Opinions on the scale....?

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2

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  • guessrs
    guessrs Posts: 358 Member
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    Very important. Having said that I only weigh myself once a month. I take measurements of my waist every morning.
  • RaggedyPond
    RaggedyPond Posts: 1,487 Member
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    I end up doing it everyday and if its the same weight for a few days I log it. You need to be able to see if you are doing something wrong especially if you are experimenting with calorie adjustments.
  • SallyJoGagne
    SallyJoGagne Posts: 3
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    I'm a little OCD about weighing in. So I'v gone from weighing myself every time I see the scale to every morning just before I get into the shower to now every 2 -3 days. My goal is 1 time a week. Longer than that and I think I'll get bad at least until I get things under control.
  • RaggedyPond
    RaggedyPond Posts: 1,487 Member
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    now my question to you guys is... how important do you think the scale is?

    It is important in the beginning to make sure you are still losing. Later on it won't be. In 6 months I only lost 10 lbs but lost 4% body fat.
  • marysidneyherbert
    marysidneyherbert Posts: 69
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    I like weighing myself every morning before I drink or eat anything. It's a good reality check, and I don't get too upset if it's up a little. It helps me stay in tune with my body (for example, seeing what happens with too much sodium). I think it's interesting how I typically reach my new lows on the mornings after rest days; I guess for some reason I don't have as much water in my system after a rest day. Interestingly, lately I've been finding that I actually lose about 0.2 pounds on the scale the next morning when I drink hot chocolate before bed (dark chocolate Hershey's powder with 1% milk and just a little sugar, maybe 1 tsp.). Weird.
  • ablot63
    ablot63 Posts: 71 Member
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    everyone seems to have such varying opinions - some people weigh everyday and others weigh once a month. i think at this point ill stick to once a week! it's really so so stressful for me, that's why i'm trying to cut back
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
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    I weigh daily, after going to the loo, before my shower... I'm at my lightest. :p I have electronic scales and I CAN see weight come off. I weigh daily even when I'm not on a diet, as whenever I do not weigh myself for a few days I put on weight. I need that constant reflection to keep me in line.

    I only log the weight once a week though. Any more frequent and you don't get any sense of achievement.
  • Dottyb1940
    Dottyb1940 Posts: 188 Member
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    I weigh in every day, just to keep me from lapsing and to see if I am going wrong, if I don!t it does!t worry me.
  • Noor13
    Noor13 Posts: 964 Member
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    I barely weigh. The scale does not mean much to me. I am mainly strength training and the weight can fluctuate greatly on a daily basis. I go how my cloths fit and measure my body fat now and again.

    The only time I am weighing on a more regular basis (maybe once a week or every two weeks) is when I am bulking.

    If it stresses you to weight daily and it even can ruin your day-don't do it. There are so many things that can influence your weight.....don't fret. Use it as a tool to see the trend by weighing once a week or month under same circumstances and don't be upset if it does not show you what you want to see.

    If I went by my scale weight I would probably be depressed lol.
  • 1stday13
    1stday13 Posts: 433 Member
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    so i've always been one of those people who's weighed myself every single day and literally OBSESSED over that number on that scale. if i was up even .2 or .4 lbs, it would ruin my whole day.

    now my question to you guys is... how important do you think the scale is?

    recently i've stopped weighing myself everyday and i've cut back to once a week. is it even necessary to weigh once a week? would once a month be better? i mean if you're putting your best foot forward every single day, and pushing yourself during every workout, what's the need to weigh so often, right?
    I do once a month. I was like you even though I started out weighing 1x per week. If I had not lost as much as I felt I should have in that week, I would get really down. I would think, "whats the use"? I would have a hard time the entire next week. So I switched to 1x per month or longer. I have done much better. For me, it keeps me motivated. I think "ok I have a month, lets see how I do. It keeps me driven to really work on my permanent change in eating habits. At the end of the month, I try not to have a set amount I should have lost. Instead I look at the number and divide it by 4. Tell my self hey I lost an average of x# of pounds per week. ( when I reach my goal, I will probably start weighing 1x per week to keep myself in check.
    I know I rambled, Just what works for me..
    Good Luck :flowerforyou:
  • astange83
    astange83 Posts: 105
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    I'm kind of obsessed with my scale, weigh in every morning pre-workout/breakfast then at the end of the day to judge where I should be in the morning. This week has been a rollercoaster ride with the scale up 1.5 lbs then down then back up...stupid numbers!
  • ChristineinMA
    ChristineinMA Posts: 312 Member
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    Weekly is fine. Daily is just a recipe for "OHMYGOD I AM GAINING SO THIS IS WRONG" and "I JUST LOST WEIGHT!!!! THIS IS ALL RIGHT?!" back to back.

    It's like OCD on steroids.

    If the general trend is in the right direction, you're in good shape. Make no sense to weight more than once a day... unless you just love unnecessary tension.

    AMEN!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,238 Member
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    My opinion is the same as the one found here http://bradpilon.com/weight-loss/gain-muscle-lose-fat-just-a-guess/

    In short, scales are but one measure, and not a particularly good one, for progress. Measuring tapes are much better. I personally use this http://www.fitshop.ca/accufitness-myotape.html
  • EmilyAnn09
    EmilyAnn09 Posts: 9
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    I would argue that measuring yourself everyday does not give you a good representation of where you are at, rather the opposite as weight can fluctuate hugely day to day.

    A representation that documents those fluctuations is definitionally better than one that doesn't.

    Not really, weighing daily can cause people to be discouraged at slow weight loss or even weight gain. Of course this is for people who are not used to the weight loss process.


    Exactly. Women can fluctuate up to 5 pounds. That can really stress a girl out, especially if it is her time of the month. I just choose not to weigh myself that week because I know it is going to be off.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
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    Do whatever causes you the least stress.:smile:

    OH MY GOD my dog just ate a crane fly... *blech*
  • marysidneyherbert
    marysidneyherbert Posts: 69
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    The crane fly would be pure protein.
  • ablot63
    ablot63 Posts: 71 Member
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    so i've always been one of those people who's weighed myself every single day and literally OBSESSED over that number on that scale. if i was up even .2 or .4 lbs, it would ruin my whole day.

    now my question to you guys is... how important do you think the scale is?

    recently i've stopped weighing myself everyday and i've cut back to once a week. is it even necessary to weigh once a week? would once a month be better? i mean if you're putting your best foot forward every single day, and pushing yourself during every workout, what's the need to weigh so often, right?
    I do once a month. I was like you even though I started out weighing 1x per week. If I had not lost as much as I felt I should have in that week, I would get really down. I would think, "whats the use"? I would have a hard time the entire next week. So I switched to 1x per month or longer. I have done much better. For me, it keeps me motivated. I think "ok I have a month, lets see how I do. It keeps me driven to really work on my permanent change in eating habits. At the end of the month, I try not to have a set amount I should have lost. Instead I look at the number and divide it by 4. Tell my self hey I lost an average of x# of pounds per week. ( when I reach my goal, I will probably start weighing 1x per week to keep myself in check.
    I know I rambled, Just what works for me..
    Good Luck :flowerforyou:

    that's really interesting, i might try that too :)
  • ablot63
    ablot63 Posts: 71 Member
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    thanks everyone for the input :)
  • TheBaileyHunter
    TheBaileyHunter Posts: 641 Member
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    I weigh daily, after going to the loo, before my shower... I'm at my lightest. :p I have electronic scales and I CAN see weight come off. I weigh daily even when I'm not on a diet, as whenever I do not weigh myself for a few days I put on weight. I need that constant reflection to keep me in line.

    I only log the weight once a week though. Any more frequent and you don't get any sense of achievement.

    This is me too.

    If I don't weigh myself daily, I find that it is usually a case of avoidance because I know I'm not on track and just don't want to know.

    Weighing daily first thing in the morning after the washroom break, gives me a fair indication of what my body is going through being too much sodium, a heavy workout the day before, or if it's coming on that time of month. By watching the numbers not so much as a reflection of my weight, but the outside factors affecting it, it helps me stay on track.

    I only log once every week or two though same as above. The rollercoaster of logging every day would be what would send me off.

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