how do you deal with weight fluctuations?

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Replies

  • Ldbg289
    Ldbg289 Posts: 236 Member
    When I first started trying to get back to a healthy weight, I weighed daily(sometimes multiple times a day)but that drove me totally mad, I definitely had a love hate relationship with the scale then(ok mostly hate). It wasn't until someone brought up that maybe I was weighing too frequently because your weight does fluctuate that I kinda took a step back and realized that I was only hurting myself by weighing daily, putting unnecessary stress on my body which in turn caused me to hold onto weight even more. Anyway, back to the question, when my weight fluctuates I just kinda swallow and say, ok I did all I can do this week. By the way I only weigh myself on Fridays unless something unusual happens. So far the weekly weigh ins have worked for me better than the daily ones did, however just because that schedule works for me doesn't mean it will work for everyone. Just if you insist on weighing daily be prepared for a fluctuation as this is normal.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Honestly, I like seeing the fluctuations. If the scale goes up, and I know I went over sodium yesterday, I know it's from that. I can now pinpoint most causes of my fluctuations. I find it fascinating. :)
  • floop1207
    floop1207 Posts: 194 Member
    i hear you!! i've been weighing myself quite often so that i can try to gain an idea of 'trends' and see which foods seem to make me retain water (i don't eat many processed foods and have quite a low sodium diet). i 'overate' at the weekend. not hugely, just by around 500 cals on 2 consecutive days. scales went up a pound. so for 2 days i was very regimented with my intake and yesterday, 1lb had come off. today another 1lb had come off. now i know that's highly unlikely to be showing my true weigh loss - or gain - so rather than panic about it, i'm using it as a learning curve.
  • jennybennypenny
    jennybennypenny Posts: 90 Member
    This is the reason why it's suggested that you not weigh yourself every day. The scale is a liar and you shouldn't be focused on a number. Instead focus on how your clothes fit and how you feel on a day to day basis. I have set up fitness goals for myself rather than weight goals (i.e. Run 1 mile without stopping) that way the weight loss is more of a bonus rather than my sole focus.

    My weight fluctuates anywhere from 1-5 pounds on a daily basis and I always tend to be high around TOM. Don't sweat it and just keep on doing what you're doing.

    I second the fitness goals. I only weigh myself once or twice a month, but that's because in the past I got obsessive about the scale when I was weighing myself daily. You could also be bloated, retaining water, building muscle, tons of reasons why your weight won't match up 100% with your calories.
  • alyhuggan
    alyhuggan Posts: 717 Member
    I usually cry, smash the scale, then I eat a gallon of ice cream.
    Better be Ben and Jerrys!
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    You take the good, you take the bad, you take em both and there you have, the facts of life…
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I weigh myself every morning and just think "that's what I weigh this morning" - nothing more, nothing less.
    As long as the number is in the range where I want to be then it's just data with no emotional baggage.

    If I'm consistently under or over my range then I will adjust my calorie balance accordingly.
    Weight jumping around from day to day is completely normal.
  • dreamer12151
    dreamer12151 Posts: 1,031 Member
    Like others have said - take it in stride. I "weigh in" only once a week, on Monday morning, but I usually get on the scale again Fri or Sat just to give me an idea of how I'm doing.

    For instance, last week, I gained, but I put on a pair of pants & they were tight before & now they fit fine. No reason to beat myself up over the "gain" because there was a loss over all. Now, if there is a gain week after week, then there might have to be some revisions!
  • FearAnLoathingJ
    FearAnLoathingJ Posts: 337 Member
    Don't weigh everyday
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    I try to use them as a reminder to eat carefully today.
  • sunshine1082
    sunshine1082 Posts: 85 Member
    I have an app on my phone called Happy Scale. You input your weight daily and it gives you a "predicted" weight that evens out the crazy fluctuations. I don't know what the algorithm is but earlier this week my weight went up and the weight on Happy Scale went down. Today I suddenly lost and am now a fraction of a pound below. It seems fairly accurate.


    I understand about why you should not weigh daily. I understand about weight fluctuation. But I want to weigh daily.

    Thanks for mentioning this app! I just downloaded it. I was thinking about starting a spreadsheet to average out my daily fluctuations, but this seems much easier.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I know they are normal, but emotionally, when i know i have eaten below maintenance and I gain a pound the next morning, i find it very difficult to deal with.

    No judgement from here - I was the same way. For me it didn't change until I thought hard about what my actual goals are. And it turned out "weight" was not one of them. Slimming my body - getting physically stronger - improved cardiovascular fitness - those were really the things I was after. I, like many people, was using "weight" as a proxy for those other things I actually cared about.

    So now the fluctuations don't bother me because my body is telling me through the mirror, through body fat measurement, and through performance in exercise that I am getting healthier.
  • joescarpete
    joescarpete Posts: 1
    Just weigh once a day. I see my weight fluctuate 5 lbs a day. Be stubborn. Get that end goal and most importantly wake up and make yourself a promise and keep your promise to yourself
  • rosemary98
    rosemary98 Posts: 632
    thank you for all the feedback...i had been eating maintenance and my weight steady. then i ate 250 calories under maintenance and gained .6 pounds. obviously, it isn't fat that i gained. water retention, likely. but, again, still hard to see on the scale.

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