Opinions on the scale....?

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  • astange83
    astange83 Posts: 105
    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
    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: 8,332 Member
    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
  • Unknown
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  • EmilyAnn09
    EmilyAnn09 Posts: 9
    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
    Do whatever causes you the least stress.:smile:

    OH MY GOD my dog just ate a crane fly... *blech*
  • marysidneyherbert
    marysidneyherbert Posts: 69
    The crane fly would be pure protein.
  • ablot63
    ablot63 Posts: 71 Member
    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
    thanks everyone for the input :)
  • TheBaileyHunter
    TheBaileyHunter Posts: 641 Member
    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.
  • spoiledpuppies
    spoiledpuppies Posts: 675 Member
    I weigh every day and expect that I will for the rest of my life. It helps to keep me on track and mindful of good decisions. However, I don't obsess over it. I know ups and downs will come each day. If you are obsessing, I'd say go to once a week at most. If you notice losses by clothes or other measurements and can stay motivated from that, you may not have to weigh at all.
  • karenorzikowski
    karenorzikowski Posts: 1
    i don't know if you EVER have to weigh yourself at all! unless it's @ the doctors or medically neccessary (?????) to do so. as you said: if you do your best every day and you're feeling good, clothes still fit or getting loose, why do it?
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
    i don't know if you EVER have to weigh yourself at all! unless it's @ the doctors or medically neccessary (?????) to do so. as you said: if you do your best every day and you're feeling good, clothes still fit or getting loose, why do it?

    I know why I do it. I just weighed in today and I lost 1.9kg. MUHAHAHA. (I'm almost back to my last start weight, sigh.)

    I don't look different, I don't measure different, but by jiminy I feel a million bucks. The most motivating thing about dieting is succeeding and a weigh-in is a quick benchmark. A slice in time if you will. Locked in and recorded. And I would never have known I'd lost all that if I hadn't weighed in.

    Maybe for people who are thinner they can tell more difference in their clothes: and I'm sure they do. I remember when I was young I could feel by the tightness of my waistband if I had gained 2 pounds. But fat people like me wear stretchy clothes. :D So we have to lose heaps to notice.
  • Nikoruo
    Nikoruo Posts: 771 Member
    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.

    I think that if you can handle seeing it go up and down (which is very natural and normal) than this is a very good way to watch what your eating habits do. your eating habits, your monthly gains and losses through bloating and not. What exactly your menstrual cycle (for girls obv lol) does to your weight etc.... For me it gives me peace of mind. Say if i measured every week i'd be going crazy trying to figure out if what i was doing was any good or not. Then if say i gain 5lbs from the last time i checked i'd be like "OMG I SUDDENLY GAINED SO MUCH? WHAT HAPPENED? WHERE DID I GO WRONG!? My life is over! this is failing D:" whereas at most i'll gain maybe a lbs and a half each day and that is a much nicer and smaller number i can live with you know. :)

    But it's all on what people feel comfortable with and works for them. I'm completely content with seeing my progress on a daily bases. It also helps keep me from slacking :)

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