5 pounds lighter in the morning, 5 pounds heavier at night

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casie8
casie8 Posts: 17
in Health and Weight Loss
I don't know if its me or my scale, but I will weigh myself at one point during the day and the scale will say one number, then at another time during the same day I will weigh myself and there will be a 5 pound difference! What is going on??? I'm almost 100% sure I can't be eating 5 pounds of food in a day, I drink at least 9 cups of water because its good for me, but is that a factor in my weight too?

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  • nornyb
    nornyb Posts: 224 Member
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    Stop weighing so often! There is no reason for it. Our bodies fluctuate and you will only frustrate yourself.
  • needsalife3
    needsalife3 Posts: 56 Member
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    It's perfectly normal. Weight fluctuates throughout the day. 5 lbs is not unusual - liquids, food, waste, muscle repair/stimulation. Pick one time of day to weigh and stick with that. I suggest weighing no more than once a week, but some people just can't stay away from the scale.
  • Cbefitforlife
    Cbefitforlife Posts: 83 Member
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    i agree....1 time a day...maybe in the morning when you first wake up. Same day every week, and weigh in your least amount of clothing for best results. I usually do bra and underwear everytime.
  • casie8
    casie8 Posts: 17
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    Thanks, I just get so excited because I've lost about 20 pounds in two months so I like to see it all of the time, but then when I see it go up I feel like I've messed something up, I'll just have to stop myself from daily weighing, and cut down to once a week, I'll probably be happier with what I see
  • nornyb
    nornyb Posts: 224 Member
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    My weight really fluctuates depending on where I am on my cycle and if I've consumed more sodium than normal, plus I work nightshifts so it would be hard to weigh at the same time......the point of all that rambling being that I don't weigh myself hardly ever. I haven't weighed since I started using MFP again in January, I am judging my progress by how my clothes fit (or don't) and the improvements I see with fitness. I will be weighing soon (my scale batteries need to be replaced) because I think I've lost around 20lbs and need to see if I have to adjust my calories, but I absolutely don't get hung up on the numbers.
  • cranium853
    cranium853 Posts: 138 Member
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    So Jerry Seinfeld did an episode where he got on the scale, got off, and asked what good the scale was if one wasn't going to use the information it gave..... I weigh far too often, and like you I like to see the new number. But that is all it is, a number. What I cannot figure out is that I will get up in the morning, stumble to the bathroom, lose a few ounces and then get on the scale. Hmmmm, Ok. There's my number But of I go back thirty minutes later and re-weigh I will have lost a half a pound. What is that? Bed warmth has no weight, and I'm not all sweaty to where I might have eight ounces evaporate in thirty minutes.

    If every time I got off the scale with a critical remark and had to do five situps for being mean to myself I would look like Jillian. Once a week on the tattle-tale should be enough. Three times a day is obsessive. And it's a waste of time if I don't use the information to change, it's self-abusive if I use the scale to complain and it's ego to use it to brag on my compliance with my health plan when frankly I never should have been in this nasty shape in the first place.
  • lwagnitz
    lwagnitz Posts: 1,321 Member
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    Weight fluctuates throughout the day based off of what goes in, and well, out. Believe it or not you're taller in the morning too. :)
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
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    weigh once a day at the same part of the day if possible. First thing in the morning after peeing but before hydrating or eating gets the most consistent results so I have heard. Beyond that point, it's pretty much going to wildly vary. I watched a video that Scooby(of Scooby's workshop) made in which he varied his weight ~15 pound in a day from normal activity- eating, using the restroom, hydrating, etc.
  • nicholegerber
    nicholegerber Posts: 6
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    wake up, use the restroom, then weigh yourself. pick a day during the week thats "weigh in" so you dont go crazy! congrats on the 20lbs!
  • mrsjobba2
    mrsjobba2 Posts: 81 Member
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    wake up, use the restroom, then weigh yourself. pick a day during the week thats "weigh in" so you dont go crazy! congrats on the 20lbs!
    That's exactly what I do !
  • avanimalhotra
    avanimalhotra Posts: 5 Member
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    Hey
    I've been facing the same problem. Can't understand how it happens but am accepting it!!!
    I've stopped weighing myself in the evening because it would get very demotivating. But I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who has this weight fluctuation. I'm guessing its normal :)
  • ColdKarmaGrl
    ColdKarmaGrl Posts: 19 Member
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    In my hours of "research" on this new life plan, I was watching a video on YouTube from a woman who said that sometimes weight can fluctuate up to 10 lbs. in a day due to what you put in, water weight, and even if it's around that time of the month.

    I, too, am terrible at weighing myself FAR too often. When I was losing weight before I got married 4 years ago, I weighed myself every. single. day. It became obsessive. But I LIKED seeing the number dropping...it was motivation for me to keep going.

    But now, trying to lose all that weight I lost before and put on (and then some) since I've moved to the UK, I still want to weigh myself every single day, but I KNOW it's not healthy to obssess over the scale.

    It's easy to get hooked on that number, I know. But I think for our sake and sanity, we should stick to weighing ourselves one time a week. xx
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
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    Logic. Use it please. Even you said it yourself in the bottom of your post, it's just not possible and is a normal fluctuation. Chill.
  • Pookylou
    Pookylou Posts: 988 Member
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    wake up, use the restroom, then weigh yourself. pick a day during the week thats "weigh in" so you dont go crazy! congrats on the 20lbs!

    Yup do this! I am about 3lbs heavier at the end of the day - sometimes it is good to weight frequently to see you bodies patterns - just don't freak out about the daily variations, look at the weekly/monthly trends.
  • pennydreadful270
    pennydreadful270 Posts: 266 Member
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    I've been going to a weight loss class on Saturday mornings, and I swear I do not lose weight all week until Friday night. I have no idea what happens overnight on a Friday, maybe I go sleep running.
  • Markguns
    Markguns Posts: 554 Member
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    It's perfectly normal. Weight fluctuates throughout the day. 5 lbs is not unusual - liquids, food, waste, muscle repair/stimulation. Pick one time of day to weigh and stick with that. I suggest weighing no more than once a week, but some people just can't stay away from the scale.

    bump ^^

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