DAMN YOU SCALE- Need honest answers.

melissaka7
melissaka7 Posts: 277 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
On my journey to get healthy & fit I have set mini goals for myself.
SW- 188.8
CW: 165.2, 164.8, or 165.6???
MINI GOAL: 165
IDEALWEIGHT: 150
GW: 145

My mini goal is to be 165 by the end of August & I have hopes that I can be 145 by the end of October...in case I plateau or whatever.

MY PROBLEM IS THIS- I was weighing in once or twice a week, but because I am SOOOO close to my mini goal I am going a little batty. I'm weighing in pretty much every day. Same time, same amount of (no) clothes. This morning I weighed in at like 165.2 & I usually do it 3 times to make sure it's right. I brushed my teeth & washed my face & then weighed in again. Like I said, I'm going a little crazy. It went down to 164.8. So I am losing my mind. I weighed in three separate times this morning & it varied from 165.6 to 164.8. I want to go with the second weigh in of 164.8, but I want to be honest with myself.

My question is WHY did it change so many times & how can I stop myself from doing this?? I know some people do weigh in every day. I will likely go back to once a week once I know for sure I'm at 165.

Please help me stop myself from going crazy!!

Replies

  • LovinDaNewLiz14
    LovinDaNewLiz14 Posts: 217 Member
    your stepping on to much, and throwing the scale off!!! It will ALWAYS give you different readings the more you do it!!! You have to stay off it and only weigh in once a week to get accurate readings:)
  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
    Depending on the scale it just may not be accurate. There are some scales where I can step off and on it 3 times in a row and have 3 different weights, +/- 2 lbs. I wouldn't sweat it so much, just take the average. Or stop being OCD about it.
  • petersonabt
    petersonabt Posts: 518 Member
    First get a heavy object and put it on the scale, then do that again if the weight is different its time for a new scale.

    with that said. I always go with the first weight recorded. my scale fluctuates occasionally so I just step on it once and be done, I know how exciting it gets and I did the same thing but like you I was going crazy. So I would just step on it and use the first weight that showed up.
  • yksdoris
    yksdoris Posts: 327 Member
    I know the feeling!

    I've started writing down my weight every day - be it up or down - that way I can easily pull up a graph of my weight fluctuations over a period of time. it's frustrating to admit sometimes (=this morning) that I'm heavier than I've set my top mark for maintenance but pulling the graph up really helps - it goes up, yes, but it also fluctuates below my minimum weight range, often within the same week. so overall I'm still fine :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Your scale seems to be inaccurate, so I would not even bother weighing more than once at this point.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    My question is WHY did it change so many times & how can I stop myself from doing this?? I know some people do weigh in every day. I will likely go back to once a week once I know for sure I'm at 165.

    Please help me stop myself from going crazy!!

    Your weight is affected by more than just the amount of fat on your body. Undigested food, stool, muscle, organs, water, bone, etc. It all contributes to your total weight. Many of those things do not change quickly, but many change often and quickly. You can't stop it. It's normal.
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
    I weigh daily. I only count it if it's on an official "weigh in day". Also though, I watch to make sure it's a weight that I've gotten fairly consistently over the last couple of days.

    My guess, with the range in such a short amount of time, is that your floor is uneven or there's something else preventing your scale from lying perfectly flat.
  • Dynila
    Dynila Posts: 4 Member
    With less than a pound difference, I'd go with an average. It could be worse -- I weighed five times in a row this a.m. and got 5 different numbers with a 14lb range.
  • unmitigatedbadassery
    unmitigatedbadassery Posts: 653 Member
    Body weight can fluctuate over the course of 24 hours by 8lbs. Stop stressing about it. Get into a habit of having the same weigh in routine - use the bathroom, don't eat, disrobe, weigh - and do it once a week. This may not be 100% accurate, as it will vary from scale to scale, but it will give you the ability to see a consistent trend in weight loss. Focus more on that than the numbers themselves.
  • mdepko
    mdepko Posts: 283 Member
    I just always step on the scale and live with the results. I use no decimal places, half pounds or anything like that.. I want a whole number change. I weigh once a week and whatever those results are, that's what I go with. And don't change your habits just because you are close to your mini-goal. You'll get there. Relax, take a breath, and stop driving yourself crazy.
  • unmitigatedbadassery
    unmitigatedbadassery Posts: 653 Member
    I just always step on the scale and live with the results. I use no decimal places, half pounds or anything like that.. I want a whole number change. I weigh once a week and whatever those results are, that's what I go with. And don't change your habits just because you are close to your mini-goal. You'll get there. Relax, take a breath, and stop driving yourself crazy.

    all of this ^
  • larsensue
    larsensue Posts: 461 Member
    No on eis EVER exactly the same weight everyday... especially not women! we can retain water up to but not limitted to 3lbs on a fluctuating and daily basis. Please don't stress over this. just look in the mirror and if it looks good to you and the scale is about right then LOVE the new you and carry on.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    With less than a pound difference, I'd go with an average. It could be worse -- I weighed five times in a row this a.m. and got 5 different numbers with a 14lb range.

    5 times in a row and weight fluctuated by 14 lb?? Time for new batteries or a new scale.
  • melissaka7
    melissaka7 Posts: 277 Member
    Thank you everyone. I am a "smidge" OCD I will admit. This is just so important to me & I've never been prouder of myself for how far I've come. 23lbs may not be a lot, but too me it's great.

    I am not sure how I feel about not using the decimals. Would I round up or down depending on the #?

    And does anyone suggest a new scale. The one I have is old(er) & probably one of the least expensive ones from Target.
  • unmitigatedbadassery
    unmitigatedbadassery Posts: 653 Member
    Thank you everyone. I am a "smidge" OCD I will admit. This is just so important to me & I've never been prouder of myself for how far I've come. 23lbs may not be a lot, but too me it's great.

    I am not sure how I feel about not using the decimals. Would I round up or down depending on the #?

    And does anyone suggest a new scale. The one I have is old(er) & probably one of the least expensive ones from Target.

    23lbs is nothing to sneeze at. Great work!

    As far as decimals, I generally only use whole numbers. I round up. The number doesn't matter as much to me - unless I've lost whole pounds I don't count it.
  • djrn144
    djrn144 Posts: 21 Member
    I use an electronic scale that is fairly accurate. I weigh weekly, naked, same day and at the same time if possible. Try to focus on other things besides the scale, like 23# off, great job!!! lots of changes for the better! I use to weigh daily but it messed with my head ya know?:wink:
  • cncharron
    cncharron Posts: 2 Member
    studies show that people who weigh themselves daily actually weigh less on average then people who weigh themselves weekly or not at all. Although from experience, if you obsess over it, its not going to do you any good. My suggestion is weighing yourself daily but don't compare your weight to the day before. Instead, compare it to the same day of the previous week. Today you may go up by .2 but over the next three days you may lose 1.2 so it all comes out in the wash!
  • monjacq1964
    monjacq1964 Posts: 291 Member
    On my journey to get healthy & fit I have set mini goals for myself.
    SW- 188.8
    CW: 165.2, 164.8, or 165.6???
    MINI GOAL: 165
    IDEALWEIGHT: 150
    GW: 145

    My mini goal is to be 165 by the end of August & I have hopes that I can be 145 by the end of October...in case I plateau or whatever.

    MY PROBLEM IS THIS- I was weighing in once or twice a week, but because I am SOOOO close to my mini goal I am going a little batty. I'm weighing in pretty much every day. Same time, same amount of (no) clothes. This morning I weighed in at like 165.2 & I usually do it 3 times to make sure it's right. I brushed my teeth & washed my face & then weighed in again. Like I said, I'm going a little crazy. It went down to 164.8. So I am losing my mind. I weighed in three separate times this morning & it varied from 165.6 to 164.8. I want to go with the second weigh in of 164.8, but I want to be honest with myself.

    My question is WHY did it change so many times & how can I stop myself from doing this?? I know some people do weigh in every day. I will likely go back to once a week once I know for sure I'm at 165.

    Please help me stop myself from going crazy!!

    the answer is to read the threat i'm going to link to, and not freak out about the fluctuations. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1023495-confuse-over-daily-weigh-ins-use-the-moving-average
  • ami5000psu
    ami5000psu Posts: 391 Member
    If your scale is fluctuating by a lot in the span of a few minutes you may need to replace the batteries. Otherwise, if you're going to weigh daily, you need to reconcile yourself to the idea that it won't always be the same every single day. It's just not possible.
  • nancykabat
    nancykabat Posts: 17 Member
    First of all, congrats on your weight loss. I think you are gonna discourage yourself in the long run if you keep doing the weight check every day and multiple times in a day. You will get there but do it the right way but continuing to watch what you eat. Only weigh once a week on the same day no matter what happened the day before. Weigh first thing in the a.m. after going to the bathroom. :flowerforyou:
  • melissaka7
    melissaka7 Posts: 277 Member
    I honestly do typically TRY to weigh in once a week. And I mean TRY. The only reason I have been doing it every day is because I am so close to my first goal. I plan to go back to once a week if I can get myself to do it.

    I get discourged occasionally, but because of people like you all & my support group on facebook & all my other friends I know not to give up!
  • JanetP124
    JanetP124 Posts: 50 Member
    The number on my scale will change by 1/2 a lb or so if I try to put most of my weight back on my heels rather than balanced or up on my toes.

    But yes, I think it is pretty obvious that my at home scale is not a scientifically exact weight down to the tenth of a pound. I look at it as more of a pretty good estimate that shows the trend over time.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    My question is WHY did it change so many times & how can I stop myself from doing this?? I know some people do weigh in every day. I will likely go back to once a week once I know for sure I'm at 165.

    Please help me stop myself from going crazy!!
    Water retention, urine, and poop.

    There's no way to stop the daily fluctuation, so I would focus on not obsessing over something that isn't going to change.
  • Sallybally55
    Sallybally55 Posts: 97 Member
    I also weigh myself every day and try my best not to freak out about it. I record my lowest weight for the week into MFP. I figure that you can have a misleading higher weight due to water weight, TOM, etc. But you can't really have a "false" low wight..

    It works for me.

Categories