Insane weight fluctuations

Virginia90
Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Yes, I know it's bad to weigh daily, but I can't help it. That being said, I'm so incredibly frustrated with my weight fluctuations. I've been at this a while - about 4 years actually, and I've lost more than 90lbs (depending on the day, apparently) between having 2 babies. I'm close to my goal, within about 10-15lbs, and I *thought* I had this down to a science. I weigh my food, don't lick things from spoons, and use a HRM when I exercise. Anyways, recently I've been seeing drastic fluctuations day to day. I went from 131 to 141 overnight, then went back down to 136, then up to 138, then down to 134, up to 137, and up again to 139. I'm 8lbs over my low weight today, and I'm not sure what to do to get my body back on track. It's been fluctuating like this for a couple weeks now, when I'm used to seeing my numbers going down steadily with a spike one day and a good loss the next. Has this happened to anyone else when they get close to their goal? What in the world can I do? Are 10lb fluctuations normal?? I know it's not fat, because I in no way ate 35,000 extra calories, especially in one day, but still...it's unsettling. :s

Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    Virginia90 wrote: »
    Yes, I know it's bad to weigh daily, but I can't help it.

    Well then, have fun being annoyed.

    Stop weighing daily OP.
  • Virginia90
    Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
    edited April 2015
    IsaackGMOON wrote: »
    Virginia90 wrote: »
    Yes, I know it's bad to weigh daily, but I can't help it.

    Well then, have fun being annoyed.

    Stop weighing daily OP.

    I've been weighing daily for 4 years and haven't seen 10lbs fluctuations before. 3-4lbs, yes. But this has been different...and doesn't go back down within days like it normally does - it goes up and down. I'm asking if this is normal because I'm closer to my goal weight, or is there possibly something else going on? Even if I stick to once a week, I'm still having drastic weight fluctuations week to week over the course of the last couple months...
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    It isn't that it's bad to weigh daily. It's bad to weigh daily if you are going to stress over it.

    Which is sounds like you are doing. Of course you can stop weighing daily. If you don't want to, I would recommend that you find a way to focus on the overall trend -- not the daily data point.
  • tattooedmomma93b
    tattooedmomma93b Posts: 101 Member
    Don't weigh daily. You've gotten 90 pounds down already so don't stress out about the daily fluctuations. Weigh yourself once a week.
    I weigh daily, I'm in the beginning of my weight loss journey and I see a small result most days. Some days there's no difference, but I don't let it bring me down. And I also know that the further along in my journey that the results will slow.

    Also. Does your scale stay in one place? Or do you move it everyday? If you move it and don't get it in the same spot everyday that could cause the differences.
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  • deamacgray
    deamacgray Posts: 13 Member
    If it's a digital scale, could the batteries be dying?
  • Virginia90
    Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
    My scale stays in the same place...and I usually make my 4 year old stand on it to make sure it's accurate in case it was moved. I'm gonna have to start forcing myself to not weigh daily I think...it does stress me out too much. Is there anyone here who weighs less than once a week? Would that me smart or dumb to do? I have so little self-control when it comes to weighing...I may have to start giving my scale to my neighbor again during the week...

    TMI, I also haven't started my cycles up yet (10 months postpartum) and I wonder if that has anything to do with it or if that's wishful thinking. =/ It would be nice for things to just normalize again. In the past I could look at my monthly trends and see it going down, but these last couple of months have really thrown me off and I'm unsure as to what has changed.
  • Virginia90
    Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
    flyingtanuki wrote: »
    Is your scale electronic? If so, when was the last time you replaced the batteries?

    Yes it is....would it still give my 40lb 4 year old accurate results though? Or would hers stay accurate because she weighs less and the scale doesn't work as hard? lol I could try replacing them either way...
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    I would use a non-changing weight to verify that the weight reading of the scale is repeatable. Your 4-year-old does not qualify. Go buy a 20 pound dumbell or something that doesn't change and use that every day before you weigh yourself to verify the repeatability of the scale.

    I can't imagine a 10-pound fluctuation in a day. You'd have to consume over 10 pounds of food and not go to the bathroom.

    I agree if your scale is electric the first thing I'd do is check for repeatability and if it has problems check the batteries.

    You should not have any problem with daily weighing. I have a Withings WiFi scale and I use it every day and it automatically logs my weight over the internet. It's not uncommon to see a +/- 3 pound change. It's the overall trend you want to see.

    http://i.imgur.com/WYFHdgt.png
  • carliekitty
    carliekitty Posts: 303 Member
    I ate ALOT Saturday, and Sunday for Easter. I gained 10.8 lbs. It's not real I've already lost half of it. You may be eating higher sodium and gaining water weight. You could have sore muscles and holding water that way...If your not eating the calories needed for such weight gain then your not really gaining.
  • CoconutLucy
    CoconutLucy Posts: 14 Member
    I weigh daily too with fluctuations at most of maybe 3lbs. Sounds more like your scale is the culprit.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    I think as your body is getting down to the weight it is accepting as your final weight is can wildly fluctuate until it settles. I see a trend in your weigh ins and it is going downward. Id say stick with the lower not the higher. Also have you changed up anything? Exercise that is harder can cause water wright initially. Make sure lots of water. Maybe a new scale or batteries? Maybe readjust your calories as you are approaching goal. Also I had alot of water weight post preg and it took months to get it out I was excessively bloated but thankfully that is gone! I literally had to drink gallons of water to get it out.
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  • Rogstar
    Rogstar Posts: 216 Member
    There is absolutely nothing wrong with weighing daily. I love weighing daily because numbers are awesome. But, I don't stress about it as it's the overall trend over a month or two or twelve. You don't have to if you don't want to, but then you wouldn't see those fluctuations during the week. That said, maybe you should give weighing less often a try if you're not a numbers fanatic or it's stressing you out. It's absolutely a personal preference, neither "smart" nor "dumb".

    It could be nothing more than having a high sodium intake two days ago. You mentioned that you're 10mos postpartum. Twice my system "started up again" ~11mos after birth while breastfeeding (although I continued to BF 1-2mos after). The time I couldn't BF it was 3-4 mos after birth.

    I wasn't weighing myself back then so I don't know if my weight was erratic during that time specifically, but I can see that driving the scale to weird numbers. And now, every month I gain 5-7lbs overnight two days before my period, and 5lbs or so the day before I ovulate. It goes down over the next few days, but still...super fun....

  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    Sounds like an issue with the scale to me. I weigh daily, too, and I'll see fluctuations of a pound or two at most, not 10 pounds.

    Replace batteries, replace scale if need be.

    Also, make sure you're weighing in at the same time every day, roughly, and wearing the same thing. Most people tend to use the nekkid after morning bathroom method.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    It's not bad to weigh daily, if you can roll with the fluctuations.

    10 pounds seems high, IMO. How's your salt intake been? Any change up in your exercise routine?
  • jbsterks
    jbsterks Posts: 8
    I've fluctuated in a span of as much as 11 lbs in a week- again, it's totally related to water, sodium, time of day, etc.

    That being said, the more you lose, it seems the less steady the progress (at least for me) as you weigh daily.
  • branflakes1980
    branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
    TheVirgoddess wrote: »
    It's not bad to weigh daily, if you can roll with the fluctuations.

    10 pounds seems high, IMO. How's your salt intake been? Any change up in your exercise routine?

    This, I was going to ask about sodium intake as well as what TOM it is for you. I used to weigh daily and I would notice 1-2 maybe 3 lb fluctuations over night but over the course of a month it could fluctuate anywhere from 5-8 lbs but it always evened out in the end. Be sure to drink alot of water, don't stress about it as long as your measurements aren't getting bigger and maybe get a new scale :smile: Good luck to you, and congrats on losing 90 lbs, that is amazing!!

  • Virginia90
    Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
    I may look into a new scale, and very consciously watch my salt...and make sure I get enough water. And I think after I weigh in Friday, I'm going to be giving my scale to my neighbor again during the week to keep me from weighing daily...I let it ruin my whole day even when I know better.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    If you aren't tracking progress with a measuring tape, start. If a 10 pound gain were "real" your measurements would change, too, so it's one way to verify the scale being crazy.
  • brocej
    brocej Posts: 24 Member
    edited April 2015
    wsj59xi5ep6n.png
    One trick if you weigh daily. Log your results in a spreadsheet, and in the adjacent column calculate a 7 day average of the previous 7 day's readings. This smooths everything out.

    Example:

    Notice how the second set of numbers clearly shows progress, with no weight gain, whilst the 1st set varies much more.

    Recorded Daily Weight (lumpy, blue line on graph)
    87.8
    89.5
    89.1
    88.6
    87.6
    88.4
    87.6
    87.4
    87.3
    87.1
    87.5
    87.0
    87.7
    87.6
    87.4
    86.8
    86.8
    86.8
    86.7
    85.8
    86.0
    86.4
    86.1
    86.0
    85.7
    85.2
    84.8
    85.2
    85.4

    7 Day moving average (red line on graph)
    88.4
    88.3
    88.0
    87.7
    87.6
    87.5
    87.4
    87.4
    87.4
    87.3
    87.3
    87.2
    87.1
    86.8
    86.6
    86.5
    86.4
    86.3
    86.1
    85.9
    85.7
    85.6
    85.5
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
    If you haven't started your cycles yet, because you are breast feeding, I'm thinking this is causing the fluctuation.

    55835802.png
  • Virginia90
    Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
    I think I've realized the culprit of this last spike at least - inflammation from an accidental glutening on Sunday. =( the rest of the symptoms showed up yesterday.

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