Why do people weigh themselves so much?

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  • ScottThomasM
    ScottThomasM Posts: 53
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    I weigh myself once a week only. Pattern is going down each week so that's good enough for me.
  • dcuevas6235
    dcuevas6235 Posts: 135
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    I check it every morning, so that one day it can tell me i'm beautiful.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
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    I weigh everyday cause I like to analyze data and ish like that.. It's a wonderful feeling know the exact day when you lose weight. Not for the faint of heart.
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
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    I'm a mathematician. I don't respond emotionally to the scale. I know it is one data point. It's just more data. I like a lot of data. I weigh myself at least twice a day. That way, I know what my trough is.

    Ha. I never thought to blame my emotional detachment on being mathematically inclined. But you're right, to me it's just data. Maybe I'll even turn it into an assignment for my students some day. There's probably lots you could do with weight and equations.
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
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    I used to only weight once and week, now I weigh everyday. I have learned what makes me fluctuate, so can eat during the week so I end up with a 'true' weigh in on my official weigh in day (friday mornings)
  • badtastebetty
    badtastebetty Posts: 326 Member
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    I weigh in once a month, and I find the fluctuations to be disappointing, an exhausting. I know I am doing well if in four weeks I am a few pounds lighter. I also take measurements at this time.

    I used to weigh myself constantly, and the stress of it made me give up so easily.
  • jamaicanext
    jamaicanext Posts: 6 Member
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    i weigh in at least once a day, but usually more than once. for the first few months i hardly ever checked, but now, i like being able to see how it changes throughout the day. i hardly ever keep track though. i think i've recorded my weight like no more than 4 times since august or something? the number doesn't mean as much to me as seeing results, so i don't feel like i'm being obsessive or making myself feel bad. it's also kind of amusing to see how many times i can weigh myself in succession and get a different number since i have a digital scale.

    obviously not recommended for everyone to do it. it works for some people and doesn't work for others.
  • wiggawaggle
    wiggawaggle Posts: 50 Member
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    I weigh every day, i think the trend is more useful than one random datapoint once a week. So long as you don't look only at the changes from daytoday, it's more useful. Motivates me to stick at it too.
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
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    Anyway, at that point, I decided I'd rather weigh more often so I bought a scale and started weighing daily. I've found it fascinating actually. I learned here that ibuprofen and other NSAIDS cause water retention. I knew of course about monthly hormone fluctuations and sodium. I find it fascinating instead of demotivating! I once gained 8 pounds overnight haha after eating Chinese food for lunch and pizza for dinner. Gone in 2 days (and another pound with it). I've learned from daily weighing that I'm not going to show a loss during 2 weeks of every month (hormones) and then I'll lose all that water and some additional weight in the week after. Popping a few Advil over the course of a day means 1-3 pounds up the next day. I just find it interesting, not sure why.

    I weigh everyday for data collection also, but I forgot about Ibuprofen being a salt. So, thank you for the reminder.
  • tbullucks06
    tbullucks06 Posts: 128
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    I think if you're able to not get emotionally upset by daily weigh-in fluctuations or plateaus, more power to you. However, some people (like, me, though I'm getting better) see the numbers go up or stay the same for no apparent reason and the old inner voice starts to whisper that it's no use, all that effort for nothing, I weighed the same when I ate whatever I wanted so what's the point, etc. If you're one of those people, it's best to limit the scale.


    This is totally me! :)
  • tbullucks06
    tbullucks06 Posts: 128
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    I guess the way I look at is I have to do this regardless of what the scale says and I NEED TO KNOW I am making progress. So seeing the flucutations mentally does not help me. But I am glad that for others it doesn't bother them. Whatever is working for you keep doing it! Good luck everyone!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I guess the way I look at is I have to do this regardless of what the scale says and I NEED TO KNOW I am making progress. So seeing the flucutations mentally does not help me. But I am glad that for others it doesn't bother them. Whatever is working for you keep doing it! Good luck everyone!

    The problem, though, is that you are expecting to see progress on a daily basis. It doesn't happen that quickly. It's not the scale, it's your expectations. Don't worry about what the scale says today compared to yesterday, pay attention to what it says today compared to a month ago.
  • tbullucks06
    tbullucks06 Posts: 128
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    Thanks again EVERYONE for the feedback. I love you all!
  • fitgal05
    fitgal05 Posts: 149
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    Data freaks -- do you actually know the accuracy of your scale? I've tried to figure out the +\- accuracy of different scales on amazon, but they don't say. I kno digital readouts aren't always actually accurate to the decimals they read out (digital fever thermometers read to the nearest 0.1, but for charting basal temp they're only accurate to 0.2, which isn't good enough to detect trends...

    Are any of the home scales actually accurate to a tenth of a pound, or even a whole pound? Growing up, the spring scales everyone had were only accurate to the nearest 2 pounds (if expensive) or 5 pounds (if cheap)

    My health O Meter is spot on and you can get one at Walmart for less than twenty dollars.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
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    If I don't weigh myself fairly frequently, I start to fear the scale and soon I am not accountable any more and then I "forget" how many calories foods have, and well, you get the picture. The scale keeps me honest.

    That said, I only weigh myself first thing in the morning and if I've had a good you-know-what.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
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    Data freaks -- do you actually know the accuracy of your scale? I've tried to figure out the +\- accuracy of different scales on amazon, but they don't say. I kno digital readouts aren't always actually accurate to the decimals they read out (digital fever thermometers read to the nearest 0.1, but for charting basal temp they're only accurate to 0.2, which isn't good enough to detect trends...

    Are any of the home scales actually accurate to a tenth of a pound, or even a whole pound? Growing up, the spring scales everyone had were only accurate to the nearest 2 pounds (if expensive) or 5 pounds (if cheap)

    My health O Meter is spot on and you can get one at Walmart for less than twenty dollars.

    I weigh myself only on my own scale. If it is off by a pound or so, it is still going to be consistant, so I can gauge my progress or lack of.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    More data = more accurate and realistic trendlines.
  • Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door
    Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door Posts: 735 Member
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    I mostly measure and focus on inches. I do weigh in once a week usually on Friday.
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
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    It doesn't matter how often you step on the scale, it matters how you read it.
    I weigh myself every morning. The number goes up and down but it keeps me in check.
  • LassoOfTruth
    LassoOfTruth Posts: 735 Member
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    I weigh once a week, at the same time, every time. I don't get why someone would weigh themselves everyday, but to each their own.

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