I started getting stronger and was encouraged by my success I hit 5lbs lost per week for a few weeks.

    The weekly weigh in worked for me. Can't say that it is a good system for all but for me it worked.
  • aa62579
    aa62579 Posts: 57
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    I agree with the OP.

    Through weighing in under the same conditions around 5 times per week, I have been able to learn what "normal" fluctuations are for my body. I've discovered how the day after not drinking much water I will be lighter and the day after that, when I tried to recover by drinking a lot of water, I'll be heavier. But I record those weights and plot them and focus on the trends. For me, having as many data points as possible gives me the most accurate trend line. I use the actual weight for my goals (my 12-step program), but don't consider it reached until I have hit that number 2 days in a row or 2 out of 3 days. For motivation, only the trend matters, and I accept both losses and plateaus.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I see a lot of people on here saying, "Weight fluctuates! Don't weigh everyday...weigh once a week!" I don't really understand the logic behind that...if weight can really fluctuate that much (which I KNOW it can!) wouldn't it be possibly counterproductive to only weigh once a week? If I weigh every day I can see the fluctuations. If I weigh once a week...what if THAT'S the day it fluctuated in the wrong direction and now I think I've gained weight when maybe I haven't...

    Just curious as to the logic behind this...

    I agree with you. I think weighing once a week is silly. The only reason is so that people don't get upset at daily fluctuations, but weekly weigh-ins are subject to this too - and instead of fretting over it for one day, you have to fret over it an entire week.

    The obvious answer is to weigh daily when you wake up and look at the overall trend. TrendWeight.com/The Hacker's Diet makes this easy.
  • spambubbles
    spambubbles Posts: 36 Member
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    I weigh myself once a day, at least. But then again I'm probably addicted to my scale. But I find if I don't weigh myself once a day I tend to gain weight if I only weigh myself every week. The daily weighing helps me stay on track and keeps me accountable to myself.
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
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    i try to weigh every 2 weeks, or once a month during the same time in my lady cycle.

    i was driving myself crazy weighing every day. it wasn't good for my mental health. weighing less frequently allows me to notice changes in the mirror, and in my energy, instead of a number on the scale.
  • reree6898
    reree6898 Posts: 42 Member
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    I like to weigh daily, first thing in the morning after waking up and going to the bathroom. Even though weight can change daily it helps me to keep myself in check and if for example one day I am too high on sodium it will reflect on the scale the next day and that helps me to find a right balance in how my body reacts to things.
  • Justkf
    Justkf Posts: 208 Member
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    When I started this journey I weighed in weekly, then I got obsessed and weighed in every couple days, then everyday and now I am a slave to my scale. Watching my weight ebb and flow everyday is like an addiction. So I decided to skip a day here and there and only log Saturday weight and/or a change that sticks around for 3 days or more. It's silly but that's my story and I am sticking to it.
  • ChristinaR720
    ChristinaR720 Posts: 1,186
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    I weigh myself every day just to be sure I am staying on track, but I know not to freak out at every fluctuation. I think weighing oneself less often is better for people who are unable to handle the fluctuations without getting discouraged. Because I know my weight fluctuates quite a bit, I only record my weight on MFP once per week.
  • Funshinerika
    Funshinerika Posts: 37
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    I weigh in and measure once a month, any more frequently than that makes me go full on Rain Man and build spreadsheets. By then I cannot stop obsessing over trying to fit something that isn't linear (metabolism) into something that is e.g. spreadsheets.

    LOL ^^^ THIS ^^^^ I did this first go-round with MFP. Now that I'm in phase 2 (got to first goal, then added another) I'm taking it easier on myself. It would completely ruin my day if I saw a change on the scale that I couldn't account for. Now, I'm checking my measurements every month or so and staying motivated by seeing my clothes fit better as well as feeling better.
    I don't think I want to be getting on the scale in ten years and saying dang! I should've been down a pound or How did I gain a pound?! While pouting the rest of the day. . . cuz that's how I get. :wink:
    What motivates YOU is what is important!!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    The takeaway is "weigh every day, unless you're so crazy you just can't handle it emotionally" ;)
  • 1holegrouper
    1holegrouper Posts: 323 Member
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    I weigh every day. This helps me to observe and become more aware of usual weight fluctuations and the reason for them better like when I've had too much sodium, etc. But, I only chart my Sunday AM weigh ins.

    I think the more data observations you have the better- as long as you can handle it and take it all in perspective. Weight naturally goes up and down daily and you have to be able to handle that yet still be able to notice a real trend up or down.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I see a lot of people on here saying, "Weight fluctuates! Don't weigh everyday...weigh once a week!" I don't really understand the logic behind that...if weight can really fluctuate that much (which I KNOW it can!) wouldn't it be possibly counterproductive to only weigh once a week? If I weigh every day I can see the fluctuations. If I weigh once a week...what if THAT'S the day it fluctuated in the wrong direction and now I think I've gained weight when maybe I haven't...

    Just curious as to the logic behind this...

    I'm with you! I weigh myself daily. I appreciate the learning process.
  • al369
    al369 Posts: 170 Member
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    I honestly weigh almost everyday. I just like to keep it fresh in my brain so I know if I start to get lazy or trick myself into thinking a night of pizza, wings, beer and cake aren't going to effect things. I don't enter in my weight to MFP everyday. I just do it for me, to keep myself on track.
    I think that recommendation is also to remind people that you can do everything right and have a great food and exercise day and you still may not loose any weight. In fact, you may gain weight if you had too much salt or if (for girls) you are getting your period etc..... They recommend that mostly not keep people from getting easily discouraged.

    Yep. All of this.

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