Check-In Ethic

So this is my first time trying MFP and everyone is great and really helpful so far. I noticed that half way through the week I give in and peek at the scale and this morning the scale told me I gained 7 pounds. I read that its impossible to gain that much weight in just a few days unless I've been super binge eating which I haven't. I'm always under my calorie goal (but must admit that I do go over my sodium intake quite often... I love salt).

So the question is, should I log the change when I see it even though it might be water weight, do I wait for my official check-in day to log in, or do I not log the gain at all? How do you all log the fluctuation is weight?

Replies

  • agarlits
    agarlits Posts: 429 Member
    If it were me, I would wait until my weigh-day. Your weight fluctuates throughout the day/ week and you will see those gains and losses. Now if you have a gain on your weigh-day then you need to record it to keep yourself accountable.
  • I step on the scales twice a week and I log the weight. Your weight is going to fluctuate, don't sweat it. Keep fighting the good fight, it will come off :)
  • Thanks guys! I have to try to remind myself that weight-loss is not linear, but I've noticed that many don't log their gains, but I'll stick to logging on Saturdays and I'll add the gains if they happen then. :)
  • RachLK7
    RachLK7 Posts: 27 Member
    I've only weighed in once, which was today I have lost 2.4lbs, but on mfp it says overall weight loss 0.8lbs, why?! :( x
  • Just wanted to thank you guys again because today is my official weigh day and its back down, given a pound over what I was but maybe all the water weight isn't gone. Freak out avoided!
  • Giddy72
    Giddy72 Posts: 33 Member
    Just weigh yourself at the same time on the same day.

    For instance, i weigh myself when i wake up on Saturday morning.

    This will tell you how much you have lost over the week.

    You can weigh as much as 7 lbs difference between your lowest weight and highest weight of the day.

    Dont peek in the week, unless you think it will help motivate you>?
  • timetravelforfitness
    timetravelforfitness Posts: 242 Member
    I don't know if it would help you, but I find weighing myself every day to be helpful. I can see how my weight fluctuates by as much as 3 lbs. daily, only occasionally having to do with what I ate, a lot to do with how much I slept, and a little to do with that time of the month. I weigh as soon as I wake up, after using the bathroom, before I eat or drink anything. I know a lot of people feel this is excessive, but seeing the number every day keeps me from obsessing and in a way it makes it less important. When I weighed myself every week I found I was thinking about it constantly, and was devastated when my weight was the same from week to week (whereas now I can see that on a whole the line is dropping, it just goes up and down at the same time).

    Again, I know that this can really hurt some people, but weighing myself in the middle of the day, on a non-weigh-in day, was something I was doing, and thought I'd chime in with what has helped me so much.
  • Tabbycat54
    Tabbycat54 Posts: 98 Member
    I weight myself daily because I use the WiiFitU everyday. It also gets me fired up for the next day because I love seeing it go down. When it goes up, it's VERY little (0.1-0.9). Make sure you're weighing yourself at the same time if you try to do it daily. You'll get an accurate daily assessment of your progress that way. I love seeing the downward trend of it all and that trend outweighs (pardon the pun ;) ) the weight gain if there is any.
  • Tabbycat54
    Tabbycat54 Posts: 98 Member
    Thanks guys! I have to try to remind myself that weight-loss is not linear, but I've noticed that many don't log their gains, but I'll stick to logging on Saturdays and I'll add the gains if they happen then. :)

    I log my gains if they're substantial (i.e. more than 1 lb more than one day in a row). Thought I'd add that in there :)
  • timetravelforfitness
    timetravelforfitness Posts: 242 Member
    I log my gains. I hate to do it, but it reminds me the next time I go up that I can still continue to go down. Before using MFP I used pen and paper to graph it, and didn't log the gains. I found that I completely lost track one time when I did have a large gain for a week. Now that I log it all I don't feel so guilty.
  • littlekitty3
    littlekitty3 Posts: 265 Member
    I dont know, I threw my scale out. I just go by how the clothes fit. It's probably water retention.
    But it would be good to do so you can figure out how your body fluctuates with TOM and certain foods like sodium.