The scale and the number on it confuses me!

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Skillzorz
Skillzorz Posts: 28 Member
edited October 2014 in Health and Weight Loss
What time of day is best to weigh yourself? I started at 273 lbs. I weigh myself every 10-15 days and the last time I weighed myself was on Friday night. I weighed 263 lbs. Then I weighed myself on Saturday morning and all of a sudden I was 267!! How is this even possible? Does weight fluctuation happen at that wide of a range? I worked out on Friday early morning, does that have something to do with the smaller number on Friday night? Help!

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  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
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    i personally only weigh at the same exact time (early a.m.), with absolutely nothing on (not even my hair clip!) after i go to the bathroom, and before i eat or drink anything.

    weight can fluctuate from times of day. if you choose to weigh at night (my husband does) then ALWAYS weigh at night. it doesn't matter "how" you weigh, or when, it only matters that you are consistent.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    It doesn't matter too much what time you weigh yourself, as long as you use the same time of day (and ideally the same day of the week) each time.

    And yes, body weight can and does fluctuate that much. There are several factors that impact scale weight, so try not to get too wrapped up in it... focus more on how clothes fit and how you look.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    Yes, weight fluctuates that much and often. Best to weigh yourself on the same week day and at the same time, either without clothes or in similar clothes.
  • geojeepgirl
    geojeepgirl Posts: 243 Member
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    It can... most likely water weight retention if your calories are in check. I had the same thing happen with 4.5lbs. Lots of things can happen to cause water weight, sodium, stress, not enough sleep, hormones etc. Dont let it get you down, just keep on keeping on. It took me about 3 days to drop the 4.5 then lost another 2.5 that week.
  • Amberbcox
    Amberbcox Posts: 29
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    I always weigh during the mornings at our employee health clinic in my bra, panties, undershirt, and socks.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Normally weighing first thing in the morning after going to the bathroom is best because you've had all night to digest so you're not weighing any addtiional food in your system. But what's really important is consistency - find a day/time when you're in about the same situation. Same amount of clothing (or none), same amount of food in your system, etc. For instance, when I was in WW, I weighed in every Tuesday around noon and would try to wear the same thing every week and not eat or drink much after a light breakfast.

    Four pounds overnight is probably water weight from whatever you ate for dinner Friday night. Fluctuations happen...
  • sparklefrogz
    sparklefrogz Posts: 281 Member
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    jocemmedina wrote: »
    the last time I weighed myself was on Friday night. I weighed 263 lbs. Then I weighed myself on Saturday morning and all of a sudden I was 267!! How is this even possible? Does weight fluctuation happen at that wide of a range? I worked out on Friday early morning, does that have something to do with the smaller number on Friday night? Help!

    Yes, it does. And yes, it could (working out can cause you to become dehydrated, hence losing water weight -- and the next day your muscles will often retain more water as they repair themselves, causing water weight gain). Also, a woman's hormonal cycle can affect her water retention (and appetite) a lot.

    In my experience, the more you weigh, the larger your fluctuations will be. I am a 140 lb woman on hormonal birth control, and from 160-140 my weight rarely fluctuated more than 1.5 lb either way in a single day. My husband is a 350 lb man and he can easily fluctuate up to 5 lb.

    The important thing is to look at your overall trendline compared to the actual data points. For example, mine's attached below. The little dots are actual weights, the red line is the trend. As long as I pay attention to the trend, I know whether I'm on track or not. (That big dip in late June was when I had the stomach flu. The flatline in August was vacation with no scale and lots of high sodium food.)
    1y.png 21.7K
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    jocemmedina wrote: »
    What time of day is best to weigh yourself? I started at 273 lbs. I weigh myself every 10-15 days and the last time I weighed myself was on Friday night. I weighed 263 lbs. Then I weighed myself on Saturday morning and all of a sudden I was 267!! How is this even possible? Does weight fluctuation happen at that wide of a range? I worked out on Friday early morning, does that have something to do with the smaller number on Friday night? Help!

    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:
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 3500 calories – To gain 1lb of fat you need to be over maintenance by 3500 calories.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • Frequency – This is up to you, but if small fluctuations bother you than only weigh once a week or less.
    • Lightest Weight – Will be naked, first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom
    • 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.
    • 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)
    • TOM - A lot of women will retain water around their TOM, but its just temporary and will go away.

    Fluctuations are normal.

    Here is a chart I made last year using my own weigh-ins:
    29l0bqr.jpg


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