Am I really losing one pound a week?

tonixc
tonixc Posts: 9 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
How do I know if I'm really losing one pound a week? I know that weight can fluctuate up or down a pound or two depending on water weight and scales accuracy. How do I really know???????
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Replies

  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    If the scale is a pound less than last week, you lost a pound.
  • terricherry2
    terricherry2 Posts: 222 Member
    Most people say to weigh yourself at the same time and using the same scales each time. E.g. in the morning before you've eaten or drank anything. That should be pretty accurate. There can be things that still affect it, but if you know you ate an entire pizza the night before or did a new workout etc, then you know a gain isn't a real gain.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Just log it and move on.

    I don't understand this obsession with real weight loss vs false weight loss. Your weight is what you weigh the second you're on the scale. Log it and be done.
  • Noenvynofear
    Noenvynofear Posts: 137 Member
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    If the scale is a pound less than last week, you lost a pound.

    this is quite accurate

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • nilbogger
    nilbogger Posts: 870 Member
    Focus on trends over time.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    You keep doing what you're doing. After six months compare your new weight to your starting weight. Fluctuations only account for a few pounds.
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
    You watch the trend over time. As long as I'm logging food and exercise, I usually weigh daily but only log my weight when it's lower than previously recorded. If it's up a bit, I assume water weight and shrug it off.

    If you really want to geek out about it, you can make a statistical control chart that will tell you whether you're actually losing or just seeing normal fluctuation. If you're a stats nerd like me, that can be interesting.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    nilbogger wrote: »
    Focus on trends over time.

    this. it takes several weigh ins over weeks/months to see what your actually losing

  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
    A good Scale... and yes it does fluctuate. Some people weigh daily then take the average over a week.
    After a month or so you kind of know when it is water,etc.. as long as you are showing a decline over time you are doing good. I always fluctuate 2-3pds.
    good luck.
  • rockinrodders123
    rockinrodders123 Posts: 22 Member
    You're never going to get it 100% accurate but try to weigh yourself on the same scale every time and on the same day every week and at the same time of day and wearing the same clothes (avoid heavy clothing or shoes).

    I usually go for Tuesday then my body has had time to get back to normal after the weekend and I'd do it not long after getting up in the morning and always after a pee (that's good for an extra pound loss :) ).

    If your weight is going down consistently week on week then even if the actual number is not 100% true the weight loss is going to be pretty solid.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    I think the problem is that people want a set number, when we would be better off looking at a range. I'm sure that's easier when at maintenance than during weight loss.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,616 Member
    I weigh myself every day.

    Yes, I know that's not recommended, but the main reason I do is because doing that has revealed patterns, and I know not to worry if I stay the same weight for a few days, or even go up half a kilo, because that's all a part of the pattern.

    So I weigh myself in the same place every day, and always first thing in the morning after using the toilet.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited May 2015
    Do you have a smart phone? If so download an app that tracks your trend. Some examples for the iPhone:
    • Monitor Your Weight
      yrdfz57qem15.jpg
    • Happy Scale
      dxrl8mrs781w.jpg

  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    edited May 2015
    Machka9 wrote: »
    I weigh myself every day.

    Yes, I know that's not recommended, but the main reason I do is because doing that has revealed patterns, and I know not to worry if I stay the same weight for a few days, or even go up half a kilo, because that's all a part of the pattern.

    So I weigh myself in the same place every day, and always first thing in the morning after using the toilet.

    I do this, but I also weigh in right before bed...I drop between 2-5 pounds overnight every night! Really puts those fluctuations into perspective, LOL.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    HeySwoleSister wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    I weigh myself every day.

    Yes, I know that's not recommended, but the main reason I do is because doing that has revealed patterns, and I know not to worry if I stay the same weight for a few days, or even go up half a kilo, because that's all a part of the pattern.

    So I weigh myself in the same place every day, and always first thing in the morning after using the toilet.

    I do this, but I also weigh in right before bed...I drop between 2-5 pounds overnight every night! Really puts those fluctuations into perspective, LOL.

    It is entertaining to see it. WHERE DID IT GO!?!? :lol:
  • bionic_woman
    bionic_woman Posts: 28 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    I weigh myself every day.

    Yes, I know that's not recommended, but the main reason I do is because doing that has revealed patterns, and I know not to worry if I stay the same weight for a few days, or even go up half a kilo, because that's all a part of the pattern.

    So I weigh myself in the same place every day, and always first thing in the morning after using the toilet.

    I do this too. I use a Wii Fit as a scale, it records the data on a graph so I can see the trend over a week, month or year. I only "take notice" of weekly weigh-ins first thing on a Saturday morning.

  • jorinya
    jorinya Posts: 933 Member
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    If the scale is a pound less than last week, you lost a pound.

    Love it!! Can I use it sometime??

    Seriously OP, if it says your losing then you are. Well done for losing weight. Never doubt your capabilities. You can achieve anything if you really want it. Best of luck!!!
  • TiffanyR71
    TiffanyR71 Posts: 217 Member
    I weigh myself every morning, but only log new lows in MFP- I track dailies separately on a calendar, but as another poster wrote, there are a lot of weight tracking apps out there... If I don't see a new low in a week, I know I need to look closely at what's going on with food, etc. - maybe "water" - maybe sloppy tracking...
  • JayRuby84
    JayRuby84 Posts: 557 Member
    Thanks for posting that app, Shadow2Soul....I am going to download it today and play around with it.
  • Tubbs216
    Tubbs216 Posts: 6,597 Member
    Afura wrote: »
    HeySwoleSister wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    I weigh myself every day.

    Yes, I know that's not recommended, but the main reason I do is because doing that has revealed patterns, and I know not to worry if I stay the same weight for a few days, or even go up half a kilo, because that's all a part of the pattern.

    So I weigh myself in the same place every day, and always first thing in the morning after using the toilet.

    I do this, but I also weigh in right before bed...I drop between 2-5 pounds overnight every night! Really puts those fluctuations into perspective, LOL.

    It is entertaining to see it. WHERE DID IT GO!?!? :lol:
    Me too! (Answer: mostly down the toilet)
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    You have to look at the long-term trends.

    ZKEa3M6.png
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    Afura wrote: »
    HeySwoleSister wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    I weigh myself every day.

    Yes, I know that's not recommended, but the main reason I do is because doing that has revealed patterns, and I know not to worry if I stay the same weight for a few days, or even go up half a kilo, because that's all a part of the pattern.

    So I weigh myself in the same place every day, and always first thing in the morning after using the toilet.

    I do this, but I also weigh in right before bed...I drop between 2-5 pounds overnight every night! Really puts those fluctuations into perspective, LOL.

    It is entertaining to see it. WHERE DID IT GO!?!? :lol:

    I'm a 45 year old woman, I get up to pee 3-4 times a night and don't get me started on the hot flashes.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    maillemaker wrote: »
    You have to look at the long-term trends.

    ZKEa3M6.png

    What happened February 28th?
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    I often fluctuate 1-2 pounds a week or even a day because of water, especially if I have gone up to altitude (camping trip in the mountains, etc.). I weigh myself every day and know the trends...when it is likely water and when it's not. The key is trends over time. Also, how do your clothes fit? I would LOVE to be losing a pound a week, i usually average 1/2 pound.
  • cparsons_60
    cparsons_60 Posts: 95 Member
    I weigh myself at home every morning, but I know my old analog scale isn't that great. I take TRX at the Y every Wednesday evening, and weigh myself on their balance scale after every class, always wearing the same clothes (shorts, t-shirt, no shoes). This is the only weight I really count, and the weight I post on MFP.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    What happened February 28th?

    I bought a new scale. It's a Withings WiFi scale. I think I manually entered the immediately prior dates from the doctor's office. The long flat line off to the left is the remnants from my previous MFP attempt. This current attempt started on 2/28.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    If the scale is down a pound, then you lost it.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    If the scale is a pound less than last week, you lost a pound.

    Not true. Weight loss is not linear. You can gain a pound one week and lose three pounds the next. You know this, TimothyFish.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    Same to you @Liftng4Lis
This discussion has been closed.

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