Weighing Daily

xxghost
xxghost Posts: 4,697 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm considering making the switch from weighing once/twice a week to weighing daily.

I've already seen how too much sodium, TOM or a hard workout can have a huge impact on the next morning's weigh-in. I get frustrated when I work hard for days, only to not see the loss.

I've had quite a few people recommend I weigh in daily. I'll be able to see the downward trend, and even if I have bad days, I'll be able to see it correct itself.

I'm looking at the Runtastic Libra app.

Does anyone have any experience with daily weighing, or the app?

Thanks!
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Replies

  • TheRunningGuppy
    TheRunningGuppy Posts: 651 Member
    For the most part I have been a daily weigher. I stopped for a while and did once or twice a week for a couple months, but I actually gained weight (Yes, my eating played a big part, couldn't stop myself from eating the Christmas cookies!). So I went back to daily weigh-in's. It's just better for me to track the daily trends, and know when I need to back off the sodium or drink more water.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    If you can do it without freaking out about every little 1/2 lb then go for it. I usually do.
  • dandelyon
    dandelyon Posts: 620 Member
    Weighing daily is just part of what I do. I don't change my weight on MFP unless it's been steady for a few days. Especially right now when it's going up. I stay in denial as long as long as I can :P
  • xxghost
    xxghost Posts: 4,697 Member
    For the most part I have been a daily weigher. I stopped for a while and did once or twice a week for a couple months, but I actually gained weight (Yes, my eating played a big part, couldn't stop myself from eating the Christmas cookies!). So I went back to daily weigh-in's. It's just better for me to track the daily trends, and know when I need to back off the sodium or drink more water.

    Do you use a specific app, or do you remember your weights a different way?

    Yup, the daily trends are exactly what I want to keep an eye on!
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    I am a fan of weighing every three weeks.

    Weighing daily can cause serious frustration and depression, to the point that many times we throw our hands up and wonder why we are even doing this.

    Weighing every three weeks typically shows a loss and is more motivating.
  • NoExcusesFitnessCoach
    NoExcusesFitnessCoach Posts: 106 Member
    I personally don't think it's necessary or even helpful to weigh daily. There are always going to be fluctuations from day to day. It's about creating healthy habits to get lasting results. Weight loss will happen with those habits, but certainly won't happen overnight. It's nearly impossible to measure changes in your habits with daily weigh ins. I think once a week is more than enough. In my journey (I've lost 30 pounds so far), I don't even weigh myself that often. I weigh myself on results tracking days - usually every 4 weeks. Because I stick to a strict meal plan and exercise daily, I'm not worried about the number on the scale, but focus on how I look and feel. That's a much better measure of success.
  • eryquem
    eryquem Posts: 66 Member
    Yeah, I think weighing daily is a good idea for a couple of reasons.

    It is less discouraging to see the number bounce up a little knowing that tomorrow it could bounce right back down. Rather than feeling like an entire week's worth of work was for nothing, it's more like a one day setback. After a while, seeing the scale bump up by a pound or so from yesterday won't even phase you.

    Also, if you're only weighing once a week, it's easier to let yourself go overboard (especially the few days right after a weigh in), thinking you'll make up for it later. So it keeps you more accountable to staying within your goals.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    If you can do it without freaking out about every little 1/2 lb then go for it. I usually do.
    This. Realize that you will see daily fluctuations up and down, or sometimes no change at all. Don't let it mess with your head.

    In addition to weighing, you might want to track your measurements once or twice a month as well. I went six months without any significant change on the scale (just up and down the same few pounds), but dropped a full size during that time. Take progress pics as well.
  • yelliezx
    yelliezx Posts: 633 Member
    I weigh every day or every couple of days, just depends on my mood really. When I have my TOM, I usually still weigh myself and get all excited when I drop a big amount of weight when it's finished! :)
  • KarenGMT
    KarenGMT Posts: 19
    I weigh daily. If you do want to do that but get discouraged about a bump up from the previous day, just look back a week or two ago to get the right perspective. If *that* shows a gain, then you know you need to switch things up.

    Good luck!
  • andibenoit
    andibenoit Posts: 71 Member
    I personally don't think it's necessary or even helpful to weigh daily. There are always going to be fluctuations from day to day. It's about creating healthy habits to get lasting results. Weight loss will happen with those habits, but certainly won't happen overnight. It's nearly impossible to measure changes in your habits with daily weigh ins. I think once a week is more than enough. In my journey (I've lost 30 pounds so far), I don't even weigh myself that often. I weigh myself on results tracking days - usually every 4 weeks. Because I stick to a strict meal plan and exercise daily, I'm not worried about the number on the scale, but focus on how I look and feel. That's a much better measure of success.

    Took the words out of my mouth....
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    If you can do it without freaking out about every little 1/2 lb then go for it. I usually do.

    This.

    I weigh daily then put it into an excel spreadsheet, which graphs it and plots a trend line. Last week I was down to 157, today 160, the trend line is somewhere in between those numbers.
  • DeliriumCanBeFun
    DeliriumCanBeFun Posts: 313 Member
    It's all about personal preference. Of course it's not necessary, and it's only a bad thing if little increases affect you emotionally in a negative way. I weigh every morning under the same conditions. But I am able to handle the fluctuations, and I like to see the patterns. I find sometimes it takes until the second day for an increase to show up there, but it's definitely the reason I started paying closer attention to my salt intake. I also take my measurments every 2 weeks. Figure out what works for you and do that.
  • MarKayDee
    MarKayDee Posts: 196
    I weigh every day. I roll out of bed, get my son some milk weigh myself and then do my morning workout. If the scale has gone up a bit, then I use that knowledge as an opportunity to add an extra bit of time to my workout, if it's gone down a decent amount then sometimes I reward myself with a bigger breakfast than normal, and a longer jog.
  • EmmieBaby
    EmmieBaby Posts: 1,235 Member
    I use the libra app, I like it for its simplicity.
    I weigh myself daily to see the impact of what I do (good or bad) does to my body. also I am experimenting with different foods and the "bloat" factor.

    if you get frustrated with the numbers fluctuating I would suggest weekly or monthly weigh ins, but if you dont mind seeing the scale move up and down...alot...then do it daily to see the trend. =)
  • alibee88
    alibee88 Posts: 31
    I've really gotten into the habit of weighing daily recently. I use trendweight.com to smooth out the daily water weight fluctuations. I love watching my trend line go down everyday.
  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,264 Member
    I weigh daily. If you do want to do that but get discouraged about a bump up from the previous day, just look back a week or two ago to get the right perspective. If *that* shows a gain, then you know you need to switch things up.

    Good luck!

    Wise words
  • arrseegee
    arrseegee Posts: 575 Member
    I do. and I use an app on iPhone called 'True Weight' that basically looks at trends in your weight fluctuations to report your 'actual' weight. I find it helpful
  • dj59lane
    dj59lane Posts: 52 Member
    I'm a daily weigh-in person do it first thing in the morning
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    I weighed daily for a while, and used Libra to record. The app is really great...although I found you need about 2 weeks of data to get a good trend line. My trend line was all over the place when I first started because there wasn't enough data for it to figure out which way to go...so just expect that it might show you gaining at first.
  • NitaMoran
    NitaMoran Posts: 5 Member
    I agree. Weighing daily is not good for me personally. I realize that for me, this has to be an overall change and not let the scale dictate my progress. Also, if one has began to use weights as part of their improvements, you may not see results on the scale but with body composition. Once a month for me. :)
  • iceyelf
    iceyelf Posts: 26 Member
    if you get frustrated weighing once or twice a week I am not sure how daily is going to be better.
    I would think it would be more frustrating.

    but try it , if you don't like it , or its making you more crazy then go back to weekly.
  • jetlag
    jetlag Posts: 800 Member
    Not heard of the Libra App. I'll check it out. I use My Weight (ipad) because it links with my withings scale.
  • SwoleWheatPancakes
    SwoleWheatPancakes Posts: 5 Member
    I personally just weigh myself between sets at the gym which ends up being between 3-5 times a week. You have two choices really: one being to weigh yourself at the same state of fullness and hydration (hard) or to just take the average over two weeks and compare to the last two. Either way, if you don't like seeing your weight go up sometimes after working hard for a week, then I wouldn't recommend it.
  • indianarunner76
    indianarunner76 Posts: 108 Member
    Daily weigh ins worked for me, I lost 54 pounds in four months. I loved the data that was given each day and it would allow me to see how different foods or workouts effected me. I only counted my Sunday weigh in though as my official weight loss for the week. In the end the math 99% of time worked out for me. I did and still weigh myself in the morning after I use the bathroom.

    I wish you all the best of luck on your weight loss journey
  • nmncare
    nmncare Posts: 168 Member
    If you are obsessive and freak out over any gains.. don't weigh daily.

    I personally weigh daily so I can see trends. It also helps keep me on track. If I see a little gain I go back and check my sodium intake, how much water I drank that day, etc. That way I can *kitten* what might have caused the gain and if I need to make any fixes to what I am doing.

    So if you wont freak out and you personally think it will work for you.. I say weigh daily.
    If you will freak out.. Don't.

    But at the end of the day, the tape measure and the way your clothes fit speak MUCH loader than the scale. At least in my opinion. :)
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    I also weigh myself almost daily, but I don't let the up and down fluctuations affect me, since I am on maintenance. It has been very interesting to see that my weight only goes up or down no more, and sometimes less, than a pound.

    I am not so good about taking my measurements; I am 6 months behind schedule but since the clothes fit the same then I don't worry about it.

    Edited to add that I don't keep track of my weight or fluctuations with any app or spreadsheet. I only count what I entered in this database when I reached my goal, and I take it from there.
  • mghuss
    mghuss Posts: 22 Member
    I am a daily weigher, but a weekly recorder. I weigh every morning to keep motivated - if the scale goes down, I know what I'm doing is working, and if the scale goes up, it gives me something to think about. It has given me the ability to understand my natural weight fluctuations (like if I eat alot of sodium the night before I can expect 1-2 lbs difference, if it's that time of the month 3-5 lbs will hang around for a few days, etc.) and if I record weekly I still can see overall how my weight is trending. I find the daily data to be helpful, but like some of the other users have said I don't get upset if the scale goes up a 1/2 lb and I can't explain it.

    I weigh first thing in the morning before I've eaten and just as I'm about to hop in the shower. It's kind of a daily reminder as well as to why this is important for me to be doing. I have my scale sitting in front of a full length mirror, so I also see myself every day to go along with the weight.

    I track my measurements monthly.
  • CMoeDee
    CMoeDee Posts: 102 Member
    I started weighing daily about a week ago, and for me, it's helping me not to be neurotic about my weight. I also keep it on an excel spreadsheet with my previous day's exercise, my lift numbers for my big 4 lifts, and a monthly measurements check, so I'm not just looking at long columns reminding me whether or not I had dessert yesterday.

    Once I committed to it and wrote off my weight as just some number, it's ...just sort of a thing I do - the thing that gets me out of bed and gets the coffee started - and I watch the fluctuations with a kind of detached curiosity. Ask your little internal freakout monster if it's going to freak out over fluctuations, and you'll have your answer.
  • gpizzy
    gpizzy Posts: 171
    I have an OCD type personality so frankly, I be quite obsessive about any movement on the scale weighing in daily, so it doesn't necessarily work for what I'm trying to accomplish (a lifestyle change). However, if you don't have the same issue, or are okay with experiencing it, then do it! You have to choose what works best for your personality.

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