Daily Weight

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kcowart130
kcowart130 Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Recently I have been weighing myself daily to keep myself motivated but it is starting to make me wonder if my fluctuations are normal.
I weigh at the same time every day w/out clothes and some days I can be up or down 5lbs from the previous day. As a nurse, I have always been told that a fluid fluctuation daily of 2-3 lbs is concerning. Anyone have any possible explanations?

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  • bembo1980
    bembo1980 Posts: 28 Member
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    Hi there! Just wondering if your scales are accurate as I had this until I got new ones x
  • bonnt
    bonnt Posts: 172 Member
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    I think it's normal. I don't usually go that extreme but if you've had a lot of sodium the day before, your body will retain the water. Also - if you have gone to the bathroom, time of the month for women, etc. :) I often times move +/- 2 lbs.
  • WednesdayJanuary07th2015
    WednesdayJanuary07th2015 Posts: 163
    edited January 2015
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    This also depends upon, if it's around the time of your menstrual cycle, also when you consume a lot of sodium and/or you haven't had a bowel movement in a couple of days. I try to avoid weighing myself, at least a week before my menstrual cycle; due to water retention. Possibly might be a combination of all 3.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Weightless is not linear. Downward trends are what you are looking for.
  • kcowart130
    kcowart130 Posts: 10 Member
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    I'm hoping it has something to do with the time of the month... I guess it could be the scale. It was my husbands from before we even met lol
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
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    kcowart130 wrote: »
    Recently I have been weighing myself daily to keep myself motivated but it is starting to make me wonder if my fluctuations are normal.
    I weigh at the same time every day w/out clothes and some days I can be up or down 5lbs from the previous day. As a nurse, I have always been told that a fluid fluctuation daily of 2-3 lbs is concerning. Anyone have any possible explanations?

    Concerning why? I am genuinely interested because I frequently fluctuate and I don't always know why (new exercise, impending period, extra sodium all taken into account).

    Do you get different weights stepping on it back-to-back? The springs might be going. I assume you've changed the batteries.
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
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    Weight can fluctuate throughout the day and from day to day. Perfectly normal. I've had 7lb fluxes before now. TOM, sodium, alcohol..
  • kcowart130
    kcowart130 Posts: 10 Member
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    The weights are consistent from stepping off and then back on again.
    I just know that a huge weight fluctuation usually is related to fluid so idk if I'm too dehydrated or holding too much water. With renal patients I have always been told 2-3lbs weight gain means they are holding too much fluid so I'm not necessarily sure it is concerning with healthy people but wanted to see if others fluctuate so much.
  • wesleepuntilthesungoesdown
    wesleepuntilthesungoesdown Posts: 876 Member
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    one of my friends posted this yesterday.. have a read
    http://greatist.com/health/understanding-scale-bloat-and-weight-loss?fb_action_ids=10205503421003106&fb_action_types=og.shares
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
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    kcowart130 wrote: »
    The weights are consistent from stepping off and then back on again.
    I just know that a huge weight fluctuation usually is related to fluid so idk if I'm too dehydrated or holding too much water. With renal patients I have always been told 2-3lbs weight gain means they are holding too much fluid so I'm not necessarily sure it is concerning with healthy people but wanted to see if others fluctuate so much.

    Oh, that makes sense. Yes, it seems to be common for healthy people's weight to fluctuate like that, because I've seen a lot of threads like this.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Even though it is possible, I wouldn't normally expect a person's weight to fluctuate much from day to day, because we are creatures of habit. But differences in eating times and what food we eat can cause significant differences.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
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    When did I last eat? That meal + drink can weigh 2 + pounds on the plate. Just because I poured it down my throat doesn't make it disappear. I will be 2 pounds heavier immediately after that dinner until I slowly process, burn it off, and poop it out ... bringing up the next question ...

    When did I last poop? The average human pushes near 2 pounds of poop a day. If it's inside you, it's contributing to your overall weight. If you just pushed it out, it's not.

    Water retention related to any number of normal dietary/health situations can account for more than a few pounds.

    My biggest is variance is: When did I run last? I'll easily sweat off 2 pounds of water on a 10-miler and scary ridiculous amounts on a Full Marathon. I've weighed 11 pounds difference from the start line to the finish line before.

    FYI - my normal, daily swing is 4 to 6 pounds.

    You're doing fine.

  • clambert1273
    clambert1273 Posts: 840 Member
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    weight fluctuations daily like that are only concerning to people like my dad... with congestive heart failure.. then it was regarding fluid retention daily :)

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