How often should I weigh myself?

edforrest84
edforrest84 Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
HI,

I put on a bit of weight not just over xmas but the past year so decided to try and lose some and this time stick to it.

When I first weighed myself I was just over 17 stone (238 pounds)

I weighed myself 4 days later and was delighted I was down to 16 stone 5 (231 pounds)

But today I weighed myself (4 days later) and I gained an extra 3 pounds?

Is it normal to fluctuate like this or should I stick to weighing myself maybe once a week?

My recommended calorie intake is 1550 although mostly have average 300 cals to spare and exercise quite rigorously on stationary bike for about 40 mins a day.

Thanks for any advice :)

Replies

  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Why does it matter if you are on a calorie deficit plan anyway? It will work if done properly. Then weigh yourself when ever you feel like.
  • maskingtaped
    maskingtaped Posts: 24
    i think it's all up to personal preference, and what you feel most comfortable with. some people weigh twice a month, some people weigh once a week, i weigh every day (sometimes even twice a day). i would just find an amount you're comfortable with and stick with it, and always log it!
  • DjangoAndDeadlifts
    DjangoAndDeadlifts Posts: 36 Member
    If you can mentally handle fluctuations, measure often. I recommend tracking using trendweight.com so you worry less about those fluctuations. If you can't mentally handle it, weigh yourself less often.
  • kballard66
    kballard66 Posts: 87
    I agree, it's personal preference. I weigh once a week, every Wednesday.
  • lucylousmummy
    lucylousmummy Posts: 348 Member
    personally i weigh myself every day at the same time, i will explain my reason for doing this.... i have been dieting for a long time, and used to drive myself insane getting on and off the scales, the minute the scales went up i'd panic and hardly eat and exercise like a mad woman, needless to say it was not healthy, was not realistic and eventually made me ill.
    now i have an app on my phone (weight control for blackberry) i weigh myself and input the weight, it gives me a monthly average, as well as an average overall, so i now use that as a guide and let the daily fluctuations take care of themselves, as long as my monthly average is down i'm happy
    if your in danger in turning into the raving lunatic that i became then hide your scales and weigh less often, otherwise do as i have done and find a way to map the fluctuations and you will see a pattern
    good luck and don't lose heart x
  • victoria090
    victoria090 Posts: 82 Member
    Don't weigh your self :) Go by the way your clothes fit & the way you feel....it's so easy to become obsessed with a number, trust me. And if you do weigh yourself - maybe just once a week on the same day first thing in the morning completely naked :) From what I hear that's the most accurate reading
  • septembergrrl
    septembergrrl Posts: 168 Member
    The recommendation is once a week. That said, I personally weigh in almost every day. (Though I only log once a week or when there's a significant change.) Just getting on the scale in the morning helps keep me on track -- even if I know logically a two-pound gain overnight is almost certainly poop or water weight, having that number in my head all day helps me make better choices.
  • majica8
    majica8 Posts: 210 Member
    It's up to you really. I weigh twice a day, once before bed and once first thing in the morning but then the little daily fluctuations don't really bother be. More they are guide as to how I'm doing and how strict I need to be with my calories for that day/the next few days.

    I don't log everyday, pretty much only log if I've lost something.
  • cajungirltx
    cajungirltx Posts: 147 Member
    I weigh myself every day. I think I need to switch it to every other day.
  • Zomb1eMummy
    Zomb1eMummy Posts: 104 Member
    In previous attempts, I would weigh myself everyday. But this was the problem. I would obsess over the scale. I would hardly eat, I would workout for hours on end. I wasn't happy and I wasn't seeing changes in myself. I ended up quitting out of frustration.

    Now, I weigh myself once a week, and I may switch that to every other week, I am not sure yet. I feel myself being less obsessed and I feel happy when I see a significant difference on the scale. I am really happy now with any progress I make. It just feels better this time around versus the previous attempts.

    Working out and losing weight should not be stressful. If you measure your weight daily, it will fluctuate and that will become frustrating. Then you will quit. Try to stick with weighing/measuring yourself once a week and trust me, you will feel a whole lot better about yourself.
  • GBrady43068
    GBrady43068 Posts: 1,256 Member
    I think it depends on what type of person you are.

    If you want to weigh daily or even a couple of times a day, this will only be a good thing if you are doing it to see how much weight may fluctuate in a day due to various factors (hormonal issues, how much food is still being digested, etc.). If that's your goal, note the weight and TIME you did it and then pay attention to the TRENDS....

    For MOST of us, seeing that number go up and down so often will prove to be a DISincentive. ("I just did all this hard work at the gym today and the scale didn't move! That's it...I give up!") So in most cases, I would say pick a day that works for you and weigh once a week and make it a consistent time (Right after you get up, right before bed, etc.) The week to week picture is more accurate.

    Either way, make sure your tracking isn't ONLY the scale because even if you're doing everything you're supposed to do (hitting your calorie and exercise goals every single day), sometimes there will be plateaus. Sometimes you'll see a gain because you're adding muscle. Sometimes you might just be retaining a bit of water if you had a really high sodium day. Do the measurements, take pictures (preaching to myself here as I need to do both of these but I notice that these are pretty common themes among the long-term success stories), notice if it's easier to climb stairs, etc.
  • pmroberts
    pmroberts Posts: 1
    There is absolutely no point weighing yourself every day, your weight will fluctuate up and down and you're more likely to get disheartened seeing your weight increase after a decrease. Also beware the scales only tell half a story, muscle weighs more than fat so while your scales may not show you a significant weight loss you may have improved your muscle/fat ratio. A better way to track your improvements is with a tape measure, it will more accurately show changes to your body. When weighing yourself, limit it to no more than once a week, always weigh yourself when you first wake up and have been to the toilet. Record your results and look for trends over a period of time.
  • MamaFunky
    MamaFunky Posts: 735 Member
    I weigh myself every morning. My weight doesn't seem to fluctuate much, so when it does I usually know why. Checking my weight is just part of my morning routine.
  • edforrest84
    edforrest84 Posts: 6 Member
    Thanks for all the advice! Im gonna leave it for once a week in the mornings rather than every second day and try not to obsess about the numbers in the long run :)

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