Just curious...weight fluctuations.

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karenk2f
karenk2f Posts: 21 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a question about weight fluctuations. I get the whole water retention thing. Sodium intake, muscle rebuilding, hormones, etc. can cause your weight to go up suddenly. Simple. What I am wondering is can your weight dip below your 'true' weight for some reason? Example...your weight has held steady at 150 for several days, then it drops to 149 for a day, goes back to that 150. Is 149 your true weight and you gained water, or is 150 your true weight and 149 was a 'fluke' of sorts? When do you record a lower number? (my first inclination when seeing a smaller number is to shout for joy! But if it is just a temporary dip for whatever reason, well, I'll keep my mouth shut and keep working!) Just curious.

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  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
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    Yes, you can be dehydrated after a workout or just from the summer heat and show a temporary lower weight than when you are properly hydrated. I do weigh myself after runs sometimes, but don't record that weight--I just want to see how much water I lost while running. The number I record is always from my morning weigh-in, which takes place under the same conditions: after bathroom, before breakfast. It won't be perfect because of normal water fluctuations, but it will give a better picture than at random times during the day.
  • shelbymkoenig
    shelbymkoenig Posts: 59 Member
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    I've wondered about this too, but I record the lower number possibly just for superficial reasons. However, there are uncertainties with each scale and if you're switching between scales you will likely get a different reading. Poorly built scales also give different readings if you stand in different places on it. So try to be as consistent as you can. When in doubt, I go with the lowest number because it makes me feel better :P haha
  • karenk2f
    karenk2f Posts: 21 Member
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    Thanks for the replies! I forgot to mention that this is keeping all other variables the same. (same weigh-in time in the morning, same scale, etc.) I like shelbymkoenig's "go with the lowest number..." It sure makes me happy to see a smaller number! Just hate to be 'jumping the gun' if it isn't going to stick.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Think about it on a graph...the line is going to peak and valley with natural weight fluctuations...if you were to draw a straight line through exactly through the middle of those peaks and valleys, that would be as close an estimation of your true weight as you can possibly get.

    Log the lower number if you want, just know that if it's related to dehydration or some other major water release or glycogen release, that number is going to jump back up. I hover right around 182 Lbs (maintaining) give or take a couple of pounds day to day. I take a week off from lifting every 5-6 weeks before starting another cycle...when I do so, my body dumps a lot of water and glycogen...I'll easily go from 182 on a Monday to around 175-178 by Friday. That is obviously not my normal, "true" weight...I go right back up to my normal 182 when I start lifting again.

    I log all of it because I like the date points and like seeing my activity on a graph. I can look at my graph and see that big dip and so, "oh yeah...that was my week off from lifting" or "oh yeah...I had like 3x the sodium that I should have had that one day." That said, in your case, it's a pound...so whatevs, just log it.
  • karenk2f
    karenk2f Posts: 21 Member
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    That is very helpful and a good way to look at it! Thank you!

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