HELP! What weight should I use on scale?

KikoAlonsoGal
KikoAlonsoGal Posts: 88 Member
in Getting Started
I'll admit that I am an obsessive weigher, but only because I'm a very curious person and like to see how certain things like food or water intake affect my numbers. However, for the past 2 weeks I have been eating my calorie goal and doing Turbo Jam. Still, my weight fluctuates constantly. I know there is a 4-5 pound difference throughout the day. I will weigh myself in the morning, after the bathroom, naked and before I eat or drink at the same time every day. But even that weight fluctuates. So I'm never really sure what weight I should use. A lot of times I will be lighter later in the day than I am in the morning. I also eat most of my calories at night and exercise at night, if that helps. Should I take my weight from the lowest of the day? So for instance, yesterday I was 177. The day before, I was 176.4 and then 176.2 later in the day. Today I was 177.4 but just weighed in a bit ago and was 175.6. I know these small amounts may seem trivial but they aren't for someone who has struggled to lose weight in the past. Please someone help!!
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Replies

  • kevinmacsr
    kevinmacsr Posts: 8 Member
    I always weigh my self first thing i the morning, naked. and then i use that weight. i may sometimes weigh myself later in the day too but i only use the morning weight. MIne goes up and down too depending on hydration, sodium, etc.
  • corinneselene
    corinneselene Posts: 306 Member
    There never will be an 'exact weight' since as you said it yourself, it fluctuates throughout the day. If you moved your scale to the other side of the house, there is a good chance that the number would be different. For me, I just count any changes over a weekly period. So I will weigh myself and think about the numbers more every other Wednesday right when I wake up.
  • KikoAlonsoGal
    KikoAlonsoGal Posts: 88 Member
    I guess that's the frustrating part for me though. Even weighing only once a week I may only be down a few ounces. But the day before I may have been down 2 pounds. See how off-putting this can be? I don't feel comfortable saying "I've lost X amount of weight" if the scale fluctuates so much. How do I know what to use then? Is using your lowest weight in the week acceptable?
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,330 Member
    Normal fluctuation in weight is up to 4 or so pound in a day. Then you have the whole issue of when you weigh after eating or drinking you are weighing the food and/or drink, not actual changes in fat weight. Then there is the water you sweat and breath out during the day. All that means weighing multiple times throughout the day is sort of pointless. This is not to mention that you simply don't burn off that much fat in a day that within the accuracy of most scales that you would even see it.
  • Sherbog
    Sherbog Posts: 1,072 Member
    I get up ...go pee...while I am still naked I weigh myself. Log it and start my walk...after getting dressed!
  • janeytom
    janeytom Posts: 72 Member
    This may seem like a silly question, but do you need to change the battery in your scale? When mine needs changing, I can weigh myself 10 times in a row, and get a different reading EVERY time. With a 10 lb. spread between high and low!
  • KikoAlonsoGal
    KikoAlonsoGal Posts: 88 Member
    OK, let me put it this way: I have obviously lost weight because I've dropped inches. But how do I know how much if it fluctuates constantly? The whole "weigh yourself at the same time every day" isn't cutting it for me.
  • rdsxfn
    rdsxfn Posts: 58 Member
    I was the same way with weighing myself. Then I accepted what we all know to be true. I know my weight will fluctuate during the day or between days. However, I also know that if I eat the correct number of calories or less then I will see a weight loss at the end of the week.

    Once I got used to checking weekly I have never been let down. I'm generally under my daily calorie goal and I see the pay off at the end of the week.

    I think you'll find you'll be generally happier about your progress if you trust yourself and stay disciplined.

    Good luck! :)
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
    Take your weight in the morning after toilet stop, before eating and drinking anything for 7 days. After 7 days average the 7 weights.
    That is a good estimate of your weight.
  • KikoAlonsoGal
    KikoAlonsoGal Posts: 88 Member
    This may seem like a silly question, but do you need to change the battery in your scale? When mine needs changing, I can weigh myself 10 times in a row, and get a different reading EVERY time. With a 10 lb. spread between high and low!

    Nope, that's actually a good question. But we did just change them when I started the whole process 2 weeks ago. Good idea though, thanks!
  • Amandawith3kids
    Amandawith3kids Posts: 367 Member
    i go by when i see the same number several times. if i see 184 one am, and it stays there, or goes back there for a few days, then thats my real weight. if it goes down to 182 then back to 186 then 184 then etc etc etc thats when i ignore it and just keep on keepin on. :)


    like right now, its almost tom, and my scale is stuck. i'm sticking to my calories, started weight training, and i'm just gonna keep going with what i know will work. after tom is over i'll probably drop a few, and if it says gone for a few days, then its really gone. at least thats what happened last month LOL
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
    I was the same way with weighing myself. Then I accepted what we all know to be true. I know my weight will fluctuate during the day or between days. However, I also know that if I eat the correct number of calories or less then I will see a weight loss at the end of the week.

    Once I got used to checking weekly I have never been let down. I'm generally under my daily calorie goal and I see the pay off at the end of the week.

    I think you'll find you'll be generally happier about your progress if you trust yourself and stay disciplined.

    Good luck! :)

    My weekly decreases are smaller than the fluctuations I can get day to day, so I prefer to weigh daily and then average over the week.

    Up to each individual though, but I so say, there is no point to weighing more often than once a day, and if you do weigh yourself daily you need to pay attention to the trend, and ignore the daily fluctuation.

    I have started using Libra, a weight monitoring app for smartphones and I find it is really great for seeing past the fluctuations and look at the trend.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Use the weight first thing in the morning.

    I've only just started using it, but the app 'libre' seems to be quite good at averaging your entered weights, so it takes the fluctuations out and you see a better idea of your progress.
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
    So you know that weight fluctuates from day to day and hour to hour, but you are not comfortable picking a day to record your weight on? The scale is helpful for seeing a trend over a large amount of data. Pick one day a week. Record that reading. Base progress on the trend over 4 or more points. You are adding way too many data points to your interpretation and clouding the big picture of progress. Try and be consistent with day, time, and conditions. Add in progress photos and measurements to get a more complete picture since the scale is notoriously a lying SOB. Weight loss is also not linear. Yet another reason why you want to look for a trend over time rather than point to point differences.
  • rdsxfn
    rdsxfn Posts: 58 Member
    I hear ya and can't say I disagree. Ultimately, as you point out, it's up to each person. I used to obsess over the number so, for me, it made sense to go weekly.
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    I also use the "naked, morning" method as I know weight constantly fluctuates.

    To me, it makes more sense to be consistent. I feel it gives me a better baseline as what I eat will vary from day to day. I only weigh about every 2 weeks now instead of daily. It was stressing me.

    My advice is just be consistent. Good luck.
  • KikoAlonsoGal
    KikoAlonsoGal Posts: 88 Member
    That app sounds like a good idea and so does taking averages. The reason I weigh myself every day is because I need motivation and with my Type A personality, need to see results yesterday. I don't get too discouraged with the fluctuations but I do get VERY happy when there is even the tiniest loss, which is why weighing every day helps. Plus, it keeps me accountable. I know I don't want to have a major cheat day if I'm going to weigh myself tomorrow and be unhappy. Also, I'm too obsessive to do it weekly. I really wish I could but I have OCD and I can't.
  • KikoAlonsoGal
    KikoAlonsoGal Posts: 88 Member
    Maybe I just need my husband to hide the scale? Because I can't not weigh myself when the scale is right there. LOL
  • ashleycde
    ashleycde Posts: 622 Member
    I do the same thing. I have a naturally inquisitive mind and find the fluctuations interesting. I track my weight on a calendar every couple of days, and as everyone says, weight loss is not linear, so it goes up and down, but you'll notice that every week it will generally go down. I record the lowest weight on here once a week to see a progression in loss, but ultimately the loss I see on here, though it appears linear, is not being I keep track of it on my own as well. It's really up to you how you want to track your weight loss, so don't be concerned about what the "right" weight to submit to MFP is, and just do things your own way.
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
    Get off the scale! Weighing once a week is more than enough. Your weight fluctuates normally from water, exercise, and a host of other things. Use the weight on your weekly weigh-in.
  • JG762
    JG762 Posts: 571 Member
    My vote is for the naked morning reading.
    Remember that the number on the scale is just that, a number, a rough guide really. If I drink a lot of water say 10-12 glasses my weight will be up an easy 4-5 lbs the next day, it used to bother me until I began to understand what it was.
    Don't be a slave to the number, make the scale your friend and understand why it moves.
    A scale is just like a computer, it will only do what you tell it to do.
  • Blacklance36
    Blacklance36 Posts: 755 Member
    Take your weight in the morning after toilet stop, before eating and drinking anything for 7 days. After 7 days average the 7 weights.
    That is a good estimate of your weight.

    This is good advice.
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
    scale are almost worthless if you're training....
    A measuring tape and a mirror are the key!

    Scale doesn't measure your bone structure,water,poop (yes,you can accumulate up to 5lbs) and MUSCLES!

    So you can lose 6 inches on your waist and get toned but you'll gain 5 lbs on the scale! but that's not the goal here.
    Training etc will get you toned,build muscles etc which does weight something.

    So...if you like to weight yourself a lot on a scale..please at least..measure yourself and use a mirror too to be able to understand the difference with muscles gain and fat gain.

    Hope this helped.

    Take care
  • KikoAlonsoGal
    KikoAlonsoGal Posts: 88 Member
    My vote is for the naked morning reading.
    Remember that the number on the scale is just that, a number, a rough guide really. If I drink a lot of water say 10-12 glasses my weight will be up an easy 4-5 lbs the next day, it used to bother me until I began to understand what it was.
    Don't be a slave to the number, make the scale your friend and understand why it moves.
    A scale is just like a computer, it will only do what you tell it to do.

    Yep, I drink a ton too. I'm a naturally thirsty person. The other day I was 6 pounds heavier from all the water!
  • David_AUS
    David_AUS Posts: 298 Member
    Lets see if we can get a more scientific approach to this. A given weight on a "average day" cannot be compared against weights from other points in the day. So if you weighed yourself every day at the same time and started at 90KG and are now 75 KG you have shed 15KG of weight. Why most people weight themselves first thing in the morning is because this is the time of day with the largest amount of time with a constant energy burn preceding the weigh in - the "fast" so as many possible variants have been removed as practicably possible. So if you compare numbers from a given time against each other with as similar circumstances before hand and monitor the trend average over time (this is what I do - I use excel to plot the weights and insert a trend line) - but only compare weights against ones with similar "stimulus" before them - If you want to be obsessive collect weights 3 times a day one first thing in the morning, one (i would suggest before) lunch and one just before going to bed You would have three trend lines in an excel graph and actually would look pretty cool if you are into that kind of thing. You will see if overall you are gaining or losing or maintaining over a given period and how much the line fluctuates. I found when I first started plotting after about 2 - 3 weeks you get some interesting data.

    Now insert personal opinion here: Weight on it's own is a poor indicator - inch measurements and / or BMI with a calipar should be used in conjunction - woot more data to monitor your progress. IE: Once you get within your goal weight zone weight becomes a poorer indicator of progress especially if you do start putting on lean muscle over time.
  • KikoAlonsoGal
    KikoAlonsoGal Posts: 88 Member
    Lets see if we can get a more scientific approach to this. A given weight on a "average day" cannot be compared against weights from other points in the day. So if you weighed yourself every day at the same time and started at 90KG and are now 75 KG you have shed 15KG of weight. Why most people weight themselves first thing in the morning is because this is the time of day with the largest amount of time with a constant energy burn preceding the weigh in - the "fast" so as many possible variants have been removed as practicably possible. So if you compare numbers from a given time against each other with as similar circumstances before hand and monitor the trend average over time (this is what I do - I use excel to plot the weights and insert a trend line) - but only compare weights against ones with similar "stimulus" before them - If you want to be obsessive collect weights 3 times a day one first thing in the morning, one (i would suggest before) lunch and one just before going to bed You would have three trend lines in an excel graph and actually would look pretty cool if you are into that kind of thing. You will see if overall you are gaining or losing or maintaining over a given period and how much the line fluctuates. I found when I first started plotting after about 2 - 3 weeks you get some interesting data.

    Now insert personal opinion here: Weight on it's own is a poor indicator - inch measurements and / or BMI with a calipar should be used in conjunction - woot more data to monitor your progress. IE: Once you get within your goal weight zone weight becomes a poorer indicator of progress especially if you do start putting on lean muscle over time.

    This is a great idea, and yes, I am totally into that kind of thing. I like seeing trends like that.
  • LTKeegan
    LTKeegan Posts: 354 Member
    OK, let me put it this way: I have obviously lost weight because I've dropped inches. But how do I know how much if it fluctuates constantly? The whole "weigh yourself at the same time every day" isn't cutting it for me.


    Go to the doctor, get a %bf scan. At my school they're like 30 buck for the bod pod. THEN in 2 months you can compare again, because mostly what you care about is %bf.
  • jbella99
    jbella99 Posts: 596 Member
    okay first weigh yourself first thing naked after a pee.

    second, the fluctuations are caused mainly by water. too much salt the day before makes you heavier the next day. if you haven't had a poop yet you will be a little heavier. at night when it hot you may sweat a little more than other nights. when you ovulate you are heavier. daily weighing will drive you crazy unless you realize all this.
  • LTKeegan
    LTKeegan Posts: 354 Member
    You could also use something like "the hackers diet" where you input daily weights and they tell you if its fluctuations or weight loss, based on statistics.

    Cheers.
  • KikoAlonsoGal
    KikoAlonsoGal Posts: 88 Member
    OK, let me put it this way: I have obviously lost weight because I've dropped inches. But how do I know how much if it fluctuates constantly? The whole "weigh yourself at the same time every day" isn't cutting it for me.


    Go to the doctor, get a %bf scan. At my school they're like 30 buck for the bod pod. THEN in 2 months you can compare again, because mostly what you care about is %bf.

    Another good idea.

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