Weigh In Question

mewickla
mewickla Posts: 71 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Would it be better to weigh-in only once a week (same time, same day, etc.) or is it better to record your weight each day and log the average of those weights?

...or does it really not matter which one you do? :tongue:

Replies

  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
    Personal preference. If you can't deal with daily fluctuations, weigh in less often. I'm about to take a baseball bat to my scale, so I might just have to take my own advice.
  • jbuc07
    jbuc07 Posts: 914 Member
    I officially weigh in 1/week. On Sunday's. I will also step on the scale Wednesday evenings, but never worry too much about what that number says.
  • Tla0126
    Tla0126 Posts: 207 Member
    I've been weighing in once a week and today, I still hated my scale. Maybe try it for a month doing it everyday and once a month doing it weekly and see which you like better?
  • Sobus76
    Sobus76 Posts: 242 Member
    i weigh myself a lot, i log it only once or twice a week though. it's all personal preference, some people cant handle seeing their weight fluctuate daily, i like seeing the trends and changes good or bad.
  • bizgirl26
    bizgirl26 Posts: 1,795 Member
    I weigh myself a lot but only log it once a week although in the very beginning I did log twice a week. Beware if you weigh everyday you will flucuate and drive yourself crazy . Also maybe its just me but when people post a weight loss of 0.2 pounds daily it doesnt quite have the same wow factor as a weight loss of 1 pound for instance
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    Just do it once a week. And pick a day that's unlikely to be the day after a big meal (like if you go to a restaurant once a week, don't pick the day after that).

    Weight yourself first thing in the morning. After you go to the bathroom but before you eat or drink anything. It's more consistently measuring only you at that point.

    I don't like checking everyday, simply so I can stop thinking about it. The more I think about my weight and food, the hungrier I am...

    Maybe you're the type of person who doesn't need the results to keep them on track? You could experiment with logging all food and drink but not your weight for a month or something haha.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    Purely personal pref. I'm a numbers girl, so I weigh everyday, record it in a spreadsheet, and only really look at my weekly average. That way normal swings in water weight don't move the dial much (or at least they smooth out). I'm also interested in the pattern. I'm always up a little bit on Mondays (I drink wine on weekends). I also gain ~1 lb at ovulation. Weighing once a week or once a month would drive me crazy because I'd be wondering if I was catching it at a peak or valley. If you go that route, though, I'd suggest always doing it 7 days following ovulation/TOM (whichever is easier/most consistent for you).
  • raindawg
    raindawg Posts: 348 Member
    I weighed myself yesterday morning, 167.2lbs. I weighed myself this morning 169.4lbs. Did I gain 2 lbs in one day? No. which was right? idk. Probably the average of the two. It can be frustrating because I'm on a bulk with a goal of 1 lb per week. 167 = no gain from last week, 169 = 2 lbs gain. I'll just assume I'm on pace unless next week says otherwise.
  • Sparlingo
    Sparlingo Posts: 938 Member
    Do what motivates you best! There is no wrong answer.

    I have friends that weigh weekly, others that weigh monthly. I have friends that weigh daily and record every weight, be it up or down (for trending graph purposes). Still others weigh daily but only record weekly (e.g. every Friday) or after a change proves consistent (the loss sticks around for more than 1 or 2 days).

    What I like to do is weigh daily and only record new lows. I find that most motivating. I try not to take the weight increases to heart, but I find that daily weighing helps me stay accountable. I like to see the fluctuation from day to day.

    I keep some things consistent though - I weigh in the morning, naked, after using the washroom and before I eat or shower.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    No wrong way to weigh.
    I personally do it every day. Lets me see how my week panned out, and what I eat the day before does to my weight. Nice surprise on the scale the Monday after my birthday weekend (when I had a lot of sushi, bbq, and wine, haha). It's a nice visual for me to have.

    But it doesn't work for everyone. Just do what feels best for you.
  • nesto610
    nesto610 Posts: 107
    Personal preference. I weigh myself every day (multiple times) but only log my morning weight as my "official" weight. I find that weighing myself every day makes me more accountable. In the past I did the once-a-week thing, but I soon found myself skipping a week here or there and eventually falling off the wagon.

    Knowing that I have to face that scale in the morning keeps me on the track of weight loss success.
  • raindawg
    raindawg Posts: 348 Member
    Personal preference. I weigh myself every day (multiple times) but only log my morning weight as my "official" weight. I find that weighing myself every day makes me more accountable. In the past I did the once-a-week thing, but I soon found myself skipping a week here or there and eventually falling off the wagon.

    Knowing that I have to face that scale in the morning keeps me on the track of weight loss success.

    I'm curious how you mentally handle the inevitable swings? Up 1 or 2 lbs one day, down another day. Do you adjust your intake/output based on that mornings reading? Just curious, because I found it was a mental roller coaster for me.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    Personal preference. I weigh myself every day (multiple times) but only log my morning weight as my "official" weight. I find that weighing myself every day makes me more accountable. In the past I did the once-a-week thing, but I soon found myself skipping a week here or there and eventually falling off the wagon.

    Knowing that I have to face that scale in the morning keeps me on the track of weight loss success.

    I'm curious how you mentally handle the inevitable swings? Up 1 or 2 lbs one day, down another day. Do you adjust your intake/output based on that mornings reading? Just curious, because I found it was a mental roller coaster for me.

    I'll offer my two cents! I sometimes do more than once a day, but it's just because I'm curious about the water weight; haha.
    I personally go by the morning weight before a shower, and after I've used the restroom. I consider that my "official" weight of the day, and log that one.
  • blearyspecs
    blearyspecs Posts: 21 Member
    My system is similar to ahoy_m8's. I weigh every morning and record it. Then I put it in a spreadsheet where I have a graph. Where I differ is that I look at the trendline of the graph rather than just weekly averages. That way I can see the patterns. It turns out I lose all my weight on the weekends and then hover throughout the week. I'd never have known that.

    Also, sometimes,like this week I keep putting on small amounts of weight. That could drive me crazy, except that I can look at my graph and see I was way below the trendline this week and my "stall" was just me catching back up to my normal pace.

    But, as others have said, it's a matter of preference.
  • LeafyEdge
    LeafyEdge Posts: 41 Member
    It's up to you! I like to weigh in at least every couple of days. That way if I have a sudden weird spike on my 'official' day, I know it's a one-off. =) But I only record once a week.
  • flatstomach67
    flatstomach67 Posts: 4
    I like the advice of once a week. I see the daily fluctuations and that drives me crazy, too. I was thinking of changing my weigh in day to just weekly, probably on Sunday. Thanks for the advice, folks!
  • bettyjoburdett
    bettyjoburdett Posts: 120 Member
    I'm glad someone brought this subject up because its been making me crazy. I weigh every morning and either get all excited because I'm at a new low or feel irritable all day because I show a gain. Sometimes its up and down as much as 1-2 lbs.

    I am going to have my husband hide the scale so I will only weigh once a week. Maybe the anticipation of losing will help me stay on track with eating and exercise.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    I weigh myself every other week. I don't like watching the scale bounce up and down too much. I don't have my own scale. I use the one at the gym. I'm between nutritionists or I'd be using theirs, which is what I was doing.
  • nesto610
    nesto610 Posts: 107
    Personal preference. I weigh myself every day (multiple times) but only log my morning weight as my "official" weight. I find that weighing myself every day makes me more accountable. In the past I did the once-a-week thing, but I soon found myself skipping a week here or there and eventually falling off the wagon.

    Knowing that I have to face that scale in the morning keeps me on the track of weight loss success.

    I'm curious how you mentally handle the inevitable swings? Up 1 or 2 lbs one day, down another day. Do you adjust your intake/output based on that mornings reading? Just curious, because I found it was a mental roller coaster for me.

    I'll offer my two cents! I sometimes do more than once a day, but it's just because I'm curious about the water weight; haha.
    I personally go by the morning weight before a shower, and after I've used the restroom. I consider that my "official" weight of the day, and log that one.

    The swings don't bother me because I know it is just water and/or a belly full of food. I don't adjust anything at all, I just stick to my daily caloric target and exercise.

    The reason for the multiple weigh-in's is also because of water and curiosity to see how sodium REALLY effects weight. Also, it AMAZES me how I can weigh up to 3lbs lighter after an intense cardio session. Up to 3lbs of sweat is crazy! To put that in perspective, that is 3 SOLO cups full of sweat, yuck! Of course I then drink about 5lbs of water to rehydrate. LOL!
  • nesto610
    nesto610 Posts: 107
    My system is similar to ahoy_m8's. I weigh every morning and record it. Then I put it in a spreadsheet where I have a graph. Where I differ is that I look at the trendline of the graph rather than just weekly averages. That way I can see the patterns. It turns out I lose all my weight on the weekends and then hover throughout the week. I'd never have known that.

    Also, sometimes,like this week I keep putting on small amounts of weight. That could drive me crazy, except that I can look at my graph and see I was way below the trendline this week and my "stall" was just me catching back up to my normal pace.

    But, as others have said, it's a matter of preference.

    I too put it into a spreadsheet and graph it and there are lost of peaks and valleys, but the overall trend is downward. However, I am the opposite of you. I gain EVERY...SINGLE...WEEKEND and then slowly lose it over the following week. I swear to God that Fridays are ALWAYS my lightest of the week except for like 1 or 2 weeks. I blame it on water weight because I eat lots of salty food starting on Friday and continue through the weekend.

    Keep up the good work everyone!
  • mewickla
    mewickla Posts: 71 Member
    Thanks everyone! I guess I never really realized all the of different ways you really can weigh in or keep track of weight. :laugh:

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