The scale and weight loss

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Jollybeard
Jollybeard Posts: 38 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Interesting article reporting research in PLOS ONE. http://breakingmuscle.com/sports-psychology/for-weight-loss-the-scale-can-be-your-friend

It turns out that weighing in every day has a more cumulatively positive effect on weight loss than weighing in less frequently (e.g., weekly). Across the study groups, weight loss was inversely correlated with length of time between weigh-ins, meaning that the people who weighed in weekly saw either slower weight loss or even weight gain while the people who weighed in every day saw steadier and more significant weight loss over the same period of time. The principal effect, researchers think, is awareness.

I likened it to the way I imagine a thermostat works. If the steady state you want is to keep your house at a particular temperature, then a thermostat that takes a reading of the ambient temperature more frequently will be better able to respond by turning on the heat or AC to adjust the temperature, raising it a degree or lowering it a degree ... low effort and energy cost. If your thermostat only checked the temperature twice a day then it is more difficult to remain at the steady state because it has no way of knowing whether the temperature is too high or too low, and when it does check, the corrective action will be to raise or lower the temperature by a larger number of degrees ... higher effort and energy cost.

Anyway ... food for thought.

Replies

  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    Very interesting. I think it has to do with accountability. If you see everyday the results of how you did the day before, you're more likely to be successful and be accountable. Thanks for the link.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    I weigh daily and don't see anything wrong with it.

    For some people though, the daily fluctuations can effect them on an emotional level which can (but doesn't always) lead to unhealthy actions. These are the scenarios, where I think people should weigh less frequently.
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
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    I feel better weighing daily. Waking up and hopping on the scale to find yourself a pound or two heavier ain't so bad when you see it happen again and again as you head down. Weighing once a week wouldn't give me that information.

    But I can see how it would bug me if I was feeling bad about myself and my weight loss, so no judgment on those who can't do it.
  • radiosilents
    radiosilents Posts: 223 Member
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    I've become kind of a data freak, so weighing every day has become almost fun. I can see patterns evolve and get a better idea about how my body works overall. I have also trained myself to separate the scale reading from any value judgement... it's just a number. :)

    Anyway, I find it very helpful to stay on track. But I know that for some people weighing every day can be a horrible thing. Know thyself.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    radiosilents wrote: »
    I've become kind of a data freak, so weighing every day has become almost fun. I can see patterns evolve and get a better idea about how my body works overall. I have also trained myself to separate the scale reading from any value judgement... it's just a number. :)

    Anyway, I find it very helpful to stay on track. But I know that for some people weighing every day can be a horrible thing. Know thyself.

    ^^This is also the case for me. For the first month or two, seeing the upwards fluctuations bothered me, but weighing daily and charting it in a spreadsheet allowed me to confront it, learn from it and separate emotions from numbers. I became immune to the emotional effect of the fluctuations.

    I've learned so much about my body and how it works through daily weighing and using trends that I would never stop. Plus, a daily habit is simply easier to maintain than one which is less frequent.

  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
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    I weigh in once a week in-front of a personal trainer. Accountability and determination have kept me going with results for over 2.5 years. A number on the scale doesn't tell me how I look or how I feel. I know too many women obsessed with numbers and have had too many friends with eating disorders to even tempt myself with becoming addicted to getting on a scale every day. You have to find what works for you and keep on keeping on.
  • ArvinSloane
    ArvinSloane Posts: 80 Member
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    I weigh every morning, but then I use an app called Happy Scale to chart my fluctuations. It does some kind of statistical magic and predicts your "true weight" and overall loss based on your changes over time. It has REALLY helped me to stop stressing over the slight day-to-day changes.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    I weigh in daily now, and I've been hovering between 163-165. In fact, my weight has increased this week (daily) despite not eating more. But like @shadow2soul mentioned, for some it might have bad psychological effects. I actually think it's easier on my mind than once-a-week weigh-ins.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I weight every day but only log once a week. I like to see how the scale fluctuates according to my workouts and what I eat. It doesn't bother me to see that fluctuation but for other people who it does bother, clearly daily weighing is not a good plan.
  • tremroy1
    tremroy1 Posts: 90 Member
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    Do not fear the scale......just the number. The scale is your friend when the number goes down.....it does not cause the number to go up......its you........I weigh every day and have learned to accept the daily result.
  • McDermott90
    McDermott90 Posts: 3 Member
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    I am so frustrated with the scale - I am now on Day 41 and have lost a total of 1.5 pounds. I am under my points each day and have been exercising (spin and strength training) 3 times per week. According to MFP, I should be 5 pounds less. I've heard I'm probably accumulating muscle which weighs more but that doesn't make me feel any better. Don't want to give up but getting close . . .
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,718 Member
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    McDermott90 wrote: »
    I am so frustrated with the scale - I am now on Day 41 and have lost a total of 1.5 pounds. I am under my points each day and have been exercising (spin and strength training) 3 times per week. According to MFP, I should be 5 pounds less. I've heard I'm probably accumulating muscle which weighs more but that doesn't make me feel any better. Don't want to give up but getting close . . .

    Don't give up! And, please don't rely on the # on the scale to determine your self-worth or attitude for the day. Take measurements! Have you done that already? If not, start. Write them down with date and use that along with the scale for tracking purposes. Getting healthy is the #1 priority anyway.
  • McDermott90
    McDermott90 Posts: 3 Member
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    I haven't taken measurements but probably should. Clothes feeling a tiny bit looser but not major. Just venting about being frustrated - was hoping to see a little something more on the scale this morning. Setbacks tend to send me to the ice cream aisle! Thanks for talking me off the ledge. I'm actually lucky that I don't have much to lose - I'm still fighting those 10 pounds - but I never want it to go over that. As I get older, it gets harder. My body and metabolism fight me every step of the way!
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    I used to weigh mid week so I could make any adjustments needed to hit my goal for the end of week.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    I do a lot better weighing daily.

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