When to weigh.

dygray
dygray Posts: 10 Member
edited November 9 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
So I'm one pound from my goal. My question is I have been weighing in the morning. Should I wait till my goal weight is my weight at night before bed to start on my maintenance phase?

Replies

  • hallen38
    hallen38 Posts: 14
    I know with weightwatchers they make you weigh in once a week. same time. I always weigh myself in the morning, and then if having a good day will check it at the end of the day just to see how I would normally gain throughout the day so I don't get too hard on myself..way to go with your goal in reach!!
  • dygray
    dygray Posts: 10 Member
    Thanks! I'm happy but naturally want to make sure I can maintain it. Thanks for the advice I'll start doing that.
  • bvifun
    bvifun Posts: 401 Member
    Congratulations on your achievement. I agree about weighing at the same time of day. I use a goal range as we all have weight fluctuations. Mine is 3 pounds and seems to work for me.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Congratulations!

    Personally, I weight myself every morning right after I got up after I go to the bathroom and before I brush my teeth (no reason, it's just what I do). Looking at my weight every day I don't have to think about it - I know it will 'wobble' around in a 3 pound zone or so. As long as I stay there, I know I'm okay. If I weighed less often on a some regular schedule, I'd worry about an odd day. For me, more frequent weighing is less anxiety.

    As you move to maintenance, find a 'window' you are comfortable with - many people choose 3-5 pounds. Celebrate when you hit the top of the window - you've hit your goal! However you probably want to keep on a deficit until you get to the bottom because you want to be able to bounce around within that window and STAY THERE. So on a 'low' day you'll be at the bottom of the window and on a 'high' day you'll be at the top. If you up your calorie alottment to maintenance at the top, you'll probably bounce from that low up.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    Your weight at night before bed is less useful than your morning weight, because it is more affected by daily fluctuations in what you ate and drank and your hydration level. I continue to use my morning weight.

    Many people go down 1-2 pounds below their goal before switching to maintenance, because you will put on a little water weight once you're eating at maintenance and your muscle glycogen stores replenish themselves. Personally, I just tapered very slowly to my maintenance calories (in fact I am about to finish the taper).
  • dbearest
    dbearest Posts: 4 Member
    I weigh myself twice per week - usually on Sunday and on Wednesday - in the morning just before breakfast.

    I take into account if I have eaten salty food the night before, as this always seems to add water retention weight. However, it is typically no more than 1-1.5 lbs.

    My maintenance goal is to stay within a 2-3 lb range of my goal weight.

    Like bwogilvie above, I am tapering my calories to arrive at my best maintenance value. When I went to maintenance, the program automatically went to 2010 calories per day. However, I found that if I went over 1800, then I gained a little. My current strategy is to add in 100 calories per day for a week, and see what happens. If I stay the same or go down, then I add in 50-100 calories more for the following week.

    Also, I adjust about 100-200 calories in day, depending on how active I have been. If I'm more active, then I go to 1800 calories, but if less active, then only about 1600 calories. So far, it seems to be working.

    Good luck on finding your best strategy!
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    I weigh myself first thing every Monday morning so I know whether or not I need to eat more during the week.
  • goingforahundred
    goingforahundred Posts: 590 Member
    I can't wait until I am in the maintenance stage! Congrats to you all and thank you for sharing your words of wisdom!!
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    One pound is maintenance - you'll lose that as you try to stabilize. I weigh myself every other week. Have done that since the start. I don't like seeing too much variation - once a week is too often and once a month is too long for me.
  • mymodernbabylon
    mymodernbabylon Posts: 1,038 Member
    47Jacqueline wrote: »
    One pound is maintenance - you'll lose that as you try to stabilize. I weigh myself every other week. Have done that since the start. I don't like seeing too much variation - once a week is too often and once a month is too long for me.

    Exactly - give yourself a range of weights rather than a single weight, otherwise you'll go mad.
  • gotolam
    gotolam Posts: 262 Member
    I would drop 2-3% below your goal weight before you move into maintenance. Once you no longer eat at a calorie deficit, your body will start replenishing glycogen stores that can make it appear as if you're gaining; even while eating at maintenance. Ultimately, a few lbs one way or the other won't make a difference, but mentally, it may be disheartening.

  • Leamlass1
    Leamlass1 Posts: 6 Member
    I usually weigh myself once a week in the mornings, but after breakfast. By the time I get up, let the dog out and do the little chores, I forget and have my coffee, but I realize from listening to all of your experience that I need to start after getting up and after going to the bathroom - BEFORE breakfast. Thanks for all your feedback - Happy New Year to all !! ;)
  • ihatebeingfat23
    ihatebeingfat23 Posts: 62
    I was told in the morning before breakfast
  • csuhar
    csuhar Posts: 779 Member
    bwogilvie wrote: »
    Your weight at night before bed is less useful than your morning weight, because it is more affected by daily fluctuations in what you ate and drank and your hydration level. I continue to use my morning weight.

    Same here. When I weigh myself, I usually do so in the morning after I've gone to the bathroom so that the number on my scale is my "empty weight" and not my bodyweight plus the sandwich I had for lunch, the steak I had at dinner, etc.

    Monday morning is particularly useful for me because I don't tend to eat much on Sundays, so I don't have as much food to get through my system.

  • csuhar
    csuhar Posts: 779 Member
    give yourself a range of weights rather than a single weight, otherwise you'll go mad.

    This is the other big thing for maintenance without insanity. You can have a particular, specific target, but you really want to look at it as a weight range, such as 5 above and below. Not only will that accommodate any temporary fluctuations, but it lets you have a range where, if you're taking corrective actions, they're small tweaks, like re-checking your portion sizes, instead of going back into full-blown weight loss mode.
  • dygray
    dygray Posts: 10 Member
    I really appreciate all the advice. I feel like I have a plan now. Thank yall so much!
  • tracyapearce
    tracyapearce Posts: 7
    Really useful advice, hope to be heading into maintenance within a couple of months
  • mrsKOrtiz
    mrsKOrtiz Posts: 949 Member
    A pound from your goal? WOW! Outstanding!!!
  • DarcyL7
    DarcyL7 Posts: 8 Member
    nxd10 wrote: »
    Congratulations!

    Personally, I weight myself every morning right after I got up after I go to the bathroom and before I brush my teeth (no reason, it's just what I do). Looking at my weight every day I don't have to think about it - I know it will 'wobble' around in a 3 pound zone or so. As long as I stay there, I know I'm okay. If I weighed less often on a some regular schedule, I'd worry about an odd day. For me, more frequent weighing is less anxiety.

    As you move to maintenance, find a 'window' you are comfortable with - many people choose 3-5 pounds. Celebrate when you hit the top of the window - you've hit your goal! However you probably want to keep on a deficit until you get to the bottom because you want to be able to bounce around within that window and STAY THERE. So on a 'low' day you'll be at the bottom of the window and on a 'high' day you'll be at the top. If you up your calorie alottment to maintenance at the top, you'll probably bounce from that low up.

  • DarcyL7
    DarcyL7 Posts: 8 Member
    Well said! I weigh every day and have been told not to do so. It works for me. I am in maintenance mode and like to keep myself in check. I try not to beat myself up about the numbers but it keeps me honest.
  • Penny5518
    Penny5518 Posts: 33 Member
    I've hit the top of my maintaining range, but I'm planning on losing another 5lbs to get to the bottom of it before I start trying to maintain :) Congratulations on meeting your goal!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    mymodernbabylon wrote: »
    47Jacqueline wrote: »
    One pound is maintenance - you'll lose that as you try to stabilize. I weigh myself every other week. Have done that since the start. I don't like seeing too much variation - once a week is too often and once a month is too long for me.

    Exactly - give yourself a range of weights rather than a single weight, otherwise you'll go mad.

    ^^ agree
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    Tomorrow. ;-) I'm at the top of my maintenance range and want to get back to the low end. The last time I weighed was mid-December. Tomorrow I'll be at the same scale, so am going to start off the new year with a weigh-in. Then back to every other week as usual.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Congratulations Jacqueline
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