Why I weigh daily (repost)

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Replies

  • gourmetgal77
    gourmetgal77 Posts: 73 Member
    Right there with you! I was weighing myself every day and even though I knew the fluctuations were "normal" - that didn't mean they still weren't frustrating.... I now weigh myself every 4 - 6 weeks and look forward to weighing in to see how much better I am doing. I also pay attention to my clothes and how they are fitting. I have shirts last year that fit, but were a little tight on the upper arms, now they are not - must be doing something right!
    I used to weigh daily a few years back, because my mother told me I looked chubby, and I wasn't. This hurt my self-esteem severely. At the time, I was 5"2, and 115lbs. So I became obsessed. In my opinion its an unhealthy obsession, and it doesn't do anyone any good. Weight fluctuates generously throughout the day and you don't get a true number.

    I just look in the mirror and start paying attention to how my clothes fit. I weigh myself once a month. If there is no change, there is no change. As long as I am not gaining 'fat', I'm ok.

    Currently, I am 129lbs, I workout 4 times per week, eat relatively healthy, I'm on anti-seizure medications (that I'm not convinced are the culprit because I've been on them for years), and I've gained 14lbs. My body fat percentage is 28%. I am not THRILLED about my weight, especially because all this working out, and my inches have not changed and my weight keeps creeping up.

    Yet, I refuse to weigh myself every day. I won't ever get into that habit ever again. It wreaks havoc on self-esteem for me.
  • bobf279
    bobf279 Posts: 342 Member
    I still only weigh and measure once a week but I concentrate more on other NSVs like my 5k parkrun time and how my clothes fit rather than if I've lost any weight. I'm only averaging 2lbs a month but my body shape and performance have changed quite a bit
  • barbaratrollman
    barbaratrollman Posts: 317 Member
    I weigh each morning too, like you, after I pee and before my morning cup of coffee. I like begin aware of the normal fluctuations caused by water retention, weight training, sodium intake, etc...
  • Mareebzz
    Mareebzz Posts: 45 Member
    I agree - I weigh daily. It works for ME. Of course it won't work for everyone, but I'd rather see a +.2 change in the scale rather than wait a week or two until my pants get tight and realize I've gained 3 or 4 lbs. I don't get upset when I see a 1 or 1.5 lb gain. I know it's temporary. Weighing weekly/bi-weekly NEVER worked for me.
  • jmyers1230
    jmyers1230 Posts: 67 Member
    I weigh daily just out of curiosity. I'm also trying to notice trends in my weight based on the previous day (I weigh first thing in the morning after I use the restroom). I've noticed that my weight actually drops more when I was over my calories the day before. If I've had a really good week with my food but haven't lost anything, allowing myself to go a little over for one day usually is just enough to get my body to give up some extra weight.
  • gypsyrose64
    gypsyrose64 Posts: 271 Member
    Another daily scale watcher here. I actually have a spreadsheet I plug numbers into daily.... so I guess I'm a bit of nerd, LOL

    My weight fluctuates like crazy depending on all the factors you mentioned. If I weighed less often, I'd be more neurotic than I am now. For instance my weight didn't change at ALL for June - yet I lost like 8" here and there.

    The tape measure is my other big equalizer. If I had not measured at the beginning of the month and end, I'd have been seriously depressed.

    I had not seen Libra before, and been using an app called "monitor your weight", but it doesn't trend. I had to create a spreadsheet for that, but now I'll download Libra instead.

    Bottom line, you can't take weigh in's or the tape measure too seriously from one day to the next. I've recently realized that drinking ANY beer blows me something awful. I'm talking 1-2/day over the holiday and I gained like 5 lbs of water(and it shows!). If I hadn't been weighing daily, I wouldn't have noticed that pattern. Now I'm watching other grain intake to see if it does the same.
  • iamkass
    iamkass Posts: 122 Member
    In my opinion its an unhealthy obsession, and it doesn't do anyone any good.

    You're right! Unless it's not. Just because YOU were obsessed doesn't mean everybody who does it is or will become obsessed. That's like saying drinking makes everybody alcoholics.

    You need to be in the right state of mind, if you are insecure and have a history of body image issues and eating disorders.. probably shouldn't continue or start weighing daily. But if you can replace the panic of "OMG I gained 3 pounds because I ate a bag of salty chips" with the logic of "ha ha, ya.. I am retaining a lot of water today. But man those chips were good", why not? Why not educate yourself? The human body is a fascinating machine.

    ETA: Also, stop assuming that people who weigh daily don't also pay attention to things like measurements, how clothes fit and NSVs. We do.
  • zjpq
    zjpq Posts: 198 Member
    I weigh daily too, it helps me see if what I am doing is working or not, if I need to cut back on salt, up the water etc etc
  • nboks
    nboks Posts: 41
    i tend to check my weight very often every since i bought my new digital scale. It's kinda funny how i gain 0.2 lbs just by drinking a glass of water...

    when i weighed myself when i woke up today i was almost 3 lbs lighter than my last official weigh-in. i still haven't logged it yet tho since i'm not sure if that is really my true weight or i was just dehydrated or something.
  • cruzcrzyMarie
    cruzcrzyMarie Posts: 251 Member
    Great post!
    I weigh daily, and that will never change. When we travel, we bring the scale and weigh daily. We record it on our daily calendar. My dh and I are both in maintenance. I am 50, he is 64. We walk daily for our exercise, and very rarely miss a day. Call me obsessed, I don't care. I am maintaining my weight over a year out now, and beating the odds of regain.
  • SweetTea111104
    SweetTea111104 Posts: 338 Member
    Daily weigher here too!!!! Love your data!!!!
  • bookyeti
    bookyeti Posts: 544 Member
    Right there with you! I was weighing myself every day and even though I knew the fluctuations were "normal" - that didn't mean they still weren't frustrating.... I now weigh myself every 4 - 6 weeks and look forward to weighing in to see how much better I am doing. I also pay attention to my clothes and how they are fitting.
    This!

    How often one weighs in, is a personal choice and everyone is different. For me? I weigh once or twice a month (to keep my calories/macros accurate), but I regularly take progress photos, body fat %, and measurements as well.

    In our house, growing up, my Mother's moods were often dictated by what number she saw on the scale that day. I refuse to get into that pattern myself. I am a logical person and I do like plotting numbers, etc. but I quickly become obsessed. And while I realize that weight loss is not linear and that fluctuations are the norm, they can easily frustrate. For that reason, I refuse to allow the scale to be a 'motivator' for me. It's healthier for me, that way.

    I keep asking myself: What if I never stepped on a scale again? Or, what if I remained the same weight forever? Would I still continue to eat healthy and workout, even if I never saw the number on the scale go down? It helps me remember what I'm doing this for. This is what truly motivates me. I am committed to caring for myself - physically, emotionally, spiritually - simply because it is GOOD for me, not to see the number on the scale go down.

    If weighing daily works for you, terrific. It's just not for me.
  • RunFarLiveHappy
    RunFarLiveHappy Posts: 805 Member
    I've turned my weight loss notification off in my news feed because I'm sick of explaining the reasons you listed to all of my MFP friends. I know they mean well, it's just funny that so many people assume daily weighers are "obsessed". I'm not obsessed at all, I base my biggest achievements on body fat and inches lost. I, like you, just like to have the data.
  • lshender
    lshender Posts: 33 Member
    I'm a daily weigh-er. My husband weighs himself "occasionally". I know I've lost about 45 pounds (or between 43 and 45 depending on whether I count yesterday or today. I had a big event yesterday) . He, on the other hand, thinks he's lost a half pound this month. I wonder how he explains the baggy pants to himself?
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    In my opinion its an unhealthy obsession, and it doesn't do anyone any good.
    Apparently it does some of us a *lot* of good. The only time I'm successful for any length of time is with daily weighings, fluctuations and all. I know my weight can change by five pounds day to day. It doesn't hurt my feelings. Weighing on the "wrong" day weekly or monthly and at the "wrong" time of a fluctuation would be positively disastrous for me. I wouldn't see any progress and I would go eat a Sonic Snickers Blast, and then go back to my old habits of cheeseburgers and sweet potato fries on a semi-daily basis. How is *that* helpful to me?
    Yet, I refuse to weigh myself every day. I won't ever get into that habit ever again. It wreaks havoc on self-esteem for me.
    For *you*. Yet above, you generalize to everybody. Which is it?
  • sarahmaryjane
    sarahmaryjane Posts: 41 Member
    Me too! Weighing daily is part of my morning routine - same time, every day. I'm learning what is working for me and have found with eating/exercising a certain way, I am bringing my weight back down again. A lot of people have told me not to get obsessed, but I'm not - just a routine! :)

    Thanks for this post!
  • StephanieE3456
    StephanieE3456 Posts: 80 Member
    I'm a daily weigher. It works for me. It keeps me accountable and I've learned my trends. I have one week a month and I know exactly when it's coming where I lose 5-6 lbs. It's like clockwork. The rest of the month is a couple of pounds and ups and downs. I wouldn't have known about this trend had I not weighed daily. I only made the connection after several months of tracking.
  • MrsDanner78
    MrsDanner78 Posts: 107
    In my opinion its an unhealthy obsession, and it doesn't do anyone any good.

    You're right! Unless it's not. Just because YOU were obsessed doesn't mean everybody who does it is or will become obsessed. That's like saying drinking makes everybody alcoholics.

    You need to be in the right state of mind, if you are insecure and have a history of body image issues and eating disorders.. probably shouldn't continue or start weighing daily. But if you can replace the panic of "OMG I gained 3 pounds because I ate a bag of salty chips" with the logic of "ha ha, ya.. I am retaining a lot of water today. But man those chips were good", why not? Why not educate yourself? The human body is a fascinating machine.

    ETA: Also, stop assuming that people who weigh daily don't also pay attention to things like measurements, how clothes fit and NSVs. We do.

    I totally agree with this! I, too, am a daily weigher! I actually weight myself each morning after I use the bathroom, and again each night before bed. I don't get obsessed with it, and expect to see fluctuations of up to 5 lbs each day. Weighing in daily gives me data... and I am a data collector - it's how I roll! As long as the overall trend is DOWN, I'm good! However, since I don't like dealing with all of the comments from people on my news feed if I gain a pound or two, I only log it here at MFP when I am consistently down from my previous weight... it makes life easier.
  • MarishaRea
    MarishaRea Posts: 16 Member
    I weigh in everyday too weighed in this morning and I have lost another pound it just helps to keep me motivated. I remember before I was on a calorie controlled diet months ago I had a chinese the night before and weighed myself in the morning. I had put on a whole 2lbs in a night! but I soon realised it was just down to all the sodium in the chinese causing me water retention it made me realise just how bad chinese takeaway is for me have not had one since lol :-)
  • JussyD89
    JussyD89 Posts: 18 Member
    I have weighed myself daily for four years. In the morning, before a shower.
    I have lost 141 lbs.. I am 5'1. I was 111 kgs. I am 47 kgs, trying to maintain my weight then build muscle. I am not use to my size.. My family tease me and I get bombarded from all sides. Just want to be normal. Ha.. all I ever wanted.
    I am also on anti seizure medication.. one day I hope that too goes away.
  • joycehostetler
    joycehostetler Posts: 44
    I weigh myself every morning and in fact every evening to see how I fluctuate through the day. But no matter what the scale says I always put my weight in on Friday even though sometimes during the week it was lower. The only time it's not on a Friday is when I know I will be gone. Our weights can change drastically for a number of reason, eating to much, exercise, water retention, constipation, and STRESS! I've learned to just let things go, (even though sometimes I back slide). It is just a number someone decided we should be at. If we are eating better, moving better, then life is good!
  • ilovefitness36
    ilovefitness36 Posts: 31
    In my opinion its an unhealthy obsession, and it doesn't do anyone any good.


    ETA: Also, stop assuming that people who weigh daily don't also pay attention to things like measurements, how clothes fit and NSVs. We do.

    I actually didn't assume that 'people who weigh daily don't pay attention to measurements'. I said that *I* pay more attention to measurements, and how my clothes fit. :)
  • Nancy_CM
    Nancy_CM Posts: 20 Member
    I also weigh in daily. Like many, I am a data collector, and appreciate being able to use this information to see how water, sodium, alcohol, working out, and not working out affect my daily weight. Because my scale is connected to MFP, I need to figure out how to turn that notification off. I love getting the WTG! messages, and am thankful that none of my MFP friends have mentioned the ups and downs, or thought I was obsessed... yet. :-)

    I started measuring myself each week, as well - and most importantly, I'm already shopping in my closet for the smaller clothes. Wahoo!! I'm not stressing about the weight fluctuations, I'm using them as one of several tools to keep myself motivated and moving forward.

    Now to find those settings and that graphing app! Thanks!
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    I'm the OP and I only recently started taking measurements also. In the two weeks since I started lifting I have gained weight but knocked 1/2" off my upper arms, upper legs and chest. Can't have too much data!

    As for friends, I think mine have figured out that I weight daily. They will only comment if I post something like "A new low!" under my weight feed or "Just getting back what I gained last week"
  • JennyKCarty
    JennyKCarty Posts: 457 Member
    Does anyone have a recommendation for an iphone app similar to Libra to track daily fluctuations in weight? Libra appears to be for android only. Thanks!
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    A friend uses one called Fitter Fitness that she says is decent. It's free so it wouldn't hurt to have a look see. If you have been logging weight on MFP you can get your past weights on the new and improved Reports tab and back enter some data.
  • Lmns218
    Lmns218 Posts: 155
    I weigh daily!!!! I think it is an obsession lol but it also helps me to know what affects my body too.
  • taidasrictar
    taidasrictar Posts: 100 Member
    i weigh myself daily multiple times a day at work since i work at a company that has tons of large freight scales and one of my duties is to inspect them to make sure they are still weighing stuff correctly so i know my weight on those scales are accurate within 1%

    i honestly find it fascinating on how the human body processes stuff and how long after eating i return back to my normal weight(usually within 1-3 hours though the longest it has taken is 6 hours due to a double baconator ) and i know difference of when i truly know i have lost weight and a fluctuation :smile:

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