Scales vs Sanity

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  • katlaf23
    katlaf23 Posts: 20
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    I've always used the same electronic scale. No idea what brand it is. I find that weighing myself with just the one scale definitely saves my sanity. It helps that I weight myself at the same time every day, too - always in the morning before I eat. What you should really be paying attention to, though, is your measurements. Right now my weight has been staying the same but my clothes have been fitting better. Remember, muscle mass weighs quite a bit! Be prepared if you start working out for the stagnation in lost weight.
  • mebepiglet123
    mebepiglet123 Posts: 327 Member
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    I have a fitbit aria scale (expensive but for me worth it) it bluetooths weight to computer. I weigh every morning... There is a website called trend weight where it trends your fluctuations. I don't stress about the scales anymore as it trends true weigh to over time. I am eating tdee minus 15%. When I go to do my first bulk cycle it will trend up, and I will be able to see exactly what is happening, cannot wait...lol

    Muscle will weigh heavier, but body fat percentage shows as well so as long as that is going down all good.

    It's all graphed out easy to understand... Check out the website it will give you an example.
  • Riffraft1960
    Riffraft1960 Posts: 1,984 Member
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    Simply put.... be consistent. This is what I as well as many others have suggested to me, have done:

    Put the scale in the same place (or leave it there). Mark the floor with small bits of tape if you need to.
    Weigh in after you wake.. naked, after the toilet, before a workout, shower or food/drinks.

    Personally I weigh daily, but only record once a week. I watch my weight fluctuate a little all week but on Friday is the day that matters. Do I weigh a little less or more than last Fri? I record and go by that day alone. I need to see my weight daily so I can track the trends.. if I ate a sodium heavy meal on Tue night, it shows up Thur am just about.. or ate clean on Mon, it will reflect around Wed.

    Consistency is key. As others say, even if your scale is "wrong".... if it's consistently wrong by x lbs/kgs, you're still losing. If my scale says 186 and tomorrow it shows 184, I know I'm still losing. Watch the trends and remember... it's not all about the numbers. Use your measurements too. :)

    This is my pattern, Every morning, use the bathroom, naked, on the scale and then on with the rest of the day. I did this even when I wasn't trying to lose weight or get into shape. I do record it every day, but only concern myself with the trend. As you say, consistency is the key because the number doesn't matter as much as the trend.
  • HmSkillit
    HmSkillit Posts: 7 Member
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    I am one that gets great motivation from weighing-in daily. However, I also know that because I am a woman, my weight will fluctuate 2-3 lbs. at any given time. Monthly cycle, exercise habits, eating changes, water gain/loss...you name it, it can affect that number. I don't consider any amount an actual gain or loss unless I see it for 2-3 days in a row.
    There is something even better than weighing-in though, and that's taking body measurements. When I monitor my measurements, I only take them once or twice a month. They are more accurate for progress. I use 5 places to monitor my progress. Natural waist, lower belly, hips, thighs and arms. I've only lost about 20 lbs in the last few years, but I've cut over 10" off my body in total.
    Don't make yourself crazy with minor changes that can't be avoided.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I am one that gets great motivation from weighing-in daily. However, I also know that because I am a woman, my weight will fluctuate 2-3 lbs. at any given time. Monthly cycle, exercise habits, eating changes, water gain/loss...you name it, it can affect that number. I don't consider any amount an actual gain or loss unless I see it for 2-3 days in a row.
    There is something even better than weighing-in though, and that's taking body measurements. When I monitor my measurements, I only take them once or twice a month. They are more accurate for progress. I use 5 places to monitor my progress. Natural waist, lower belly, hips, thighs and arms. I've only lost about 20 lbs in the last few years, but I've cut over 10" off my body in total.
    Don't make yourself crazy with minor changes that can't be avoided.

    I do the same but I do want to point out that measurements will fluctuate a bit too. My waist might be 25.5 or 26.5-- my thigh measurement changes a lot from day to day. It's still best to focus on the overall trend.
  • faithxox
    faithxox Posts: 20 Member
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    Thanks for the replies everyone, its good to see there are others who are a little obsessed too. :-) I think the main reason for the manic post today was that if the first weigh in was correct, I've officially pushed through a two week plateau and hit the 60s, for the first time since I was 11 years old! That's a big deal for me, and I'm ready to accept that even if it was a flute reading, my body will get me there and further with a little time and effort.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    Get a scale with Wi-Fi that can sync with your MFP account. Weigh in once every morning after you wake up. It is what it is, you will see patterns like my beer drinking on the weekends and can then adjust if you want. There will be ups and downs but if you are consistent you will see a decline that looks like a heartbeat pattern. Don't try to game the scale to get better reading, its not so much the number that you should focus on but the trend of the numbers. Once you get the trend going your way the numbers will take care of themselves.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
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    Why are you torturing yourself? Throw out the old one. Use the new one in the same place under the same conditions: in the morning, before you've eaten, after using the toilet.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    In My Opinion - for a weighin to mean anything it must be consistent. You can't pay much attention to a single # but look for trends over time. Your weight is not a single, static #. Its a constantly moving variable. Depending on which scale, where its located, what you're wearing, time of day, what you've eaten or had to drink recently.

    So I'd say first pick a routine and stick to it. If you happen to get on the scale in any other situation, the # is for entertainment purposes only. For me, its when I wake up in the morning before I've had anything to eat but after I've used the bathroom. And with no or very little clothing.

    Other than that, keep in mind some natural tendencies make your weight fluctuate: stress, hormones, water retention/sodium, etc. So look longterm. If you allow yourself to get on the scale often then don't let the # really bother you. OR only weigh in 2-3 times a month. Depends on your sanity level. :)
  • holliebevineau
    holliebevineau Posts: 441 Member
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    I have thw same weight watcher scale. I weigh myself five times and take whichever number shows up 2 or three times. Its crazy!!
  • Kymwho
    Kymwho Posts: 183 Member
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    Bump for later
  • ToogieTuesday
    ToogieTuesday Posts: 29
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    Get rid of the mechanical scales.

    I have a set of fairly expensive scales which do the same thing as yours. In fact, every scale I've ever owned has done that too. Weigh yourself once a week, at the same time of day, while nekked, and take that number. No jumping on and off and moving the scale.

    Also, don't forget to take pictures and measurements. The scale is a big dirty liar.

    Agreed! Digital scales have too many bugs in 'em. I agree, go for once a week, preferably in the a.m. same time every week (my day's Mondays) and get those ole' school needle ones. Also the measurements tell more of the story since a lb of muscle earned weighs more than a muscle of fat but looks way slimmer and better. Go for pics and measurements to be your guide rather then that scaley monster.
  • ToogieTuesday
    ToogieTuesday Posts: 29
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    oop that was supposed to read a lb of muscle weighs more than a lb of fat*

    but you get the gist of what I'm sayin' right? =)
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    That kind of reminds me of the trick question when we were kids.

    What weighs more, 100 lbs of lead or 100 lbs of feathers?

    Both are 100 lbs.
  • astartig
    astartig Posts: 549 Member
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    If you are getting on the scale, then getting off the scale and then getting right back on teh scale and get different results then your scale is buggy. If you are getting on the scale adn then weighing yourself again an hour later or so it's just water and waste fluctuation.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    That kind of reminds me of the trick question when we were kids.

    What weighs more, 100 lbs of lead or 100 lbs of feathers?

    Both are 100 lbs.

    ^^ That was in a recent laffy taffy wrapper I saw. (It was banana flavor, of course)
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    oop that was supposed to read a lb of muscle weighs more than a lb of fat*

    but you get the gist of what I'm sayin' right? =)

    Now, every time someone tells me that people claim this is true I say "noooo, no one ever says a pound of one thing weighs more than a pound of another thing."


    Thanks for proving me wrong. :flowerforyou:
  • perseverance14
    perseverance14 Posts: 1,364 Member
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    Get rid of the mechanical scales.

    I have a set of fairly expensive scales which do the same thing as yours. In fact, every scale I've ever owned has done that too. Weigh yourself once a week, at the same time of day, while nekked, and take that number. No jumping on and off and moving the scale.

    Also, don't forget to take pictures and measurements. The scale is a big dirty liar.
    I bought a new mechanical scale to double check on my digital scale when needed. You DO realize digital scales can be affected by such things as temperature and humidity, right? I think it is a bad idea to throw out the mechanical, keep BOTH!
  • perseverance14
    perseverance14 Posts: 1,364 Member
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    oop that was supposed to read a lb of muscle weighs more than a lb of fat*

    but you get the gist of what I'm sayin' right? =)

    Now, every time someone tells me that people claim this is true I say "noooo, no one ever says a pound of one thing weighs more than a pound of another thing."


    Thanks for proving me wrong. :flowerforyou:
    But you can look at 2 people of the same height/weight and if one has more muscle, they will "look" like they weigh a lot less, muscle is more dense and muscles make a huge difference in appearance.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    oop that was supposed to read a lb of muscle weighs more than a lb of fat*

    but you get the gist of what I'm sayin' right? =)

    Now, every time someone tells me that people claim this is true I say "noooo, no one ever says a pound of one thing weighs more than a pound of another thing."


    Thanks for proving me wrong. :flowerforyou:
    But you can look at 2 people of the same height/weight and if one has more muscle, they will "look" like they weigh a lot less, muscle is more dense and muscles make a huge difference in appearance.

    By volume muscle weighs more than fat (or is more dense, or whatever, semantics). I'm not arguing that point.

    It's a common argument here.

    Poster 1: muscle weighs more than fat
    Poster 2: No. A pound is a pound.
    Me: yes but she didn't say a pound of muscle weighs more than a pound of fat. The "by volume" is implied. No one would ever say "A pound of muscle weighs more than a pound of fat, because that would be ridiculous."


    Oh. :indifferent:

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