How often do you check your progress?

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mslisatm
mslisatm Posts: 154 Member
I am really trying to stay away from the scale. I used to weigh every day because I thought it gave me inspiration and motivation to keep going....well, that was true as long as the weight went DOWN or UP! When it stayed the same for a week or two it killed me and I lost momentum and avoided the scale all together and gained nearly 10 pounds. So I am trying a new mindset, which is measuring other aspects like my confidence, attitude, sexiness factor etc. Plus measure my body physically, not my weight.

My question to you gals is how often do you weigh yourself and how often do you measure yourself? Do you feel like that time frame helps you with your motivation and progress? Why? I know I have a 2 week wall I always hit with diet and exercise so I think if I only checked in every two weeks that would help me mentally. Thanks for your feedback!

Lisa
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Replies

  • cmmdance
    cmmdance Posts: 45 Member
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    I weigh weekly and measure weekly. I have only lost 5 lbs. since February, but have lost 13 inches overall. There have been many weeks that my weight didn't drop that much, but my measurements showed a change. It makes it easier on your confidence when you see a change of some sort even though the scales do not show it. I have read that some people only weigh once a month. Do what you think you need to maintain your confidence so that you stick with the plan. You can do it.
  • grdnr03
    grdnr03 Posts: 547 Member
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    I check about once a week, not on any particular day. For a few months I weighed in everyday just to get a sense of how my body works and I noticed about every 2 weeks I would drop some weight and thats about how often I weigh in now.
    I did take measurements early on, but have not kept up with those. I find it neat that everyone works out and cuts back on calorie intake and we still lose at different rates and different places of our bodies (ugh tummy area)

    good luck you will find your happy medium!!
  • Tetonia
    Tetonia Posts: 79 Member
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    I measure body fat about once a month using calipers and the tape measure. I also take progress pictures every couple of months. I also step on the scale once a week but that doesn't say anything meaningful any more.

    I am at my goal for clothing size and basic body composition, just working on dropping the last few vanity pounds for a lower BF%.

    Progress for me is a weekly measurement of how well am I living my healthy lifestyle. Am I hitting my macros and my calories? How are my workouts doing? Am I getting stronger, faster, and more flexible?
  • HelstonSonia
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    I weigh in every week - don't go near the scales apart from that. I haven't measured for a long time - I tend to just go on how clothes fit. I probably should do sometime - but don't like the results normally so tend to ignore it. Ignorance is bliss!
  • Alluring72
    Alluring72 Posts: 50 Member
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    I used to weigh myself every day but I would attribute some fluctuation to water or whatever, but when the fluctuation kept going up and up I got frustrated. I am trying to weight on once a week, if I weigh myself in between I don't put much stock in it. I am a fan of measurement tracking - I realized this morning that I lost 2 inches on my waist. I was thrilled - that means more to me than my weight. Especially since I am walking about 10 miles a week and hitting the gym 3 times a week, some of that weight could be new muscle formation.
  • 666izzy
    666izzy Posts: 42 Member
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    I was weighing myself once a month, because I didn't have any scales at home so was popping into the gym at work (which I don't belong to) and using their scales. For me, it worked well as I didn't feel I could go into the gym more than once a month and I'd always lost something in that time.

    Now I've got a set of scales of my own, so I'm weighing myself once a week. But I find that less satisfactory because I'm only losing about 1/2lb a week and that seems so little. I keep telling myself it's the same as I've been losing all along, but I'm still disappointed when I stand on the scales and they've changed by so little.
  • lotusspark
    lotusspark Posts: 368
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    I might be heavier than all if you but I'm a scale
    fanatic. I pull out my tape measurer weekly too.
    I tend to fluxuate often in both ways but I like to
    catch those positive moments to motivate me. :)
  • chattyts
    chattyts Posts: 28 Member
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    I usually weigh in on Wed and Sat, so far in 6 weeks I have been lucky on keep seeing it go down. I am down 16.4, but tomorrow is another weigh in for me, so I am hoping for more. I didn't measure when I started, but I did a couple of weeks ago and haven't done it again since. I think I will do that more on a monthly basis. I think what keeps me motivated the most is seeing what I will weigh in 5 weeks after finishing my diary entry for the day. Of course the days I work out longer make the biggest impact. Keep up the great job ladies.
  • MsMarlaJean
    MsMarlaJean Posts: 1,741 Member
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    I used to only weigh in once a month if that, but since I started MFP I went with their advice and I weigh in and check my Body Fat percentage with an OMRON once a week on Wednesday mornings before I eat breakfast.

    I only take my measurements once every 3-4 weeks (MFP recommends 2-4 weeks) I figure the longer I wait the more difference there will be which is more exciting for me when I see bigger losses. If there are no losses it motivates me to try something different. :happy:
  • jillsjourney
    jillsjourney Posts: 167 Member
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    I wish I could weight myself only once a week! I am too impatient so I do it every other day unless my sodium has been high. I am trying to wean myself towards a once a week weigh in. :laugh:
  • bigorangefan22172
    bigorangefan22172 Posts: 4 Member
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    I like to weigh daily because I feel more motivated and I set goals throughout the day. As long as I meet those goals, it makes me feel better.
  • imarlett
    imarlett Posts: 228 Member
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    I am not consistent about checking my progress. I usually measure myself with a tape measure maybe once every 6 weeks. For the actual weight maybe every two weeks, sometimes once a week or once a day depending upon how neurotic I am feeling.
  • MaureensFreshStart
    MaureensFreshStart Posts: 102 Member
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    I still weigh myself every day, but I don't worry that much if it looks like I've gained a pound or two - as long as I don't go beyond a set number that I've given myself. Ideally, I'd still *like to get to my goal weight on July 1st (my two year anniversary since I started eating better/exercising), but since I'm only 8 pounds heavier than that, if I don't actually reach it, I'm Ok with where I am now - it's more about maintaining and not going back to where I was.
  • cynharris46
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    I check my progress by weighing every morning. It keeps me motivated and on track with my eating, and activity routines.
  • schonsdragon
    schonsdragon Posts: 102 Member
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    I use a couple of apps to help me keep track of my speed walking, I alternate between them, and am working on getting my average walking speed to over 4mph eventually to over 5mph.

    As far as stepping on the scale I do better if I weight only once a month. I found that if I weight too often I become obsessed with the number on the scale instead of focusing on my health. I tend to go by how my clothes are fitting. This gives me feed back to keep me on track while at the same time makes me focus on my health instead of the scale number.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    I do measurements every 2 weeks, weigh myself every morning.
    The weight goes on the calendar, and if I've lost I record it here. (Otherwise the stupid computer announces every time I lose the same blipping 2 pounds when I'm hovering around a certain point for a couple weeks.)
  • NoMoreTwizzlers
    NoMoreTwizzlers Posts: 49 Member
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    MKEgal wrote: »
    I do measurements every 2 weeks, weigh myself every morning.
    The weight goes on the calendar, and if I've lost I record it here. (Otherwise the stupid computer announces every time I lose the same blipping 2 pounds when I'm hovering around a certain point for a couple weeks.)

    I measure weekly right now, but I may follow you & start every 2 weeks. I weight myself 5 days weekly, it's motivating and instructive for me. :D
  • mjohnson1twenty
    mjohnson1twenty Posts: 932 Member
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    i weigh daily. it's encouragement when the scale numbers go down. when they stay the same i feel confident i can at least maintain the weight i've already lost without gaining more. my numbers have only gone up if i had some water retention.

    i measure myself once a month. i feel anything more wouldn't show my progress properly and would allow my mind to think i wasn't succeeding in my fitness journey...
  • dramaqueen45
    dramaqueen45 Posts: 1,009 Member
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    Weigh once a week, measure every two weeks, photo once a month.
  • KeysGirl23
    KeysGirl23 Posts: 117 Member
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    I am guilty. I jump on the scale daily, but I only count my actual weigh in day of Sunday. I like to monitor how the things I am eating change the scale, such as when an item is high in sodium. But I must say that I have gotten to the point that I can tell how much I weigh given how my body feels in the morning and secondarily how my clothes fit.