Can your weight fluctuate in the downwards direction?

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fairygirlpie9
fairygirlpie9 Posts: 288 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm always hearing people say that weight can go upwards due to TOM, water retention, bloating etc. but is it possible for the scales to give a lower reading than what you actually weigh and if so under what circumstances?

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  • sausens
    sausens Posts: 39 Member
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    I've been wondering the same thing! Waiting for someone smarter than me to answer!
  • angelalf1979
    angelalf1979 Posts: 244 Member
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    Bump

    Curious myself!
  • jetlag
    jetlag Posts: 800 Member
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    "Less than what you actually weigh", erm no. You weigh what you weigh. You can, however, drop water so that you weigh less without losing fat.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
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    Well, I have noticed if I go out and get totally hammered drunk, the next day I wake up about 3 pounds lighter due to dehydration. Who wants shots?!:drinker:
  • megantischner
    megantischner Posts: 85 Member
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    Your weight can fluctuate 1-2 lbs during the day, as you take food in, use the restroom, sweat, etc. So your weight can definitely be under your "baseline" weight. This is why it's recommended that you weigh yourself at the same time each day -- that will give you the best idea of how much weight you're really losing or gaining.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    Dehydration, mainly. A good BM. After a night of drinking heavily, I'll typically "lose" 5 lbs.
  • alibee88
    alibee88 Posts: 31
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    You'll weigh less than your "proper" weight if you dehydrate yourself. Not really recommended! :)
  • loubidy
    loubidy Posts: 440 Member
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    Well, I have noticed if I go out and get totally hammered drunk, the next day I wake up about 3 pounds lighter due to dehydration. Who wants shots?!:drinker:

    This! I'm always super light when I'm veeeerrrrrrryyyy hungover and dehydrated..
  • jess135177
    jess135177 Posts: 186 Member
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    Well, I have noticed if I go out and get totally hammered drunk, the next day I wake up about 3 pounds lighter due to dehydration. Who wants shots?!:drinker:

    This! I'm always super light when I'm veeeerrrrrrryyyy hungover and dehydrated..

    Yup this happens to me too everytime!!
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Weight fluctuates up and down for the same reasons.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    When working properly, scales should never give a reading other than what you actually weigh. But to answer your question, yes, your weight can, and likely will, fluctuate both up and/or down. Your water weight can be lower than it is on average, just like it can be higher.
  • uconnwinsnc
    uconnwinsnc Posts: 1,054 Member
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    I'm always hearing people say that weight can go upwards due to TOM, water retention, bloating etc. but is it possible for the scales to give a lower reading than what you actually weigh and if so under what circumstances?

    It is not possible for you to weigh less than you actually weigh. The water weight is part of your weight, so you weigh what you weigh when you step on the scale. That is why the belief that the scale is an end all, be all for measuring "health" is a flawed ideology.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    This is kind of a yes and no question.

    I use the scale to gauge how much water I lost after long runs. This is kind of a hydration tool runners use to gauge water/hydration loss. Basically, for every lb of weight you lose over your run you drink 16 oz to replace the water lost. So yes, your weight can fluctuate downward on that account.

    But, for -normal- day-to-day trends...I am going to say no on the downward fluctuation.
  • p4ulmiller
    p4ulmiller Posts: 588 Member
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    Yup, fluctuations mean up AND down.

    A lot depends on water weight as others have said, but it can also depend on toileting arrangements, or whether you have eaten recently.
  • fairygirlpie9
    fairygirlpie9 Posts: 288 Member
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    aha I thought dehydration could be a cause but I thought that it would cause you to hold on to weight rather than lose it. Well that explains that. I think I'll join you lot for a glass or two.
  • ucabucca
    ucabucca Posts: 606 Member
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    Water weght can of course from dehydration make it appear low. A good way to look at this weigh before you exercise and sweat hard and then after it will go down and then back up as you drink enough water again. It can go down if you get sick and not eating for a few day and then as you can again it will go back up and stabalize. It will jump up and down throughout a day a few lbs due to fluid and food etc and gross but as you have bowel movements too.

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