scale experiment

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sheri3762
sheri3762 Posts: 159
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone! I just started back on here today after a very stressful and busy few months. I'm ready to try to loose these last 10 pounds so I've tried an experiment this last week regarding my scale.

Last January when I started here on this site, I was seriously afraid to get on the scale! I actually had to force myself to weigh myself every couple weeks! I had a terrible feeling that each time i would either not see a loss or worse, a gain! Well, to try to help myself overcome this fear, for the past week I have gotten on the scale in the morning and the evening each day. Well, now I truly understand why everyone talks about being consistant with weigh-ins regarding time of day, what your wearing and using the same scale.

Each morning I would weigh on the scale either clothed or unclothed, sometimes before breakfast and bathroom sometimes after and I did the same in the evening. I can honestly say that for me, going back to every 2 weeks is the way to go! For example, in one day, my weight went up and down by 5 pounds! I even had a 12 hour period, starting at 10pm until 10a.m where my weight difference was 4 pounds!

I've decided there is no longer a need to fear the scale. If my weight can change that much in a one day period, then for accuracy, I need to continue to only check it each week or even everyother week. Better than that, I think I'm going to go back to really relying on what my tape measure says. At least now I understand why people get so upset when they see so many ups and downs each week regarding that dreaded scale!

Replies

  • miqisha
    miqisha Posts: 1,534 Member
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    I agree that weighing everyday will drive a sain person crazy. Once a week or every other week is perfectly fine.
  • jsecret
    jsecret Posts: 606 Member
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    I wish I could only weigh in once a week! I just don't have that kind of self control. I weigh in when I get up in the morning after going to the bathroom and fully undressed, I also weigh in every time I go to the bathroom at work - on both scales in there, I weigh in at night before bed too! So we're talking like 10 times a day easy... shame on me!
  • amandarocks
    amandarocks Posts: 5
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    I agree!!! I Weigh myself every Friday. I was weighing myself on a daily basis day and night (Although I know it isn't the best thing to do) It really makes a difference just doing it once a week!!
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
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    As long as the reading on the scale doesn't dictate your actions you are fine. I weigh daily, sometimes twice, but I don't let the # get me down. I know I am making the right choices food wise and doing a moderate amount of exercise. I know the scale will move sooner or later. What is more important is how I feel!
  • sltx1002
    sltx1002 Posts: 15 Member
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    I'm only in week 2 but for the first week I was weighing myself every day. At first I felt a little "high" when I'd get on the scale and the number would be lower than the day before. But then one day the number was higher than the day before...by 1/2 of a pound. I had to really concentrate on the fact that my overall weight loss was 6lbs instead of just focusing on that 1/2 pound gain.

    That 1/2 pound took away all the "high" of losing and actually made me feel a little despair and like I would never be able to lose this weight.

    When I realized where I was going with that, I decided once a week is for me.
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
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    I weigh myself daily but don't take the daily measurements so seriously. I track my weight every day and then use the reports tool to monitor weight loss over a 30 or 90 day period and look at the overall trend (DOWN!). Weighing every day allows me to avoid having the weight get out of control and to emphasize my conscious effort to stay on track every day knowing that IF I do eat a lot one day that I can make up for it the next day.

    In terms of overall weight loss goals, I'm ultimately trying to get with in the "healthy" BMI range which means below 159. Since I started at 185 this is a huge amount to drop SO i break my weight loss into 5 lb stages where I ONLY focus on getting to the next 5 lb mark at a time. Ideally this would only take about 2-3 weeks per mini-goal however, this has not been the case. I just have to keep reminding myself that real weight loss that is permanent takes time especially since it took 23 years to put on all that weight, its going to take more than a few months to take it off. I do keep reminding myself of how far I've come but I try not to focus too much on the end goal.

    Good luck to everyone!
  • Aamilah
    Aamilah Posts: 62 Member
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    I agree that weighing everyday will drive a sane person crazy. Once a week or every other week is perfectly fine.
    LOL!!!! THAT THE MAIN REASON WHY I STOP WEIGHTING MYSELF EVERYDAY OR EVERY COUPLE OF HOUR'S IN A DAY.
    MY WEIGHT WILL GO UP THROUGH OUT THE DAY,WHICH WOULD DRIVE ME CRAZY!UNTIL I REALIZE THAT THE REASON WHY MY WEIGHT WAS GOING UP, WAS BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF WATER I WAS CONSUMING A DAY( WATER CAN PUT SOME POUNDS ON YOU WHICH WOULD VANISH THE DAY AFTER,AFTER PEEING IT OUT! SO I JUST STOP WEIGHTING MY SELF THROUGH OUT THE DAY,ONLY ONCE A WEEK.
  • Kate_UK
    Kate_UK Posts: 1,299 Member
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    I weigh every morning, it helps to keep me motivated but I can see how the fluctuations could drive other people nuts.
  • ChristaS
    ChristaS Posts: 49 Member
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    I also weigh in every morning, use to at night to but that is crazy making! lol every morning helps to keep me on track for the day. I don't want to see a huge jump in the morning so I behave. I do have a good handle on the fact that the daily weight isn't all that important and try to look at a weekly average.

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