Weighing yourself

KilaMarie88
KilaMarie88 Posts: 28 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am just curious how often people weigh themselves.. I have been so obsessed with weighing myself the past couple of months... I would do it about the same time every morning naked... eventually I would notice my weight fluctuating 2-4 pounds either way... and get so frustrated when it would go positive so I decided to stop weighing myself.... initially the plan was not to do it until my vacation in October... well it lasted for about two weeks :P I was feeling so good about myself and thought that after giving up the things I enjoy most (chocolate, cake, pie, candy etc ) for the past 2 weeks and calorie counting for the past week that I decided to go ahead and weigh myself to see my wonderful progress.... boy was I wrong! I gained 7 labs in 2 weeks... mind you those new adjustments are fairly new... but I haven't had pop since 2013 and I've been working out (running\lifting) 3-4x a week consistently since the end of May... after crying the entire time while getting ready this morning and eating peanut butter cups and drinking a Seagram's this afternoon to wallow in my sorrow I've come to terms with this... it can't all be fat... some of it has to be water weight... there's no way I underestimated my calories by that freaking much.... plus my calorie goal is set for 1.5 labs lost\week...even though it shook my self esteem...I am still going to keep tracking and going... I can't just throw in the towel yet again... I can't bring myself to log that weight in however... so anyway... I'm curious how often people weigh themselves and deal with water weight fluctuations?? Anyone have some tips??
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Replies

  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,855 Member
    I weigh maybe 3-4 times a week (out of curiosity) but I only log it weekly or biweekly.
  • leftinthekitchen
    leftinthekitchen Posts: 98
    I weigh myself on Mondays after I finish my cardio at the YMCA. I do it on an old school scale, that I was convinced was broken last week when it didn't go down like I had planned. This week however it did go down and it was an awesome feeling. Oh and on the weeks where there is no change or worse it goes up, I just don't record it. It's nagging at the back of my head so I won't forget but it helps me to consistently see my graph and the weight going down. Good luck and don't worry about the scale so much, focus on other positive improvements.
  • Mykaelous
    Mykaelous Posts: 231 Member
    I generally weigh myself daily to observe the fluctuations and then take a 3 day average and post it to MFP.
  • SnazzIT
    SnazzIT Posts: 215 Member
    Haha! I am in the same boat, but my friend met me the other night and she knew me when I weighed less, she told me that i looked so good and asked what I have been up to. I told her that I didn't feel that way because I have actually put on 2kgs in the last two weeks. She said that I actually look better than two years ago ( I was at least 10kgs less then). I guess that shows that my body shape has changed although my scale number hasn't, so this morning I didn't even look at the scale and will see it only next two weeks. :)
  • Cerakoala
    Cerakoala Posts: 2,547 Member
    I used to do the same as you but now because of the same reasons as you I weight once a week on tuesdays. Thats it :)
  • DonM46
    DonM46 Posts: 771 Member
    Weigh almost daily, but log only every 5-10 days based on the average.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I weigh daily, in the morning after peeing and before I eat. I also log it, loss or gain.
  • BramageOMG
    BramageOMG Posts: 319 Member
    Naked first thing in the morning + Randomly throughout the day in various states of dress. Official weigh-in is always Saturday morning, but I too am obsessed. I think weighing too often can be discouraging, but I still do it. :wink:
  • stizneph420
    stizneph420 Posts: 4
    First off, as a woman you should be measuring your body for lost inches more frequently than weight. This is where you will see the changes occur first. The scale fluctuates from day to day depending on all kinds of things. Track your waist, neck, arms, hips and chest for changes and STOP beating yourself up about it.

    Its important to make these changes for your life, not just to lose weight. If every time you become discouraged your first reaction is to eat peanut butter cups and soda, you have not changed your lifestyle. Consistency is key, and don't stress yourself out by counting lbs every day, this isn't an accurate picture.
  • missomgitsica
    missomgitsica Posts: 496 Member
    Have you taken your measurments, or are you using just the number on the scale to gage progress? I highly, highly recommend taking your measurements and tracking your progress that way as well . . . I've had weeks where my weight stays the same or increases a bit but I've lost an inch here or there. You can't get too hung up on the scale.
  • MrsElguapo
    MrsElguapo Posts: 25 Member
    I am weighing myself daily too; it is the only way I can stay accountable. I know it isn't for everyone but I know myself and my patterns. In the past I have tried weighing weekly but I have too many opportunities to cheat and tell myself, "well, I am not weighing for another 3-4 days, etc". I have noticed though that if my sodium intake is even remotely high I hold on to a lot of water weight. That makes a BIG difference.
  • janatarnhem
    janatarnhem Posts: 669 Member
    I found myself in this situation ....just maintaining.....weighing food and logging. Trying to limit weighing self to once weekly, but getting a wee bit obsessed and weighing nearly every day. Helpful advice on here, was to take measurements, as it probably was water weight....and to put the scales away for a bit! It is slowly working, measurements are showing inches lost!
    Keep going, weigh and log all food, don't give up!
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    I weigh myself daily but don't always log a gain. You are correct in that often it's just water weight.

    However, I also encourage you to reexamine your diary and make sure you aren't missing anything. We need to be really honest with ourselves when logging; the only person we hurt is ourselves, right? I'm not saying you're intentionally sabataging yourself but it's easy for us to to say "I'm doing everything right" when we aren't. Are you measuring, or even better, weighing, your food to make sure of the calories you're consuming? Are you choosing calorie counts that are lower out of the list on MFP? (there are lots of bad entries in there!) Are you using a HRM to measure your calorie burns or using the (often inflated) numbers out of MFP?

    If you haven't been yet, grab a measuring tape and start taking measurements. MFP tracks those as well. Inches lost are much better than pounds lost and sometimes I find that when the scale isn't moving the measuring tape is.
  • MrsElguapo
    MrsElguapo Posts: 25 Member
    Agreed. I take my measurements too and that helps, especially if the scaled hasn't moved in awhile.
  • Momjogger
    Momjogger Posts: 750 Member
    I have been weighing myself daily for at least two years now. The weird thing about weight that I have noticed is that what you do yesterday may not show up on the scale for a week or two, Your body is a complex mechanism. You have to have faith and be strict about your tracking. Lots of things affect your weight as a woman. As you track over time you will notice your own body's patterns.
  • CindyMarcuzAdams
    CindyMarcuzAdams Posts: 4,007 Member
    I weigh myself Friday mornings after I pee. If I decide to have a treat on the weekend I can take the rest of the week to be back on track. Although I dont often go off track on weekends...I am too chicken to fall off the proverbial wagon yet...
  • Souhaits
    Souhaits Posts: 12
    I weigh myself every single day. Once in the morning naked after I pee and once after I workout at night (I workout late) and sometimes right before I sleep. I like to see the difference. I used to weigh myself every few hours or when I felt like it. I saw my fluctuations but I knew it was like that. I've learned to deal with water weight. I can fluctuate up to 5lbs just like that!

    I'm starting to take measurements, you should too! I wish I had in the beginning though.
  • buzz3d269
    buzz3d269 Posts: 87 Member
    I was weighing myself weekly, but I got a wifi scale two weeks ago, and am now measuring every morning. When I first got it, I was measuring 3 or 4 times a day, just out of curiosity, to see how the numbers change. It's interesting that my weekly weigh in used to be Monday, but Tuesday is often my "lightest" day!

    I was worried with the scales that it might become obsessive, but so far I'm doing ok. My trick is that I weigh in the morning, before I'm really awake. I glance at the number, but because they're wifi scales, I don't need to remember it, it automatically logs it into the computer, so I don't seem to be placing as much importance on it as when I weighing weekly.

    The only issue is that because it automatically logs the weight on MFP, I've had to turn off the auto updates to MFP (didn't want to spam my friends with constant "lost 0.1kg, gained 0.2kg etc" messages). Also, because weight does fluctuate a fair bit through the week, I'm not really sure what to consider my current weight. At the moment, I'm still glancing at whatever my weight was on the Monday (my old weigh in day) and considering that my current weight.
  • meltedsno
    meltedsno Posts: 208 Member
    weighed myself on July 1, 2013.... weighed the next time on November 21, 2013... down 52 lbs at that time. Haven't "officially" weighed myself since then. However, did weigh at my sister's house 4 weeks ago. She's the only one who knows what I weigh today as I would not look and do not want to know.... based on her reaction (and the fact that I have gone from a very tight size 18 to a size 4) I do believe I have lost right around 100 lbs....

    must admit, giving up the scale was the most instrumental tool in my weight loss success.. .I was a 2/3/4 times a day weigher and would get easily disgruntled so figured to hell with it... :-)
  • KilaMarie88
    KilaMarie88 Posts: 28 Member
    weighed myself on July 1, 2013.... weighed the next time on November 21, 2013... down 52 lbs at that time. Haven't "officially" weighed myself since then. However, did weigh at my sister's house 4 weeks ago. She's the only one who knows what I weigh today as I would not look and do not want to know.... based on her reaction (and the fact that I have gone from a very tight size 18 to a size 4) I do believe I have lost right around 100 lbs....

    must admit, giving up the scale was the most instrumental tool in my weight loss success.. .I was a 2/3/4 times a day weigher and would get easily disgruntled so figured to hell with it... :-)

    I'm thinking about getting rid of my scale.... because I easily get disgruntled as well! I'm so glad I didn't have my usual full out binge this time and was able to stop myself early enough today....I'm curious if you go by measurements or just by how you feel.... like I said...I felt so much happier\better about myself when I wasn't looking at my scale... but I also what to make sure what I'm doing is actually working.... after I had my freakout I did measure myself and compare to measurements I took in May...I lost an inch in my belly but gained an inch in my chest (can't complain too much :P) and all other measurements were the same.... its weird because I weighed 16lbs less then...
  • curlygirl513
    curlygirl513 Posts: 199 Member
    I weigh maybe 3-4 times a week (out of curiosity) but I only log it weekly or biweekly.

    As often as I wish during the week, but same as you logging on the same day and time each week. What I find neat about checking in during the week is discovering that weight loss is not a linear trajectory. Nothing for a few days, and then boom, pounds lost. The body is working and it needs time to process it all.
  • KilaMarie88
    KilaMarie88 Posts: 28 Member
    Um... so I just weighed myself again... with clothes on...and I'm down 2.2lbs....so crazy
  • hairchic29
    hairchic29 Posts: 4 Member
    I weigh myself once a week and measure about once a month. I went from sitting on the couch and doing nothing(stopped being a couch potato since Feb) to working out 6 days a week, eating clean and doing 5ks. I eat 1000-1200 a day and am just not losing weight or inches. I do Jillian Michaels videos and use the elliptical....I sweat gallons, I swear! and yet, the pounds and pants size are not budging.....HELP!
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    I like to weigh daily. Weight fluctuations don't bother me and I like data. I'm weird like that.
    :heart: Weight – So many things can affect weight, because of this it shouldn’t be the only way you track your progress. Things to keep in mind:
    :drinker: Always use the same scale – Different scales can show different weights. You will get the most accurate number for tracking when using the same scale.
    :drinker: Don’t move the scale – Carpet, uneven flooring, different types of flooring…can all affect the weight on the scale. So when you weigh, you want it to be approximately the same spot for the most accurate number for tracking.
    :drinker: 3500 calories – To gain 1lb of fat you need to be over maintenance by 3500 calories.
    :drinker: Muscle Repair – Muscles will hold onto water to repair, because of this it is not uncommon to see a gain for a little while after a workout. This weight comes right back off when they are done repairing.
    :drinker: Sodium – Can cause you to retain water. This can also be amplified if you don’t drink enough to flush it out of your system. This is also another reason for temporary weight gain.
    :drinker: Water – Not drinking enough water can actually cause you to retain water. Recommended amount is 8 cups or 64oz. I drink 64 oz to 128 oz of water a day. It doesn’t have to be plain water either. I like to flavor mine with crystal light or tea.
    :drinker: Time of day – Your weight can fluctuate throughout the day. So for the most accurate tracking, you want to weigh at around the same time.
    :drinker: Frequency – This is up to you, but if small fluctuations bother you than only weigh once a week or less.
    :drinker: Lightest Weight – Will be naked, first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom
    :drinker: Multiple times a Day – Don’t Do It. As I said before, your weight will fluctuate throughout the day. What you eat, what you’re wearing, ect will all affect weight.
    :drinker: Clothes – If you weigh with clothing on, keep in mind that the scale will show your weight plus the weight of your clothes. (Jeans are heavy)
    :drinker: TOM - A lot of women will retain water around their TOM, but its just temporary and will go away.

    This is a chart I made last year (using my own weigh ins) that shows day to day fluctuations. Notice how the overall trend is down:
    29l0bqr.jpg

    Measurements are a better way to judge progress.
  • Momjogger
    Momjogger Posts: 750 Member
    I weigh myself once a week and measure about once a month. I went from sitting on the couch and doing nothing(stopped being a couch potato since Feb) to working out 6 days a week, eating clean and doing 5ks. I eat 1000-1200 a day and am just not losing weight or inches. I do Jillian Michaels videos and use the elliptical....I sweat gallons, I swear! and yet, the pounds and pants size are not budging.....HELP!
    That really stinks! So sorry you are struggling to lose even though you are making healthy changes. YOU ARE NOT EATING ENOUGH THOUGH. EAT MORE PLEASE.
  • kahulalui
    kahulalui Posts: 33
    I weigh myself way too much. I guess it is a good thing but, sometimes it really ruins my day.
  • FireStorm1972
    FireStorm1972 Posts: 1,142 Member
    I weigh myself daily also to see the fluctuations, but check-in every Sunday morning 1st thing in the morning after the morning bathroom ritual. Weighing yourself daily can get discouraging, especially if you ate late or ate a lot of sodium the night before as that causes water retention.
  • GrandeHombre
    GrandeHombre Posts: 7 Member
    I used to weigh myself several times a week and I would flip out over the fluctuations. I weigh in as soon as I wake up on Monday Morning and record it. At my size I can fluctuate a pound or two and it drove me crazy. The only expect you to loose a few lbs. a week so one day shouldnt make a difference in the grand scheme of things.
  • spatty_harris
    spatty_harris Posts: 17 Member
    Generally I weigh myself once a week (6am on Tuesday mornings - nothing significant about the time, that's just when I get up and before I eat breakfast), and take my measurements at the same time.

    If I'm cutting weight for a competition, then I'll more likely weigh myself twice weekly, and the week beforehand, every day.

    I don't like to weigh myself daily though, because I feel like it encourages obsessive behaviour.
  • whatascene
    whatascene Posts: 119 Member
    Hahaha I have a ritual now.

    I think the lower in weight I got, the less I weighed myself because my weight fluctuates much more over little stuff I don't know why. Now it's about once a week or every 2 weeks.
    When I was heavier I weighed myself about 2-3 times a week, when I was heavier my weight remained pretty consistent.

    If I eat bad on a weekend, I'll wait until the end of the week after eating right and being good for the week before I weigh myself. Those are the most accurate and consistent weight recordings I get. Usually I weigh myself after eating good and working out for a couple of days, and wake up in the morning not feeling bloated or anything.

    ^^ I do this because fluctuations can be discouraging, and there is no point getting upset over water weight and such.

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