How often do you weigh yourself?

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HappyHealthyMe87
HappyHealthyMe87 Posts: 22 Member
in Getting Started
Weekly, fortnightly or monthly? I'm wondering how often I should weigh myself since me and the scales have a very unhealthy relationship at the minute.... I seem to be a bit obsessed!
At the minute I weigh myself every day.... Which I know I shouldn't be doing. The smallest gain sets me on a breakdown binge and then the cycle continues. Is once a week still too much? I need to see great results to keep me motivated. (Great results = 2lbs+ per week for me)
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  • HappyHealthyMe87
    HappyHealthyMe87 Posts: 22 Member
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    I should add I have a lot of weight to lose! Currently 5ft5, F, 27 & 215lbs
  • fenshae
    fenshae Posts: 27 Member
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    I personally weigh pretty much every day, but I only log when my weight reaches a new low. Why? Because weighing every day makes it obvious to me that my weight can fluctuate a LOT from day to day (5-10 pounds in a week!) so I don't feel so bad about a weekly/monthly weigh-in (in case I caught myself on a "bad" day).

    I keep my head straight by remembering: I'm counting calories and logging my meals. There is literally no way that I could be eating 3,550 calories extra in a day to have *actually* gained a pound of fat from one day to the next. The weight fluctuation is all water retention, food in my tummy etc.

    So for me, weighing frequently is comforting. If it's not for you -- if it causes you anxiety -- then don't do it. Put the scale away for a while, keep logging your meals, and focus on other goals like how your clothes fit or how you feel. The number on the scale ultimately doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, and certainly not enough to send you into a panic.
  • ttcbelieve
    ttcbelieve Posts: 181 Member
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    Daily......
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/20/weight-loss-scale_n_6360310.html
  • ericalynn104
    ericalynn104 Posts: 382 Member
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    I weigh myself almost every morning just for myself. I log it when it goes down or stays the same for more than a few days. I'm also doing a biggest loser competition with my coworkers so we weigh in every Friday.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    edited December 2014
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    I tend to weigh every other week on the same day of the week at the same time. Usually first thing in the morning before I hop in the shower on a Friday.

    Some people do weigh in every day to measure out the different weight fluctuations and then look at the measurements monthly to see the daily changes.

    You may not lose 2 pounds every week- but it's important to remember that its okay! :) Higher sodium foods may cause some water weight gain, mother nature's monthly visit can add a few water weight pounds as well. Just remember that it is important to keep moving forward. If the scale doesn't move, take measurements. you could have lost some inches instead which would be a NSV (non-scale victory). If there are no changes in about a month, it may be time to reevaluate your calorie goals. :) hope this helps
  • TopazCutie
    TopazCutie Posts: 386 Member
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    every morning. Unless it's the day after a huge meal then I wait until the next day
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
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    There is nothing wrong with weighing every day, as long as you take the time to understand and analyze the data. Your weight can easily fluctuate 3 or more pounds a day, mostly due to water weight. The danger of weighing weekly is if you've really lost 2 lbs this week, but the scale shows you are up by 1 because of your current hydration status, that can be more devastating than daily fluctuations. At that point you may think "a whole week wasted!!" instead of being aware that you actually lost weight.

    If you are going to weigh daily (I weigh 2x a day), plot a moving average of your weight and get an accurate trend line ... This shows 3 lbs of lost weight, with weigh-in values in a 5-lb range:

    figure1782.png

  • krympmeg22
    krympmeg22 Posts: 20 Member
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    I know it's probably not healthy, but I weigh myself twice a day now. When i wake up and right before going to bed. It's just become a habit like brushing my teeth.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    Every day
  • klkarlen
    klkarlen Posts: 4,366 Member
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    ericalynn104 wrote: »
    I weigh myself almost every morning just for myself. I log it when it goes down or stays the same for more than a few days.

    Same here, but twice a day, first thing in the morning, and last thing at night, it gives me an idea of what water fluctuations are like. As I get closer to goal, the length of time between drops in weight increases. And it does not cause a panic.
  • dfargher
    dfargher Posts: 37 Member
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    I weigh every day, but I also track my 10-day moving average, which smooths out the water-weight fluctuations. I don't sweat any daily fluctuations as long as the 10-day average is moving in the right direction.
  • jknox2009
    jknox2009 Posts: 13 Member
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    I weigh myself most mornings, right after I get out of bed, use the toilet and put my contacts in (so I can actually see the numbers). It's a good motivator to see that next multiple of 5 getting closer, and if it goes up, I usually know why - "Oh, that was last night's dinner with my friends, there's my splurge for the week" or "That's the birthday cake at work, that my coworkers call you rude if you don't take at least a little bit" - gotta love peer pressure, and I'm still figuring out how to get past that part. :P I usually just tell myself that I have to be good today to make up for it, and get back on track. I only log about once a week or so, usually when I hit a low mark, so I don't have to deal with all those little wobbles.

    (Interesting thing - we have almost the exact same stats. 5'5" and 27 here too, and I was 222 this morning :) )
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
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    I guess I'm the odd one out who doesn't way everyday lol. Maybe I'll have to go back to every morning.
  • HappyHealthyMe87
    HappyHealthyMe87 Posts: 22 Member
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    sullus wrote: »
    There is nothing wrong with weighing every day, as long as you take the time to understand and analyze the data. Your weight can easily fluctuate 3 or more pounds a day, mostly due to water weight. The danger of weighing weekly is if you've really lost 2 lbs this week, but the scale shows you are up by 1 because of your current hydration status, that can be more devastating than daily fluctuations. At that point you may think "a whole week wasted!!" instead of being aware that you actually lost weight.

    If you are going to weigh daily (I weigh 2x a day), plot a moving average of your weight and get an accurate trend line ... This shows 3 lbs of lost weight, with weigh-in values in a 5-lb range:

    figure1782.png

    I really like this graph... That must be such a good visual aid! Is this an app? X
  • HappyHealthyMe87
    HappyHealthyMe87 Posts: 22 Member
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    Troutsy wrote: »
    I tend to weigh every other week on the same day of the week at the same time. Usually first thing in the morning before I hop in the shower on a Friday.

    Some people do weigh in every day to measure out the different weight fluctuations and then look at the measurements monthly to see the daily changes.

    You may not lose 2 pounds every week- but it's important to remember that its okay! :) Higher sodium foods may cause some water weight gain, mother nature's monthly visit can add a few water weight pounds as well. Just remember that it is important to keep moving forward. If the scale doesn't move, take measurements. you could have lost some inches instead which would be a NSV (non-scale victory). If there are no changes in about a month, it may be time to reevaluate your calorie goals. :) hope this helps

    You have no idea how much happier this makes me! I started my first day two days ago (same day as my monthly started). I logged every single calorie.... Even the splash of milk in my cup of tea! I stuck to 1350 calories (coming in at 1339).... The next morning I weighed 2lbs heavier! I'm guessing it was a mixture of my monthly combined with all the left over Christmas ham I was eating? I had ham salad for lunch and dinner the day before! I was gutted as there were times during the day when I was hungry and desperately wanted some of the Christmas biscuits but I declined.... Then to see +2lbs the next day nearly killed my motivated right there and then. I've not weighed since as I've been too scared.
  • Bukawww
    Bukawww Posts: 159 Member
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    I use Happy Scale app and weight every morning.
  • mbcaldwell123
    mbcaldwell123 Posts: 79 Member
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    Troutsy wrote: »
    I guess I'm the odd one out who doesn't way everyday lol. Maybe I'll have to go back to every morning.


    I weigh every once in a while; most especially when I have noticed a NSV or realize that I have not weighed in several weeks. Just do whatever works for you. I used to obsess about the scale. Then I got a personal trainer that threatened me with making me do 50 additional push ups every time he caught me at the scale. Since I was just starting to exercise at that time, that was a very effective threat. Now, I'd just laugh at him and challenge him to be a little more creative. :D
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
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    Every morning for me but ONLY once a day. Chart it and you will learn a lot about fluctuations if you can handle it mentally. This app is Libra but there are lots of others out there.

    n9g6e8evgifa.jpg
  • mbcaldwell123
    mbcaldwell123 Posts: 79 Member
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    jknox2009 wrote: »
    I weigh myself most mornings, right after I get out of bed, use the toilet and put my contacts in (so I can actually see the numbers). It's a good motivator to see that next multiple of 5 getting closer, and if it goes up, I usually know why - "Oh, that was last night's dinner with my friends, there's my splurge for the week" or "That's the birthday cake at work, that my coworkers call you rude if you don't take at least a little bit" - gotta love peer pressure, and I'm still figuring out how to get past that part. :P I usually just tell myself that I have to be good today to make up for it, and get back on track. I only log about once a week or so, usually when I hit a low mark, so I don't have to deal with all those little wobbles.

    (Interesting thing - we have almost the exact same stats. 5'5" and 27 here too, and I was 222 this morning :) )


    jknox2009, I tell my coworkers that I'll have the cake with them if they go to the gym with me and do EVERYTHING that I do so that I can work off that piece of cake. It gives them some perspective and I have yet to have a single person take me up on the challenge. Now they tell me that there is cake but no longer "pressure" me to eat it with them.
  • susansmoaks
    susansmoaks Posts: 77 Member
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    i weigh in every morning. it helps me keep on track.

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