Scale Fluctuation vs. Weight Gain

dpr73
dpr73 Posts: 495 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I am moving back into maintaining and per a nutritionist I upped calories by 300 this week. Otherwise, I have eaten the same as I have been before. However, today I weighed in .5 heavier than on monday. Clearly, this is nothing to be concerned over; however, I am just wondering in advanced when I should determine that I am gaining weight vs. simple scale fluctuation before it gets to be too much. (I'd like to catch small gains in weight and correct them through my diet).

Replies

  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    At least a few weeks
  • salvyhead
    salvyhead Posts: 66 Member
    It's important to use a weight averaging tool (for me - it keeps me from freaking out over upwards fluctuations!) Scooby has a good one, http://scoobysworkshop.com/download/WeightCharting.xls

    Good luck,
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Fluctuations due to temporary water weight are just that-temporary. So if you consume an abnormally large amount of carbs and sodium, the water weight gain will go away after a few days. Actual gains in fat or muscle won't lead to such quick swings in scale weight.

    Are you trying to increase calories to maintenance?
  • dpr73
    dpr73 Posts: 495 Member
    Yes I am and I am trying to find the correct number but am still on a downward trend which I definitely DONT want anymore.
  • Freya_Amber
    Freya_Amber Posts: 7
    Thanks I will go check this out
    It's important to use a weight averaging tool (for me - it keeps me from freaking out over upwards fluctuations!) Scooby has a good one, http://scoobysworkshop.com/download/WeightCharting.xls

    Good luck,
  • dpr73
    dpr73 Posts: 495 Member
    can anyone else offer me more help with this?
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
    If your weight is still increasing after 4 to 6 weeks you need to lower your calories.

    However, it is normal to have a small weight increase after increasing calories, even if you are still at a deficit.
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
    I gain .5 just walking around fixing my coffee. I figure it's my blood getting pumping for my new day. Yes, I used to weigh myself at every juncture of my day. Now I know my weight fluctuations according to activity, time of day, clothing and any other thing you can imagine. A few times I have considered logging calories burned walking to and from the scale, because I made that trek a lot! :laugh: I have managed to cut back to once a day.
  • SrJoben
    SrJoben Posts: 484 Member
    On any given day your weight can fluctuate -2% to +4% of your real weight. If we can be said to have a real weight considering the constant stream of stuff passing in and out of our bodies...

    Source: http://****talens.com/understanding-the-scale/
    It's important to use a weight averaging tool (for me - it keeps me from freaking out over upwards fluctuations!) Scooby has a good one, http://scoobysworkshop.com/download/WeightCharting.xls

    Good luck,

    This is what I do and recommend.

    There's an android App called Libra that I like.
    I'm sure there are simlar things for IOS.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    On any given day your weight can fluctuate -2% to +4% of your real weight. If we can be said to have a real weight considering the constant stream of stuff passing in and out of our bodies...

    Source: http://****talens.com/understanding-the-scale/

    Doesn't open.
  • aleggett321
    aleggett321 Posts: 186 Member
    I also use the android Libra app. Better to look at a trend than a single day.
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
    I also use the android Libra app. Better to look at a trend than a single day.

    I also use Libra. Helps me a lot when I get an increase in weight, because I can say to myself "Look, it is still a downward trend" :P
  • Hondo_Man
    Hondo_Man Posts: 114 Member
    On any given day your weight can fluctuate -2% to +4% of your real weight. If we can be said to have a real weight considering the constant stream of stuff passing in and out of our bodies...

    Source: http://****talens.com/understanding-the-scale/
    It's important to use a weight averaging tool (for me - it keeps me from freaking out over upwards fluctuations!) Scooby has a good one, http://scoobysworkshop.com/download/WeightCharting.xls

    Good luck,

    This is what I do and recommend.

    There's an android App called Libra that I like.
    I'm sure there are simlar things for IOS.

    Exactly. One`s weight changes daily. I never recommend weighing oneself every day. Have a set time each week. I weight myself every Monday morning when I get up. I empty my bladder and then weigh. I`ve been doing that for the past 20 years. While even that is not 100% accurate, it`s a better perception of where I am presently.

    Also ensuring the scale is calibrated or correct. Digital scales can vary more often and need to be fine-tuned to be accurate.
  • einzweidrei
    einzweidrei Posts: 381 Member
    First things first---you need to give yourself a range and not A number. It is impossible for your body to stick to one number. I give myself a 3-4 pound range that I like to see my body in at all times, though sometimes it's a little higher. In my head if I see 128 on the scale one day and the next day it says 130, I know that's not a real gain.

    Secondly, I agree with the others in that you really would need to give it a few weeks in order to see if that's a real gain or not.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    There are lots of apps to track scale fluctuations and estimate your 'true' weight, e.g. Libra and Happy Scale.

    Also be aware that you may increase by a couple of lbs in water weight when you increase cals so you should have a weight range of around 5lbs that you aim to stay within.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    On any given day your weight can fluctuate -2% to +4% of your real weight. If we can be said to have a real weight considering the constant stream of stuff passing in and out of our bodies...

    Source: http://****talens.com/understanding-the-scale/

    Doesn't open.

    :laugh: that's because it's d-i-c-ktalens.com and MFP sensors the word d-i-c-k

    here I made it bit.ly - http://bit.ly/1daRDvc
  • WAHMto5
    WAHMto5 Posts: 375 Member
    I gain .5 just walking around fixing my coffee. I figure it's my blood getting pumping for my new day. Yes, I used to weigh myself at every juncture of my day. Now I know my weight fluctuations according to activity, time of day, clothing and any other thing you can imagine. A few times I have considered logging calories burned walking to and from the scale, because I made that trek a lot! :laugh: I have managed to cut back to once a day.

    This is so me as well. I have learned that depending on time of month, what I have eaten the day before, ect, ect.. My weight can go between 1-3 lbs. When I first started maintenance it freaked me out, though now being in maintenance for a year I have learned to step away from the scale so much and to go on how I feel knowing that I will get right back down;)

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